„The university's libraries are a paradise for academics“
Dr Vivianne Geraldes Ferreira
Dr Vivianne Geraldes Ferreira, Lawyer and professor of private law at the Escola de Direito de São Paulo – Fundação Getúlio Vargas in São Paulo/Brazil
From 2006 to 2017 doctoral student, lecturer and research assistant at the Faculty of Law of Heidelberg University
When, for how long and in what position were you at Heidelberg University?
I was in Heidelberg from 2006 to 2017. In 2006, I started my doctorate at the Institute for Comparative Law, Conflicts of Law and International Business Law (IPR) with Prof. Thomas Pfeiffer. I received a DAAD scholarship for my doctorate, which made my research stay in Heidelberg possible. Already from 2007 onwards, I was an assistant lecturer for Brazilian and Portuguese law at the Faculty of Law. From 2010 to 2017, I was a research assistant to Prof. Christian Baldus at the Institute for History of Law (IGR).
Why did you decide in favour of Heidelberg University?
At the beginning of my studies at the University of São Paulo, when I was in my third semester, I started learning German. My dream was to study in Germany because one of my professors had said that you had to know German law if you wanted to be a good lawyer. From the beginning, my plan was to study in Heidelberg. At that time I found a picture of Heidelberg and put it on my cupboard - my mother kept the picture as a souvenir.
The Faculty of Law also has a close connection to Brazil and Brazilian law. Here I would like to mention Prof. Eric Jayme (IPR) and Prof. Christian Baldus, who have built bridges between the two countries.
What do you particularly like here, where do you have suggestions for improvement?
What I particularly liked at Heidelberg University was the wide range of opportunities for academic study and further education. I took part in various courses, seminars and conferences. My activities at the Institute for History of Law with Prof. Baldus were particularly important: it was there that my understanding of law changed and I came to understand the importance of looking at law from a legal historical perspective, which has stayed with me to this day. And the university's libraries are a paradise for academics.
Regarding improvement, I think that the university already does a lot for equality, but it often does not think about the needs of mothers and children. When my son was born in Heidelberg in 2014, I was a research assistant at the IGR. The equal opportunities office was on the fourth floor of a historic building and I had to walk up the stairs (heavily) pregnant or with a small baby. That is a small and concrete example, and I could name others. Mothers and children should be kept in mind at all events so that women are not excluded.
What was your further career path like after your time in Heidelberg?
I returned to Brazil in February 2017 and in August of the same year, I started as a university lecturer at the law faculty of the Fundação Getúlio Vargas business school in São Paulo. So my life's dream was complete. Here I give lectures on family and inheritance law in particular. The connection to Heidelberg and German law is indispensable to me and I continue to work on this connection. For example, I teach my students the German style of expert opinions that I learned in Heidelberg.
What is your view of the German scientific system in comparison to that of your home country or to that of other countries where you may have conducted research?
The German science system is different, better structured than the Brazilian one, and also with more resources. The science system in Brazil has suffered a lot in recent years from government policies that have neglected science a lot. Looking at other countries and experiences has helped us academics to defend our science system as much as possible. Fortunately, there is hope for us again now.
In your opinion, what is the importance of international exchanges for researchers?
For very important in any case! In jurisprudence, for example, international exchange enables us to critically analyse our own legal system in which we have been trained. Only in this way can we also act as observers and not exclusively as part or actor of the same system.
Do you recommend a research visit to Heidelberg University to your students or to colleagues in your scientific network?
Yes! My students already know it: Learn German! Think about going to Heidelberg! The funding opportunities in particular play an important role here, and I am happy to help anyone who is interested.
