A group of #UNELaw students have just participated in a 14 day China Study Program. From October 22 – November 5 students were immersed in the Chinese legal system and explored China’s rich history and culture. We recently caught up with participants Elizabeth Bennett, Marilyn Miller, Erin Beard and Emily Posthausen who were kind enough to share their experiences from the study tour. 
Erin is a part-time, online student who rarely has the opportunity to attend face-to-face lectures or interact with other students. She saw the overseas study tour as an opportunity to feel more connected to her degree and peers. Emily had always been intrigued by the Chinese legal system whilst Marilyn wanted to use the opportunity to expand her knowledge of the legal systems across the globe. Elizabeth chose to complete the study tour as she realised this experience would be superior to that of a ‘regular tourist.’
The students have many memorable moments from the tour. For Marilyn, the highlights were seeing how the criminal procedures worked in the Chinese court system. Emily found ‘learning in an immersive and collaborative way at the various professional visits’ was one of the best parts of the tour. The students visited The Juvenile Court in Chang-ping (Beijing) and had a session with the judge. They also visited the High Court in Hong Kong which is the equivalent of the High Court in Australia. For Erin, getting to know the people and seeing how they lived was enriching, especially as she is a social worker and interested in child and family law. ‘Having the opportunity to visit a worker’s village in Shanghai, including a community centre, kindergarten, and sharing lunch with a local family in their unit gave me an insight into daily life.’ Elizabeth loved the ‘shopping opportunities’ and gaining awareness of ‘China’s matrix of systems and how they impacted the daily lives of the people.’
The students are currently working on an essay where they are asked to reflect on the differences between the Chinese and Australian legal systems. The students noted the fact China is not a common law country and has a single party system of government without the separation of powers are two of the clear differences between the two legal systems. Students noted other differences included China’s ability to amend its laws (including constitution) relatively easily through the National People’s Congress. 
Marilyn, Erin, Emily and Elizabeth would recommend the study tour to other UNE students. Marilyn commented that the tour, ‘broadens both general and legal knowledge of China and enabled us to see the progress that has been made, especially since the country opened to trade in 1978.’ Erin really sums it up – ‘There is a good balance between tourist experiences, like climbing the Great Wall and visiting Tiananmen Square; educational experiences, such as lectures; and opportunities to shop and get to know other students. The trip really is an intense and immersive experience, and I learned more about the Chinese cultural and legal system in 14 days than I could have in a semester of lectures’.
Thank you for sharing your experience Marilyn, Erin, Emily and Elizabeth!
