I break this down into a few different sections because while I would say my experience was a negative one, there were aspects that I truly enjoyed.
Overall: 3/10
Professors:
This was (maybe the only) bright spot for this program. I felt like the professors were at the top of their field and were truly interesting to learn from.
Courses:
I thought the course selection was very slim, but the concentration courses were great. Unfortunately, we only had these in the first semester. We were only allowed to take elective classes for credit from a small list of courses that were offered at the institute. I had to request that they open up the list to more courses in the second semester because the only course that was related to the environment (my concentration) was cancelled, leaving only options that, to me, would have little benefit to my career in international environmental law. They gave me one elective in SDGs that overlapped with another mandatory class for 6/14 weeks. Since LLM courses were strictly governed for attendance, I wasn’t able to go to the elective very often. Courses were mostly during the day so the idea of having any job during the program and attend classes as often as required was difficult if not impossible.
Price:
I wouldn’t have paid half the tuition for this program. Other institutions in the area seem to me to provide a better learning environment and better career support for fractions of the cost.
Administration:
What a nightmare. I do not know where to begin. This program was treated like grade school in the way that they monitored people’s in-person attendance which prevented us from getting a full-time job with classes mostly offered during the day. Certainly not what I would expect from a program in the school of executive education. I was told that we should come to classes even when we knew that other students had been exposed to the virus and we were not comfortable with the environment (packed in like sardines in a room that was meant for PhD dissertation defenses). One class was scheduled before the semester was officially to start at the institute. This made a mandatory group project with about a dozen people difficult. I did not feel supported from a mental health standpoint. In the second semester, when things started opening up from the pandemic, testing positive for Covid was no longer a valid excuse to miss attending the lectures live if the Swiss government didn’t mandate you to quarantine.
Facilities:
I felt like the facilities were adequate at their best. However, most of the time, the facilities that the courses were given in were too small or inadequate for students who use laptops to take notes or follow along in class. This was because the facility that usually houses the LLM was under renovation and last-minute bookings of rooms were necessary when professors rescheduled. Many times, we had to connect our laptops to the sound system of the PhD dissertation room in order to keep them charged for the full 3-hour class. This classroom also had desks that were too small for a computer to sit on, so many of us had to sit the computer on our lap or give up on taking notes. When we were in other rooms, many of them were at full capacity at a time when Covid numbers were at their highest.
Career Services
Outside of 1 (or 2?) career counseling session(s) and a Graduate Institute job board, I didn't feel supported in my job search. We had some days where former students came and talked about their careers. My impression is that when they mention that the students are employed after graduation, many are not paid – they are unpaid interns on a short-term contract. Only a handful of students have “good” jobs 6 months after graduating (obviously this is subjective). There was a legal clinic in the second semester, but it is very unlikely this will lead to anything more with that organization from what I have seen.
Fellow Students
Some students seemed immature, but many were very knowledgeable and from a variety of areas of the world. Some areas were severely underrepresented, but with only 40 students in the program, that is bound to happen. There were people at various levels of their careers (skewing younger), but many were directly out of their law programs (ages 20-33ish).
Residence Life
The residences are policed pretty tightly by security. We were reprimanded for making noise (even outside) after 11pm or so. This applies to having a small group together at a table talking. I did not feel I had adequate privacy. I once did not respond to one of their emails (which did not request a response) and they locked me out of my room. The rooms are adequate, very minimalist with cheap furnishings that you can find at IKEA. I accidentally tore my cabinet door off its hinges, and I am not a strong person, which shows some of the quality. The showers often flood with the slightest bit of hair in the drain (some seemed designed in a way that cause them to flood often even without a clog).
Geneva / Atmosphere:
Geneva is lovely. Most students live in the international bubble of Geneva where they can get by knowing only English. Very safe city, but extremely expensive. Lots of international organizations which host events in the area. The area around the institute feels less like a campus and more like a business area.
Edited for typos.
