From Malaga to Vienna: YSU student's experience in international academic environment

International education programs allow students not only to study at universities abroad, but also to experience different educational and legal systems, expand their professional networks and gain experience that cannot be acquired in the classroom alone. This is also the path chosen by Davit Gasparyan, a full-time student at the YSU Faculty of Law and a part-time student at the Faculty of International Relations, who spent five months studying at the University of Malaga in Spain through the Erasmus+ program.

One semester at European university

At the University of Malaga, Davit took specialized law courses — Commercial Company Law, Commercial Contracts and Insolvency Law, and Labour Law.

He completed his studies with excellent results, receiving the highest grades in all subjects. In Commercial Company Law, he was also awarded a special academic distinction granted to only 5 percent of the university's highest-performing students.

For him, however, the value of studying at a foreign university went beyond high grades. According to Davit, one of the greatest benefits of the Erasmus+ program was the opportunity to gain first-hand insight into the European legal system.

"Until then, I had mainly studied Armenia's legal system. In Spain, I had the opportunity to understand how another legal system operates, its historical foundations, and differences between European and Armenian approaches. This comparative experience is highly valuable for a future lawyer," he said.

Davit believes that an international academic environment is valuable not only for the knowledge it provides, but also for broadening one's perspective. Working with students from different countries, experiencing cultural diversity and becoming familiar with different approaches to organizing education provide new experiences that can later also be applied in Armenia.

From international education to international competition

Studying at the University of Malaga did not prevent Davit from continuing his involvement in competitive programs. While in Spain, he continued working remotely with the YSU team as they prepared for the Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot. In April this year, he travelled to Vienna, Austria, where he represented YSU and Armenia.

For him, this experience was a logical continuation of his international studies. While the University of Malaga had given him the opportunity to study another legal system, the moot competition allowed him to apply his legal knowledge and advocacy skills in practice in an international environment.

According to Davit, competitions of this kind are particularly valuable because they bring theoretical knowledge into practice.

"Such competitions provide an opportunity not only to apply theoretical knowledge in practice, but also to work with international teams and develop professional communication and advocacy skills," he said.

Two degree programs, one goal

Davit's interest in international experience is also linked to his academic choices. He is studying simultaneously at two YSU faculties: Law and International Relations.

His interest in law and diplomacy led him to combine the two fields of study, viewing them not as separate disciplines but as areas complementing one another.

"The workload is certainly heavy, but with discipline and time management, it is possible to combine two degree programs. They complement each other and help me develop a broader understanding of the fields," Davit emphasized.

Experience that continues

For Davit, the Erasmus+ experience is more than simply the story of spending a semester abroad. It has given him the opportunity to combine experience gained from different educational and legal systems, work in an international environment and reassess his own professional path from a new perspective.

"International programs provide an opportunity not only to study, but also to engage with students from different countries and understand their ways of thinking, cultures and approaches to work. That experience is just as valuable as the knowledge gained at university. If you have the opportunity, definitely take part in such programs," he said.