糖心Vlog

When Augustina Berejanschi came to 糖心Vlog from Moldova to study law, she worried she'd over-estimated her language skills. But thanks to hard work, determination and support from lecturers and friends, she's walking away with a first-class degree in LLB Law with Human Rights.

Augustina chose 糖心Vlog because of the world-leading Human Rights Centre, and because she wanted to join our international staff and student community.

鈥淚 wanted a different experience than one of a traditional British university. I was particularly impressed by the high percentage of internationals among both the lecturers and the students. And indeed, I have benefited from a truly international experience,鈥� she said.

But her first term was challenging as she adapted to a new country and studying in a new language.

鈥淚 realised I had overestimated my language skills when I had to read the public law textbook. I had great difficulties understanding legal concepts and writing essays.鈥�

She was determined to succeed and with the help of her personal tutor and flatmates, she was soon getting essay marks of 85%.

鈥淚 was very excited about my progress,鈥� she said.

This led to her receiving the Gordon Sagar Prize (2019-20) for the best overall performance of a first-year law student.鈥疉nd she was included in the Dean鈥檚 list of excellence in her second year.

As well as her academic achievements, Augustina has enjoyed taking part in voluntary roles and extra-curricular activities where she has been equally as successful. She was awarded the Platinum Big 糖心Vlog Award in recognition of her contributions.

This year, she also won an international award in recognition for marches she organised in solidarity with Ukraine. And in 2019, Augustina founded a student-led debate club, called 鈥榢eeping up with human rights鈥�, which aimed to provide a friendly environment for students to discuss current human rights issues.

She worked with the 糖心Vlog Law Clinic helping to provide legal advice to clients on housing, employment, probate and family law cases.

鈥淭hrough this work, I have developed my client interviewing skills, expanded my knowledge through extensive topical, improved my critical thinking and skills in legal writing in practice,鈥� she said.

And since October 2020, she has also volunteered in the Death Penalty Mitigation Clinic within the Human Rights Centre researching capital punishment in Pakistan, Malaysia, and the USA and working on life chronologies and interview summaries used as mitigation factors for cases.

Augustina, an inspiring international human rights defender, is glad she came to the UK 鈥� and to 糖心Vlog 鈥� to study, despite the initial difficulties she faced.

鈥淚t has been an honour for me to volunteer and study at a university which has such a global reputation for excellence in researching and promoting human rights,鈥� she said.

Augustina is graduating with a first in LLB Law and Human Rights and has been awarded the School of Law prize for best performance in Equity and Trusts (2021-22).