LAO/023
Strengthening the Rule of Law through Legal University Education

Strengthening the Rule of Law through Legal University Education is what this project intends to do with its main beneficiaries, the lecturers and students of the Faculty of Law at the National University of Laos.

In view of the Faculty of Law and Political Science's rapid evolution during the last four to five years, it appears that the Faculty is facing a series of challenges that are  similar to the ones affecting the entire higher education system in Laos.

Addressing these challenges, the project's specific objective is to improve the quality of higher education at the Faculty of Law and Political Science.

The project looks at improving the Faculty's teaching quality, giving students enhanced theoretical and practical knowledge, in coherence with labour-market needs. It also works on strengthening the Faculty of Law and Political Science's  physical and institutional capacity in the areas of management, effectiveness and sustainability through institutional strengthening and the construction of dormitories as well as the Faculty building in itself.

Latest news

• Laos - Law students ready to compete in Moot court competitions

  Published on 7 November 2014    By Sharan Doowa / Teacher Trainer   

  The Faculty of Law and Political Science of the National University of Laos in Vientiane is holding the National Court Competition in International Humanitarian Law in November 2014.

  A Moot court is an educational activity wherein students take part in simulated court proceedings. Students write briefs and make oral arguments. For the second time now such an event was staged at the Faculty, which recently started a Moot Court Group. It is also one out of thirteen student educational activity groups created to provide venues for more practical skills training for law students.

  Promoting the creation of Student Educational Activities Groups (SEAG) is a brainchild of project LAO/023: Strengthening the Rule of Law Through Legal University Education, at the National University of Laos. SEAG has the full support of the Faculty, which has received praise from the University and recognition from various communities based on the activities of these student groups. 

  

  Two students from the Faculty, Mr. Yee Chang Chongseng and Mr. Khemphet Phonphakdy, make up one of the four teams from the Faculty taking part in this year’s competition. Yee Chang is 22 years old, from Xieng Khouang Province in the north. He is a member of the H’mong minority population of Laos and is also the head of the Moot Court Group. He is in his third year at the International Relations Department and is supported by an Australian scholarship, which provides him with a 50 USD monthly stipend. He observed: “Most of the Moot Court Group members are H’mong and all of us want to become lawyers. Already we feel we have become better students. We ask more questions and we read a lot more. International Humanitarian Law is useful for all.”

  Khamphet, also 22 years old, is from Salavanh Province in Southern Laos and a member of the majority Lao Loum population. He is a third-year student in the Criminal Law Department, has studied French, and works evenings as a hotel receptionist. He had this to say about the Moot Court Group: “Many people from my province end up working in neighbouring Thailand. Human trafficking is an issue and so is the lack of legal awareness. I joined the Moot Court Group because I want to be a lawyer. I want to work with people who get into trouble with the law and have no access to the justice system.”

  

  Only a few years ago the idea of Lao law students participating in a Moot court competition, in English, would have been far-fetched. However, in March 2014, three students selected from the Faculty participated in the 12th Red Cross International Humanitarian Law Moot in Hong Kong. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) supported the event and also organizes annual seminars in International Humanitarian Law for students and faculty members in conjunction with the Faculty. This year’s winners of the National Moot Court Competition will compete in an international Moot in 2015 (sponsored by ICRC).

   

   

• Laos: New dormitories for Law Faculty

  Published on 26 February 2014    By Erik Häggqvist   

  With the technical expertise of Project LAO/023 ”Strengthening the Rule of Law through Legal University Education” and the Faculty and funding from the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, four hundred students at the Faculty of Law and Political Science will now benefit from new dormitories. Two main buildings plus separate cooking and laundry facilities have been constructed in order to replace the old dilapidated dormitories. The dormitories are located about 150 meters from the Faculty campus in Ban Donnokhoum (Vientiane) and will cater mainly to poorer students coming from provinces outside Vientiane. The facilities have been designed to minimize running costs and maintenance needs whilst respecting the environment. The buildings are furnished to make the area functional and attractive both for studying and socialising.

  

  This four-year project focuses on improving the quality of the education provided by the Faculty through capacity building among staff and students, while at the same time improving its facilities. Currently more than 20 Faculty members are studying for Masters and PhD’s with support from the project. These staff are also in charge of producing learning materials, improve teaching methodology, improving English language proficiency, promote research, and empower students to take on more responsibility for their own learning and their community through the formation of student clubs.

  Besides the new dormitories most classrooms at the Faculty have been renovated and a new “Learning Building” to host the Faculty library and facilities for independent learning of English language and IT as well as meeting rooms will open soon. Ribbons to the new dormitories were cut by the President of National University of Laos Prof Soukkongseng Saignaleuth and Mr Claude Jentgen, Chargé d'affaires, Luxembourg Embassy with Faculty staff and students in attendance at a ceremony that was held in conjunction with a Steering Committee meeting to review project progress. Parties agreed that the project has been very successful in addressing many needs but that the Faculty is still in need of future support especially in order to strengthen operating systems and procedures.