Bitcoin, eBay and more – International Commercial Law on King’s Undergraduate Summer School

Raise your hand if you’ve ever waited for what feels like YEARS for a package from abroad. I know I have. That, my friends, is International Commercial Law (ICL) in action! 

So too, is bitcoin and even the shipment and supply of medical supplies and vaccines during COVID. These are just some of the interesting aspects of international commercial law I learnt during my time on King’s Undergraduate Summer School. Whilst I initially thought commercial law was big boats carrying containers (it kind of is…a small part of it), it is definitely NOT the only purpose of ICL.   

One thing I found interesting was that from increasing globalisation, to helping resolve disputes, without it, life as we know it today would not be the same. The sheer fact that in a society where we are (almost surgically) glued to our phones, one click or tap on eBay, sends commercial law into action! 

Update: still waiting for that package… 

Another interesting and very valuable role I learnt ICL has, is in the context of COVID. Given vaccines are made in labs only in certain countries, how is it that we get them into our arms? If you said, international commercial law, you’re right! The licencing and transportation of vaccines could not be possible without ICL. Hint: it would be a logistical nightmare akin to a New Year’s sale at your favourite shop! 

Oh, just got a text saying my package isn’t coming……..just as I’d thought.  

I could go on and on about ICL, but finding out for yourself through this course on King’s Undergraduate Summer Programme is way more fun! Maybe you might get a scholarship, who knows! With amazing tutors like Ms Ana Luísa Soares Peres, I’m sure you’ll enjoy the course and learn something that may even spark interest in a career you hadn’t previously thought of! 

With that, I bid you farewell and wish you good luck on your journey at King’s. 

Jelena Glavinic , King’s Undergraduate Summer School, International Commercial Law 2021

  

Four Things That Surprised Me About King’s Undergraduate Summer School

As someone with no background in law, I knew I was wading into the deep end when I registered for a module in international commercial law from King’s College London. I ended up being more than pleased with my experience. Here’s what surprised me:  

My classmates were from everywhere. 

I knew I wouldn’t be the only international student, but I didn’t realize just how global the programme would be. A few of my classmates were in the UK, but my module included students from multiple continents. Since many had studied law in different countries, we got to hear fascinating perspectives about how the law and legal professions differ across borders.

The level of my fellow students was super impressive. 

 The module I took was very challenging, but it was made easier by having committed and smart students to work alongside. Discussions during live teaching were always stimulating and clarifying. Students from many different points in their academic careers were all able to contribute substantively. 

The level of the instructors was amazing. 

My course tutors were eminently qualified in their field, both as practitioners and scholars. Rather than only teaching standard texts, as instructors of introductory courses often do, the tutors shared their expertise in their own specialties. We got to learn about cutting-edge research into emerging problems, such as regulation of blockchain currency in international finance. 

The tutors and summer team were able to use online learning technology very effectively. 

While it would have been amazing to study in person in London, I was surprised by how well the online platform worked. It was easy to navigate and kept all course materials organised. Even if the Undergraduate Summer School returns to in-person learning, I expect that the summer team’s ability to facilitate online learning will continue to benefit students. 

I felt nervous going into this programme, but my experience left me with no regrets. I wholeheartedly encourage prospective students to choose Summer @ King’s. 

– Matthew Waterman, Undergraduate Online Summer School 2021

King’s Summer Programmes will return for Summer 2022, find out more and register your interest on our website.

Chase away the winter blues

Are you affected by the ‘winter blues’? We hear you! So, let’s focus on summer once more.

We are very excited to announce that applications for 2019 King’s Summer School are now open.

If you have ever thought about studying at a world leading University in the heart of London, now is your chance.

This year London was ranked as the best city in the world for university students, according to QS higher education. It is, arguably, one of the most exciting cities in the world, with rich culture and history and endless number of restaurants, museums, exhibitions, shops and experiences. London is renowned for being a diverse and global city, welcoming people from all corners of the world, and it’s waiting for you!

If you are in the final two years of high school, you can join our Pre-University Summer School, an intensive two-week programme that will give you a taster of university in your area of interest. We will run Session One from 1 July to 12 July 2019 and Session Two from 22 July to 2 August 2019.

If you are studying at a degree-level or have finished your degree, you can join our Undergraduate Summer School for three weeks. We will run Session One from 1 July to 19 July 2019 and Session Two from 22 July to 9 August 2019.

Both programmes offer a wide range of subject areas to choose from and you are welcome to attend one or both sessions. Residential and non-residential options are available.

Please visit our website for full information about what you can study, entry requirements, fees, accommodation and the application process.

We hope that you will come and join one of the largest summer schools in the UK. Applications open until 31st May 2019.

