Andrea Marilyn Pragashini Immanuel is currently pursuing P.hD in law at the Melbourne Law School, University of Melbourne on 'The Right To Nationality In Armed Conflict'. She graduated in law from the School Of Excellence in Law, Chennai and completed her PG from the Utrecht University, the Netherlands in Public International Law in July, 2015. Her work profile is rich with experience as an Associate at the UNHCR and as a faculty of Law at the O.P Jindal Global University.
After so many rejections, you have now got into the Melbourne University. My hearty wishes! How do you feel?
(laughs) I feel very relieved and happy. Yes, I got a lot of rejections, but I was aiming for a certain place. The University of Melbourne was one of the Universities that I wanted to study in. Even before leaving, I was like, “Is this happening!”.
Tell us about your personal life and how did you end up taking law and choosing your area of specialization after Under graduation?
My first introduction to law was when I was studying 6th std. My father was working in the Railways and was pursuing law part-time. I was curious about the International Law Book that he was studying and when I opened the book, it was about armed conflict, which caught my attention. I was like wow! I never thought there was a law for International Relations. A Law for WAR! It felt strange! My father also educated me about the different Constitutions of the World and it drew my interest. Another reason why I wanted to take up Law was to do social work. I should really thank my parents, because they would encourage me and say that there is no limit, and I could do whatever I wanted. I used to even think I could become Prime Minister of the Country. I didn’t have much exposure to law at first, I am a first-generation Lawyer. I didn’t know anything about Law except Public International Law and I ended up following that path later on in my life. The fact that I’d done several International Law Moot Court Competitions also swayed me along that path.
Can you tell us a little about your Master’s Degree in Netherlands?
Initially, I did not think about doing a Master’s Degree, but I could not think of working on anything other than International Law. However, I kept stumbling upon several people who had done their Masters as most of the International Law Firms required a Master's Degree in International Law. I was also interested in working with the UN. So, I applied to the Utrecht University in the Netherlands and also acquired a Scholarship without which my financial background could have never allowed me to pursue a Master’s Degree. I had always wanted to go to the Netherlands as it was close to Hague where there are about 150 international organizations.
What is the career scope after studying Public International Law?
(Laughs). There are several Institutions like the, UN, International Organizations, NGOs, Civil Society organizations, etc., which require a base in International Law. Even Governments, for their ministries relating to External Affairs, Trade and Commerce, Finance require experts in International Law. There are Law Firms that specifically deal with International Law. These are few places where the scope lies. It’s not easy! There’s a lot of “Right Place & Right Time” moments. It requires hard work, talent, good grades and most importantly you need to be invested and passionate. However, the good thing about International Law is that, it has a lot of avenues. In fact, I also did a brief stint with the UNHCR. I like being in academics because I get to research and teach. It is always good to keep one’s options open. I started doing online volunteering for the UN in my 3rd year of UG. It is an opportunity to engage in different research tasks in various NGOs and departments in the UN which select candidates on the basis of their credentials. Litigation Practice with Law Firms dealing with International Law also help in certain instances.
How do students choose a foreign university and how do they prepare for it?
Some students do their Master’s for the experience and they come back to work in India, while others study to work with particular academicians. Some may aspire to join the bar of a Foreign Nation including the US or UK. One disadvantage with Netherlands is that, for some jobs, you may need to know Dutch. The advice I would give for students considering Foreign Universities for Higher Education would be to set their priorities straight. You can ask yourself what do you want from the education. How much do you want to spend on it? What returns you are expecting from it? Not money wise. What is attracting you in a program? - Is it the subject, the electives, the courses, is it the kind of study environment? Is it about the exposure? Is it about the internships they are offering? Or is it about the career opportunities. On the point of preparation, different Universities have different criteria. A well drafted expression of your motivation behind your choice of University along with good grades and credentials helps. Universities also require a letter of Recommendation/Reference from your University or Employer. Some Universities interview their Candidates. Learning an additional language that is used in International Organizations is extremely beneficial.
You were also an Assistant Professor at the Jindal University. Could you please say something about that experience?
It was really good. It was a very different experience. Of course, there were a lots of ups and downs because teaching is one of the most difficult occupations. From being a student to a teacher was very intimidating. In addition to teaching, I was also able to be a part of an on-going research project in my University. I utilized my time wisely and also wrote an article on statelessness which I wanted to do during my Masters but was unable to do so. In fact, I decided on my area of specialization when I started teaching as it helped me choose the topic for my PhD.
What obstacles have you faced to reach this position? What is your motivation behind all this?
Uhhh… Several obstacles. I do not come from a position of privilege, financially. I am also a First-generation Lawyer. I was blessed with supportive parents, but I had to convince my parents that International Law is worth studying. As a woman I have never faced obstacles as such in my journey. But I did face a lot of other obstacles. It’s a very lonely journey because it is very difficult to tread paths that is not walked by anyone before you or known to you and to not have anyone guide you. Lack of exposure was also a huge obstacle. The research scope at that time was much limited and we had limited resources when I was doing my UG, as a law student there were limited subscriptions and resources relating to International Law. I was very stressed about opting this field, but I was patient and held on to my passion.
What is Your advice to students who aspire to study Public International Law?
(laughs) “Aim for the sky and you will reach the tree top”. If you want to study International Law it is good to expose yourself to a lot literature, scholarly articles on International Law and keep accumulating knowledge. Knowing different aspects of International Law shapes, you and shapes your goal and passion. I would also advise you to have a good mentor to discuss your decisions and to guide you through the processes involved.
What is the next step in your career from here?
(Laughs) That is too soon to answer only because I have just started doing my PhD. But yeah, I see myself more invested in academics. As discussed earlier, I chose law because I wanted to effect social change. Now I am doing my Ph.D and I am also a research assistant at the Statelessness Centre in the Melbourne University. I would like to understand and observe real-world situations and contribute solutions through my research. I want to contribute to the knowledge and development of Law.
It was a pleasure having you with us, Andrea! Best wishes for a successful stint at the Melbourne University. We hope you continue to inspire a lot of people!
The interviewer Ms. Madhumitha Lakhsmanan is our intern pursuing final year law at the SASTRA deemed to be University, Tanjavur.
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