Enik Pogace, Albania

LLM in European Law

Enik Pogace, European Commission, Albania

Before joining Queen Mary, University of London I was working at the Ministry of Justice of Albania in the field of approximation of national law with the EU acquis. My job was quite demanding and involved various interesting legal initiatives that were related both to EU and national law.

Then I decided to further upgrade my academic and professional skills by completing an LLM degree in the field of EU law. My decision to study at Queen Mary, University of London was attributed to the fact that the degree is internationally recognised, and the University has an outstanding quality of education and besides it is based in London. What is more, Queen Mary has an excellent reputation in the area of EU law, with prominent professors that are authority in the field.
Queen Mary’s LLM program in EU law is a rare combination of practical, relevant knowledge sharpened by transferable skills as well as coupled with intellectual challenges which provided me with the right academic stimulation to go through highly informative lectures.

The lecturers at Queen Mary were excellent. They were really inspiring and the facilities at the University are just superb. The Centre for Commercial Law Studies (CCLS) at Queen Mary, a leading institution of the University, was incredibly good, providing the resources I needed to do all the research for my course. The Centre is relatively small compared to other academic environments, which helps to create a friendly and informal academic atmosphere. Academics and researchers from many different backgrounds are present and are one of the striking features of conducting research, which can be carried out with considerable emphasis on teamwork and collaboration in this internationally flavoured institution.
At Queen Mary I have gained knowledge but also know-how to analyse and critique what I learned in my courses. There are recurrent opportunities to interact with fellow postgraduate and academic staffs which in my view represent a very helpful and up-to-date method of teaching.

London is a great place to study and an exciting place to live. Life is very fast and there is always something to do. The city is exciting and there are lots of places to visit for the day or weekend. Another good thing is the multicultural environment. Wherever you go you'll find people from different cultures and backgrounds. I enjoy this because I like learning and conversing with people from other countries and lifestyles. This city offers everything from a place to dance, to listen to pop, rock, jazz, enjoy an opera, or chill out in pubs and clubs, cafes and bars to international scale concert halls, rock festivals or gigs. You can have all of this while studying in this stunning city.
The university has a state-of-the-art campus where I used to live. Studying at a campus university in London, like Queen Mary’s, means a lot because there's a real community atmosphere here. Apart from several clubs and societies on campus, it is very close to the centre of the city, which meant that I could easily visit museums, contemporary art spaces and galleries, with collections and exhibitions from all over the world. London also has an incredibly vibrant theatre and performing arts heritage, maintaining both traditional plays and musicals but also new and alternative productions too.

The most valuable aspect of my EU course was the fact that it provided me with broad academic skills, which will enable me to practice if I choose so, but will in addition open me up to various other career opportunities. It will give me the opportunity to explore the international job market, and be able to interact in any social, cultural and work setting.
I've now moved back to Albania and I'm currently working for a European Commission project focused on many key areas of the justice system related to the EU integration processes. I was employed because my LLM degree meant that I had the necessary communication and academic skills to work in an international work environment.
Nevertheless, my future plans are to focus on a Ph.D. to specialise further in EU and integration processes. I hope to achieve the satisfaction of having obtained the competitive edge required when seeking further study opportunities by capitalising on my work experience and improving my professional and academic profile.