See you soon.

Summer in Berlin

Studying abroad is bound to be a life experience. It takes you out of your comfort zone, it challenges you and it teaches you to be more open. It also gives you the incredible opportunity get other points of view and explore another culture.

Every year, we welcome students from all corners of the world in London, but likewise many of our students also get the opportunity to go abroad.

Recently, 50 King’s students travelled to Berlin and explored German culture and history. It was an interactive, skills and knowledge-building programme, where they were intellectually stimulated and personally empowered. They were encouraged to think about their personal agency and the impact in their communities.

Here are some highlights of a memorable week.

 

Before you arrive checklist

In a month’s time, some of you will be en route to one of the most exciting cities in the world – London! For some of you this might be the first time in the UK and for others you might have visited the city already before. Whether you are joining us for the Pre-University Summer School or the Undergraduate Summer School, we hope you find the below information useful.

After you enrol on the Pre-University Summer School or the Undergraduate Summer School, you can download the King’s mobile app. This app will provide you with information about summer accommodation, social and sports activities, advice and tips on your stay in London, as well as FAQs.

For those students arriving to London by plane, there are several different options that you can choose from to get to King’s. In this blog post we’ve provided you with details on how to travel into the city from the main London airports using trains, coaches and the underground.

Getting around London can be confusing at times. The Transport for London (TfL) network is huge and is comprised of the London Underground (colloquially known as the ‘Tube’), buses, trains, river transport, trams and even a cable car. We found this light-hearted, useful guide to using the London Underground, which you might find helpful.

Most Londoners get what is known as an Oyster card as this is cheaper than buying single tickets for every journey. You can use this by topping it up with money and paying for journeys individually or, if you’re travelling around London regularly (i.e. you’re using public transport most days) then you can buy a weekly, monthly or annual travelcard and upload it to your Oyster card.

Oyster cards work on most forms of London transport, though fares are higher for riverboat services and the Emirates cable car. They should also work on local train services within the London area. Many people cycle in London, and you can now hire what the locals call ‘Boris Bikes’ for a small fee. You need to be careful if you cycle in London that you take safety precautions and ensure that your bicycle is secure.

Classes for the summer school are either the morning or afternoon, leaving you with free evenings and weekends to take part in our exciting social and sports programme or explore the city on your own.

There is a whole host of things to see, do and eat whilst in London. Tune in to our FacebookTwitter and Instagram each week for tips on where to get the best coffee in the city,  free places to visit in the city and where to grab a cheap eat around London.

For more pre-arrival information for the Pre-University Summer School click here, and for more pre-arrival information for the Undergraduate Summer School click here .

 

 

All about the Law

Deciding what course to take at university is no easy task. That’s why studying a Pre-University Taster course in Law may help students with their decision-making process.

Most students will choose law because they are interested in pursuing a career in the legal profession. Law is a demanding course and training places for solicitors and barristers are highly competitive and limited. However, for those with the right aptitudes and motivation, the rewards of a legal career can be great, both in terms of salary levels and personal development. Unfortunately, getting into the legal profession is very challenging; so many students do need to consider other options.

Happily, not only will a law degree provide you with access to a variety of legal careers, it will also give you an excellent springboard into a wide range of other professions. More than half of all the graduate jobs do not require any particular degree and a good Law degree will allow you to present plenty of important skills to future employers.

Through your analysis of case studies and other work on this course, you will become highly skilled in researching and assimilating large amounts of information and complex data. These are important skills in a vast range of professions in commerce and industry. You will develop very strong oral and written communications skills, which are needed by all employers these days. You will learn to approach tasks in a clear, reasoned and logical way, and you will become an effective problem solver.

This course will run in from 6 – 9 August 2018. For more information, please check our website, or email us at summer@kcl.ac.uk.

 

 

The Human Body

Anatomy and human physiology degrees are for those who are fascinated by the science of medicine. The Pre-University Summer School is offering a new course this year called the Human Body where you can learn about the structure of the body and how it functions.

You will gain an understanding of the cause, diagnosis and treatment of different diseases, and how they affect different parts of the body. You will also learn how these systems adapt to the different characteristics of hostile environments, such as temperature extremes, mountain altitudes, airplane cabins, space microgravity conditions, and future habitats on the Moon and Mars.

At the end of this course, you will walk away with excellent knowledge of how the body works, and relevant knowledge to support future study in the field of biomedical and life sciences.

The course will be running in both session one (9 – 20 July 2018) and session two (23 July – 3 August 2018). The application deadline is 15 May 2018, and early application is advised. For more information, please check our website.

