Thirty students were blessed with the opportunity to study a course on European Competition Law and Policy under the Global Legal Education and Awareness Project (G-LEAP) at University College, Oxford, England in July 2009.

G-LEAP is one of the student outreach programmes of the School of Law of City University of Hong Kong (CityU). Designed to promote excellence in legal education, G-LEAP offered law students the valuable opportunity to study in a highly prestigious university during the summer, with a view to providing opportunities for students to gain a global perspective on the study of law.

The one-month Oxford trip provided us with a chance to study at a renowned institute, to travel and live with classmates in an overseas setting and to learn about competition rules and policies. Hong Kong has long been criticised for not paying enough attention to this area in comparison with other common law jurisdictions. The European Competition Law we studied is designed to protect consumer interests and maintain fair competition in the business field. It was a golden opportunity to improve our understanding of competition law outside Hong Kong and equipped us with a global perspective and cutting-edge and practical knowledge on such legal aspect.

Participating in G-LEAP, we came to learn that the prestige attached to the University College, Oxford was largely attributable to its staff. The teaching style of the academic staff from the university provides students with an interdisciplinary learning experience. The lecturers and tutors are knowledgeable, well-prepared and able to explain complicated theories with lively examples. The students are passionate about their studies and have a strong sense of belonging to their colleges. The experience of studying abroad also allowed us to become more independent.

In the midst of studying, we had the chance to visit the Royal Courts of Justice and explore the non-academic aspects of University College, Oxford by indulging in its culture, culminating in the weekly formal dinners. We also went on sightseeing tours with our classmates to Cambridge, London and Oxford.

We owe our deepest gratitude to the law faculties of both universities as this trip would not have been successful without their support. We appreciate that the School of Law has made a huge effort in regards to G-LEAP, which helps students gain more knowledge, understanding and skills relating to substantive legal issues and underscores the importance of globalisation in legal education.