Now in its fifth year, the Kent–Bordeaux Virtual Exchange continues to offer Kent Law School students a unique opportunity to engage in collaborative international online learning with peers from the Université de Bordeaux. Bringing together students from two distinct legal traditions, the programme enables participants to explore comparative legal issues while developing intercultural communication, research, and collaboration skills that are increasingly important in an international legal profession.
Over the past five years, the exchange has grown into a meaningful academic partnership that allows students not only to compare legal systems, but also to build confidence, broaden perspectives, and form lasting international connections.
This academic year’s students reflected strongly on the personal and intellectual impact of the experience.
Law finalist Kyle Gidwani described the programme as an opportunity to deepen his understanding of law beyond the UK context:
“This experience was a great opportunity to compare and contrast the doctrinal differences in core legal subjects. Having that ability to gain an insight from a student who has a different learning environment enriched my understanding of the higher education systems in both countries.”
He added that the exchange is particularly valuable for students interested in international legal careers because it develops “an awareness of how areas like contract law can be understood in different ways.”
For many participants, the programme encouraged them to think critically about how law is shaped by culture, politics, and society. Nura Hai, a second-year Law student with an existing interest in French law and secularism, said the experience gave her an opportunity to engage with legal issues from a perspective she would not otherwise encounter in the classroom.
Reflecting on discussions with her Bordeaux partner Camille, she explained:
“Collaborating with a student from the University of Bordeaux has been such a pleasure in sharing our respective experiences of what our countries prioritise. The successes, the failures, and our own passions for making the world a better place through a legal career.”
Nura particularly valued conversations surrounding women’s rights and developments in French criminal law:
“I was aware of the Pelicot case before, but to hear about the developments of it and the outcomes too from a French citizen was both an eye opening and very engaging discussion.”
Students repeatedly highlighted how the exchange strengthened both their academic confidence and their ability to communicate across different legal and cultural contexts.
Second year law student Samuel Dos Santos described the programme as “extremely enriching”, explaining that it reinforced “the value of comparative thinking and engagement with critical legal concepts.” He also reflected on the importance of forming meaningful international connections:
“It was also great to be able to make a new friend and be able to see eye-to-eye on varied legal subjects!”
For third year Law and Criminology student Isaiah Ejiniwebi, the exchange provided an opportunity to explore legal systems beyond Britain and to collaborate on comparative research examining cyber and privacy rights in the UK and EU:
“Overall, this had been an amazing opportunity for me to gain experience on legal systems outside of Britain.”
The collaborative nature of the programme also helped students develop practical skills in communication, teamwork, and presentation. Malin Mihindukulasuriya, a Law and Politics finalist, reflected on how working closely with a Bordeaux student strengthened his confidence in explaining UK legal concepts in an international setting:
“Supporting my partner with an assessed oral presentation helped me improve my ability to explain UK legal concepts clearly and communicate effectively in an international setting.”
Similarly, Law and Politics finalist Maryam Mahmoud highlighted the importance of adaptability and intercultural collaboration:
“The experience taught me patience whilst trying to manage two differing life and work schedules… Nevertheless, we were both able to compromise at times to make time for this project.”
She also reflected on how comparative legal analysis encouraged deeper critical thinking about law, culture, and civil liberties across jurisdictions.
Several students explored constitutional and political differences between the UK and France. Suzan Behcet, a Law finalist, and her partner Emilie examined how the two constitutional systems differ, while also identifying areas of mutual influence and reform. Suzan explained that ‘analysing cases such as Ghazal with a student from Bordeaux showed me that differences between legal systems run deeper than rules alone, extending to legal culture, judicial reasoning and how law itself is understood.’ Suzan described the exchange as
“both meaningful and inspiring”, adding that it strengthened her confidence in undertaking “complex comparative legal analyses and present[ing] them clearly.”
Laura Charleton, senior lecturer in law at Kent Law School and co creator of the initiative, reflected on the continued success of the programme and the value of the long-standing partnership with colleagues in Bordeaux:
“One of the most rewarding aspects of the Kent–Bordeaux Virtual Exchange has been seeing students grow in confidence as they engage with another legal culture and begin to think comparatively about law and justice. The programme encourages students to develop not only academic and professional skills, but also empathy, adaptability and international awareness. For me personally, the exchange has also created a genuinely meaningful collaboration with colleagues at the Université de Bordeaux. Over the past five years we have built a partnership based on shared educational values and a commitment to giving students opportunities for international engagement that are inclusive and academically enriching.”
Five years on, the Kent–Bordeaux Virtual Exchange continues to demonstrate the value of collaborative online international learning in legal education. By connecting students across borders and encouraging thoughtful comparative engagement, the programme helps prepare future legal professionals for an increasingly interconnected world.
You can read more about previous iterations of the exchange here: