International Law, LLM: Student Profile

A decision to study an LLM in International Law with International Relations meant that going abroad was the obvious option for Australian Kirraley Bowles. And where better than the center of the European Union, Brussels, where she is studying at the Brussels School of International Studies (BSIS)?

“As my master's program focused on international law/relations, I considered that it would be useful to study in an 'international' city. Studying in Brussels afforded me the opportunity to attend numerous conferences, debates and presentations on matters in connection with international affairs, and to meet like-minded individuals,” she says.

“The school offers a wide array of subjects that are directly relevant to those interested in international affairs, and which set the foundation for a future career on the international plane,” she says. Another huge advantage of studying in Brussels was that although the courses were taught in English, Kirraley was able to work on her French language skills during her day-to-day life.

Career progression

She also claims that by going abroad to study she was able to impress potential employers. “Working and/or studying abroad reveals a certain spiritedness, or willingness, to take risks and embrace the unknown.”

As a result, Kirraley is confident that her LLM at BSIS was instrumental in securing her an internship at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY).

"I now work as a lawyer in the Immediate Office of the Prosecutor at the ICTY. The role is phenomenal. I am 100% satisfied with my job.”

Kirraley undertook an internship at ICTY whilst writing up her master's dissertation. “BSIS gave me the academic grounding I required in order to move into the competitive field of international criminal law. I would go so far as to say that my postgraduate studies were the key to my successful career transition (from private legal practice to the public sector).”

Kirraley worked in property litigation for five years prior to enrolling on her master's course. She realized graduate study was essential for her career to move in the way she wanted it to.

Kirraley researched master's programs online and through administration offices one year before she began her degree, and says she will always be grateful that she was accepted and completed her degree at BSIS.

“I enjoyed the freedom of studying subjects that I had a genuine interest in and passion for. I also enjoyed discussing my courses with my lecturer and class mates. On a lighter note, I enjoyed being a full-time student after five/six years in the workforce.”

Making the move

After years away from studying, Kirraley did find it challenging to adapt to academic writing. “Studying can also be quite isolating at times - writing my dissertation was a laborious, sometimes lonely, process,” she says.

The transition from Australia to Brussels was easy for Kirraley, who puts this down to the fact there were a lot of international students coming to the city. “Other students are in exactly the same position upon arriving in a new city, which means that people make a much greater effort to build connections with one another.”

She says living with flatmates helped her to settle in. “When you’re new to a city, it is also lovely to have the company of flatmates, and to be able to meet new people through them.”

She also says the staff at BSIS were incredibly helpful not only with her course work, but also with the practical aspects of settling into Brussels. She loved Belgium’s “amazing food; cosmopolitan feel; and the fact that Brussels is a great base for further travel.”

On the downside, for someone from the southern hemisphere, she found the northern winters quite harsh, disliking: “The weather in January; the weather in February; and the weather in March.”

Kirraley would not hesitate to recommend studying abroad to anyone. “To study fascinating subjects with your peers is, in itself, a great privilege. But to do this whilst discovering a new city with friends from different parts of the world makes studying overseas even more special.”

She has no immediate plans for continuing her education, but hopes to move into the field of international human rights protection.