Imagine enrolling in an internal LLB (Hons) Law degree of a British University. Both the award and the University are internationally renowned. It's a qualifying law degree satisfying the academic stage of the training to become barristers or solicitors in England. The programme is delivered by a highly competent panel of lecturers at a purpose built law school. Top it up with a merit scholarship worth 25% of the course fee! Unbelievable? This is precisely what is on offer at the APIIT Law School in Colombo established in collaboration with Staffordshire University in the UK.

APIIT Law School, with a vision to produce internationally recognised legal professionals in Sri Lanka, offers the internal LLB (Hons) Law degree of Staffordshire University. The Staffordshire Law School is one of the best law schools recognised by the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) and the Solicitors Regulation Authority in the UK as a provider of excellent Legal Education for undergraduate, postgraduate and professional awards. The programme will commence in September 2009.

In order to celebrate this historic milestone in legal education, APIIT-Sri Lanka will award 50 Merit Scholarships to academically promising students joining the inaugural intake scheduled for September 2009. The scholarship will cover 25% of the course fees. Since scholars will be selected on a first-come, first-served basis, prospective students may wish to contact the APIIT Admissions Office without delay.

Students who have sat the London A/L Examination in June 2009 and those sitting the Local A/L Examination in August 2009 may also apply; these students may be enrolled in the LLB (Hons) Law programme pending results.

The scholarships are awarded to follow the three-year, full-time study programme at the APIIT Law School in Colombo leading to the internal LLB (Hons) degree in Law awarded by Staffordshire University. However, students, if they wish, may transfer to Staffordshire University Law School in the UK after completing one or two years of study in Colombo.

The LLB (Hons) Law is a 'Qualifying Law Degree' that satisfies the academic part of the training to qualify as solicitors or barristers in England. Graduates of the LLB (Hons) degree will be eligible to qualify as Attorneys-at-Law to practise in Sri Lanka after successful completion of the Sri Lanka Law College examinations.

The LLB (Hons) Law degree programme will be offered in a purpose built modern law school with state-of-the-art facilities for legal education comprising a law library, moot court, comfortable lecture theatres, tutorial rooms and IT infrastructure. These learning resources will be amongst the best in the country and comparable to those available in developed countries.

Further the teaching facilities will conform to the requirements of the professional bodies in the UK. Lecture theatres will be equipped with multimedia projectors and networked computers with access to the Internet. While the law library will be an excellent resource for learning and research, the students will also have access to world renowned digital libraries and online resources of Staffordshire University.

The Moot Court will be a unique feature in the APIIT Law School that allows students to argue hypothetical cases and develop legal practice skills. The Law School Computer Laboratories will be well-equipped with the latest technologies and provide unlimited access to the Internet through high speed broadband connection and Wi-Fi connectivity. With such huge investment on infrastructure development, understandably, APIIT Law School will be able to pride itself on having the best learning facilities for legal education in Sri Lanka.

Moreover, APIIT Law School has an outstanding panel of lecturers consisting of highly qualified and competent academics. Having a full-time staff to conduct the programmes is a definite advantage as they are constantly available for the students to seek assistance and guidance. The full-time staff will be supplemented by well experienced visiting lecturers from the legal profession.

Teaching and learning will be based primarily on lectures, tutorials and workshops. Whilst lectures are important, the main emphasis will be on tutorials and workshops that promote group studies as well as independent learning. Frequent guest lectures by legal luminaries will supplement the teaching programme and help stimulate and broaden students' thinking.

APIIT Law School comes under the purview of an Advisory Council of eminent persons from the legal profession and legal education in the country. The Advisory Council provides guidance to maintain the highest academic standards and orient the training programmes to meet the needs of the Sri Lankan society and the legal profession.

APIIT Law School is committed to providing high quality university education conforming to international standards with a view to producing internationally recognized legal professionals. With its strong international relations, outstanding resources and focus on quality higher education, APIIT-Law School will no doubt be the ideal place for students to pursue a world renowned legal education in Sri Lanka.

Students and parents are invited to visit the APIIT City Campus at 388, Union Place, Colombo 02 to find out more about the programme and career prospects. The APIIT City Campus is open on weekdays from 8.30 am to 5.00 pm and on Saturdays from 8.30 am to 1.00 pm. Information may also be obtained over the phone (2675060) from Laswie, Kanchana, Erandi or Ruzlie.