[Edited by Michael2828 on Mar 02, 2023]
I break this down into a few different sections because while I would say my experience was a negative one, there were aspects that I truly enjoyed.<br>
<br>
Overall: 3/10<br>
<br>
Professors:<br>
This was (maybe the only) bright spot for this program. I felt like the professors were at the top of their field and were truly interesting to learn from.<br>
<br>
Courses:<br>
I thought the course selection was very slim, but the concentration courses were great. Unfortunately, we only had these in the first semester. We were only allowed to take elective classes for credit from a small list of courses that were offered at the institute. I had to request that they open up the list to more courses in the second semester because the only course that was related to the environment (my concentration) was cancelled, leaving only options that, to me, would have little benefit to my career in international environmental law. They gave me one elective in SDGs that overlapped with another mandatory class for 6/14 weeks. Since LLM courses were strictly governed for attendance, I wasn’t able to go to the elective very often. Courses were mostly during the day so the idea of having any job during the program and attend classes as often as required was difficult if not impossible.<br>
<br>
Price:<br>
I wouldn’t have paid half the tuition for this program. Other institutions in the area seem to me to provide a better learning environment and better career support for fractions of the cost.<br>
<br>
Administration:<br>
What a nightmare. I do not know where to begin. This program was treated like grade school in the way that they monitored people’s in-person attendance which prevented us from getting a full-time job with classes mostly offered during the day. Certainly not what I would expect from a program in the school of executive education. I was told that we should come to classes even when we knew that other students had been exposed to the virus and we were not comfortable with the environment (packed in like sardines in a room that was meant for PhD dissertation defenses). One class was scheduled before the semester was officially to start at the institute. This made a mandatory group project with about a dozen people difficult. I did not feel supported from a mental health standpoint. In the second semester, when things started opening up from the pandemic, testing positive for Covid was no longer a valid excuse to miss attending the lectures live if the Swiss government didn’t mandate you to quarantine.<br>
<br>
Facilities:<br>
I felt like the facilities were adequate at their best. However, most of the time, the facilities that the courses were given in were too small or inadequate for students who use laptops to take notes or follow along in class. This was because the facility that usually houses the LLM was under renovation and last-minute bookings of rooms were necessary when professors rescheduled. Many times, we had to connect our laptops to the sound system of the PhD dissertation room in order to keep them charged for the full 3-hour class. This classroom also had desks that were too small for a computer to sit on, so many of us had to sit the computer on our lap or give up on taking notes. When we were in other rooms, many of them were at full capacity at a time when Covid numbers were at their highest.<br>
<br>
Career Services<br>
Outside of 1 (or 2?) career counseling session(s) and a Graduate Institute job board, I didn't feel supported in my job search. We had some days where former students came and talked about their careers. My impression is that when they mention that the students are employed after graduation, many are not paid – they are unpaid interns on a short-term contract. Only a handful of students have “good” jobs 6 months after graduating (obviously this is subjective). There was a legal clinic in the second semester, but it is very unlikely this will lead to anything more with that organization from what I have seen.<br>
<br>
Fellow Students<br>
Some students seemed immature, but many were very knowledgeable and from a variety of areas of the world. Some areas were severely underrepresented, but with only 40 students in the program, that is bound to happen. There were people at various levels of their careers (skewing younger), but many were directly out of their law programs (ages 20-33ish).<br>
<br>
Residence Life<br>
The residences are policed pretty tightly by security. We were reprimanded for making noise (even outside) after 11pm or so. This applies to having a small group together at a table talking. I did not feel I had adequate privacy. I once did not respond to one of their emails (which did not request a response) and they locked me out of my room. The rooms are adequate, very minimalist with cheap furnishings that you can find at IKEA. I accidentally tore my cabinet door off its hinges, and I am not a strong person, which shows some of the quality. The showers often flood with the slightest bit of hair in the drain (some seemed designed in a way that cause them to flood often even without a clog).<br>
<br>
Geneva / Atmosphere:<br>
Geneva is lovely. Most students live in the international bubble of Geneva where they can get by knowing only English. Very safe city, but extremely expensive. Lots of international organizations which host events in the area. The area around the institute feels less like a campus and more like a business area.<br><br>Edited for typos.
