Voices from Abroad: Paolo Guarneri

Barcelona (Spain), THEMIS, ESADE

Paolo at a Bocconi presentation in Barcelona

I had been longing for going to Barcelona for a study program since I was 14, after I saw the movie L'auberge Espagnol for the first time. When Bocconi gave me the opportunity to go there with the THEMIS program, I took it without hesitation.

The THEMIS program provides you with a global study experience. It is a network of prestigious European universities, Bocconi, ESADE, Freie and Paris Val de Marne, and, starting in 2011-2012, Maastricht Law School as well, and its purpose is to provide students with a new standard in business law. It aims to be something more than a normal Erasmus program. It gives you the opportunity to spend a semester studying abroad at one of these universities. You can choose your courses from among a special list of approved courses that match THEMIS standards. You have the chance to participate, with all of the rest of the students, in a THEMIS seminar, that this year will be organized by Bocconi. The program also gives you the opportunity to put in practice what you have learned in a 10-week international internship. At the end of the program you will be given the international THEMIS certificate.

ESADE is one of the most well-known European universities. Its Law campus is in Pedralbes, one of the best Barcelonan barrios. It offers you a high standard of education in very small classes, with no more than 30-40 students. You are provided with reading materials before every lesson so that you can have a pre-understanding of the topic. Usually professors are also highly qualified lawyers and they bring their professional experience to class. Students are encouraged to participate actively in the lesson, usually they are asked for group research to be presented in front of the class. The final outcome of this method is a very interesting lesson with lots of participation, that very often looks more like an academic dialogue.

Correfoc fireworks festival in the Horta barrio in Barcelona

This experience gave me the chance to meet amazing people. Catalans are simply great. At the beginning they may look a little shy, but when you give them the chance to get to know you, they become really welcoming. ESADE is a unique international environment, attracting students from all over the world. My international students group was made up of 40 people coming from some of the best universities in the world. It is difficult, for me, to find the right words to describe how wonderful the people were and all of the great moments we spent together.

Everybody knows Barcelona, but let me just say few words. Barcelona has everything you would expect from your ideal city. It has a perfect climate: almost every day you can see the blue sky and it is never too cold (at the beginning of January we were thinking of going for a swim in the sea). There is no chance to get bored: sometimes you have the impression that it is more than one city all in one, from the sea to the mountains.

There are plenty of reasons to apply for THEMIS program at ESADE, here I was just able to mention some of them. Now, it is up to you.