The second class of students from the dual-degree program between NYU Law and the National University of Singapore graduated on March 2 in a ceremony at the Asian Civilisations Museum in Singapore.
A total of 55 students from 25 countries across six continents, graduated from the 10-month program.
The program, called NYU@NUS, was launched in May 2007 for students from around the world who want the rigor of an NYU Law LL.M. but also the opportunity to research and practice in Asia. By partnering with NUS, students take part in a unique dual-degree program with a broad selection of subjects from NYU Law and NUS faculty as well as a wealth of region-specific and comparative courses. All of this takes place in Singapore, which enjoys one of the world’s most dynamic and open economies as well as being the gateway for many multinational corporations in Asia.
The graduates, who earn an LL.M. in law and the global economy from NYU Law and an LL.M. from NUS, value the program for its intellectual challenge, multicultural nature, and the connections they form.
“Now I’ve got friendships and professional links throughout the world,” Sumiti Yadava of India said to the Straits Times. “If my boss wants an opinion on law in Chile, I have friends I can ask.”
Another graduate, Alvin Chen, who was the director of representation and law reforms at the Singapore Law Society before he began the program, appreciated learning about the law from a different perspective. "For example, in a course on law and the death penalty, we looked at it from a sociological perspective," Chen told the Straits Times. "It's very different from how we view the death penalty usually. We got a deeper understanding and different dimension in terms of thinking outside the box."