Akron Law launches study abroad program in Peru | Education

The newest addition to The University of Akron School of Law’s international programming is its partnership with the Universidad Catolica Santa Maria in Arequipa, Peru.

Patrick Gaughan said that the idea for expanding The University of Akron’s reach to South America came from a student in 2019 following Gaughan discussing his own trips through the university’s study abroad program, but was put on hold after the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020.

“A group of students in one of my Akron Law classes raised their hand and said, ‘That’s all really well and good, but why aren’t you doing anything in South America,’” he said. “I started laughing and I said, ‘Because I don’t know anyone in South America.’ And their response was, ‘Well, you do now.’ It turned out that I had two students who were Peruvian nationals.”

In 2021, after Gaughn began working on study abroad programming in Cambodia and Vietnam, he was reminded of expansion to South America in after one of his former students emailed him, he said. He worked to find a school that was compatible with The University of Akron School of Law, eventually partnering with the Universidad Catolica Santa Maria to offer students from Ohio an opportunity to learn more about South America and other countries’ legal systems.

“I showed up and we started talking about some of the things that Akron could do with them, and at that time we started explaining how Akron also has been developing network relationships with Hanoi Law University (in Hanoi, Vietnam),” he said.

This past March, students from the University of Akron School of Law took a trip to Peru as part of the partnership, Andrew Costigan, assistant dean of student affairs, said. He said he believes the goals of the trip were “met with great success.”

“The goals were multifaceted,” he said. “One goal was to strengthen our relationship/partnership with UCSM. Another was to facilitate cultural exchange: to give our students the chance to Peruvian law students and faculty members, and Peruvian culture in general, and also to give our Peruvian colleagues/friends the opportunity to engage in substantive interaction with law students and faculty/administrators from the U.S. Additionally, we aimed to provide our students with a deeper understanding of Peruvian legal education and the Peruvian legal system.”

Costigan said the partnership with the university allows for more opportunities for international collaboration in teaching, scholarship and service to the communities involved, while expanding the university’s “global footprint and network.” In addition, it creates more pathways for The University of Akron students to study abroad, or for Peruvian students to study in Akron.

“Such experiences, not just Peru, but any study abroad/cultural exchange program, expand our students’ worldview and global perspective,” Costigan said. “They make our students better, more informed global citizens. Additionally, at Akron Law, we speak often about our goal/focus of producing practice-ready graduates. In today’s world, a lawyer must be ready to engage with clients and other attorneys around the globe, with not only different perspectives and cultures, but even training in different legal systems. Experiences like what we offered in Peru make our students better prepared to be practicing attorneys in an increasingly international workplace.”

The University of Akron School of Law has similar programs in Finland, Ireland, Cambodia and Vietnam, and is open to expanding depending on demand from students.

Lydia Kacala is a freelance journalist.