When you enrolled on the Pre-University Summer School , you can download the King’s mobile app which provides information about summer accommodation, social and sports activities, advice and tips on your stay in London, as well as FAQs. This app will help you in your student journey and will allow you to have offline access to all pre-arrival information.

Understanding the human mind

The Pre-University Summer School is a unique academic and social experience designed for high school students who are enrolled in their final two years of study. If you are interested in Psychology and related subjects, you can study a summer school course where youwill be encouraged to adopt problem-based learning to see how insights from research can be applied to real world issues. With the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience being one of the world’s leading centres for interdisciplinary research in psychiatry and psychology, this programme can provide you with a valuable insight into this field of study.

Whatever career you pursue, a background in psychology will enhance your employability. Studying psychology can…

…help you understand yourself and other people by learning about aspects of human behaviour that will help you in daily life, including your interactions with others, your learning and memory performance, your ability to cope with pressure and your understanding of the causes of psychological disorders.

…complement other learning by combining Psychology with other subject areas. Many subject areas in arts and social sciences, benefit from an understanding of human behaviour, be it social interaction, language and communication, human motivation and emotion, or the process of decision-making. Moreover, knowledge about brain function and behaviour is of considerable benefit to students studying other science degrees.

…develop sound analytical skills through the application of scientific method. Psychology is a science. The defining feature of any science is the objective approach that is used to advance our knowledge. In psychology we use this scientific approach to learn about behaviour and mental life. Psychology provides an excellent training in analytical thinking and scientific research methods that are applicable to a broad range of careers.

A testimonial from a previous psychology student, Francesca Giombini, who expresses her thoughts on the programme- “I loved spending my summer at Kings and would wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone. These two weeks went above and beyond my expectations both academically and socially!”

The course will be running in both session one (9 – 20 July 2018) and session two (23 July – 3 August 2018). The application deadline is 15 May 2018, and early application is advised. For more information, please check our website.

Kick-start your Future in Science and Technology

Science and Technology are closely linked aspects of society, and the developments in both of these fields are essential for the overall progress of humankind.

Science comprises a wide variety of fields ranging from chemistry to relatively advanced fields like space exploration, human genetics, and cloning. Scientific study attempts to explore and understand the physical world and tries to analyse the occurrences in nature and gain more knowledge through experimentation.

On the other hand, the importance of technology lies in its manifold benefits to society. The advancement in this field has revolutionised human life. It has provided an impetus to the computer and the telecommunication industry. The developments in communication technology have made the world a smaller place. The Internet serving as an excellent communication platform has made the world flat.

The Pre-University Summer School offers a course in Science and Technology to prepare students who are considering an undergraduate degree in science, engineering or related subjects. Led by academics from King’s Natural and Mathematical Sciences faculty, students will study fundamentals of chemistry, physics and engineering to build their theoretical and experimental understanding of each discipline in the modern world.

The programme will run from 9 to 20 July 2018 and the application deadline is 15 May 2018.

My King’s Experience- Anaelle Prioux

My name is Anaelle, but everyone calls me Ana. This year I was lucky enough to experience King’s College and the beautiful city of London. The first thing that comes to mind when thinking about my experience at King’s is the international environment. It would have been easier for me to stick with people from my country- France, but King’s has students from over 100 different nationalities, so I wanted to take advantage of having a multicultural university experience.

My closest friends were from Hong Kong, Singapore and Ireland. They’ve taught me how to make dumplings and speak rudimental Irish. It’s honestly a lot of fun to be around students from different cultures and it’s made my time at King’s a lot more enjoyable.

Another important aspect is that this international culture is also present in the academic life. When studying at King’s, you get professors and seminar leaders from all over the world who specialise in interesting disciplines and are able to teach you new perspectives. In the History department, there are a lot of non-Eurocentric modules about post-colonial Africa, early modern China and the African heritage of Latin American cultures.

So, what makes studying at King’s a good experience? The location of it’s main campuses. Waterloo, Strand and London Bridge are all in the heart of London, in bustling areas that are also close to major monuments and attractions. It helps with discovering the city, especially if you’re new to London like me! Trafalgar Square, the West End and the National Gallery are all around the corner from Strand and Waterloo. From Guy’s campus, you can easily pop to the Tate Modern, the Shard and my favourite- Borough Market with all the amazing food options it offers (I highly recommend Ethiopian Flavours and Luminary Bakery).

The last point I’d like to mention is the variety and quality of non-academic activities organised by King’s College London Student Union (KCLSU). King’s Sports runs a great programme called BeActive and organises sport sessions in badminton, yoga, football, basketball, running (and a lot of other activities). It’s been a really good way for me to stay fit without the commitment of a formal sports team!