A Monash degree takes you places

Students gain extraordinary benefits from studying at a global university - James Lam is proof of that. The Arts/Law graduate is now working as the host of “Travelogue”, one of China’s most popular television programs, and says he wouldn’t be in such a role without a Monash University experience behind him.

Monash nurtured James’ interest in what was happening beyond local shores, actively encouraging him to reach out to the world. As part of his degree, he undertook a full year of Mandarin studies in Beijing and completed an internship at one of China’s leading law firms (assisted by generous study abroad grants).

During this time, James observed that Monash graduates were attracting the attention of some of the world’s most prestigious organisations.

“I noticed graduating students were being recruited by a diverse range of employers, from law firms, to governments, to multinational corporations, for roles within Australia and overseas,” James says.

What James was witnessing was the University’s strong reputation at work. In late 2011 a New York Times survey of some of the world’s leading CEOs rated Monash in the top 50 world universities from which they preferred to hire graduates (and number one in Australia).

With the weight of a Monash qualification behind him, and his own remarkable talent on obvious display, James was offered a position at one of the world’s leading law firms, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer.He spent a number of years at the company’s Beijing office, advising large corporations and international investment banks on corporate transactions. But opportunities beyond law beckoned.

Part of the reason James chose Monash was because he knew the University’s arts and law graduates were well-known for working in interesting roles outside their immediate disciplines.

“I knew that Monash produced a dynamic breed of graduates whose skills were highly transferable. My combined double degree was not only intellectually stimulating, it also opened a lot of doors to various professional fields,” James says.

One of those doors opened into the world of Chinese television and today James is an established TV star.

Find out how you can make your mark with a Monash education at www.monash.edu