From 12-16 January 2026, the JuSTICE Project, with the support of the Agence Française de Développement (AFD), supported the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) in organising a Training of Trainers (ToT) for judicial trainers teaching in the one-year Curriculum for the Judicial Profession, training future judges, prosecutors, and lawyers nationally.
The five-day training focused on strengthening legal reasoning and aimed to strengthen trainers’ pedagogical skills and enhance the quality of judicial training.
Participants were experienced legal practitioners from the Office of the Supreme People’s Prosecutor, the People’s Supreme Court, and the Lao Bar Association appointed to teach at the NIJ. The training was facilitated by Dr Hajer Rouidi (France) and Dr Lawrence Siry (Ireland/United States) and combined theoretical inputs, practical exercises, and interactive discussions.
Throughout the training, participants engaged in sessions covering key aspects of modern judicial education. These included: adult learning principles and the evolving role of judicial trainers; the use of IRAC method (Issue-Rule-Application-Conclusion); problem-based learning approaches to strengthen legal analysis; and the design and facilitation of case studies, including mock trials and mock court exercises. Additional sessions focused on feedback, communication, and facilitation skills, including peer and self-assessment, as well as the use of technological tools and simulations in judicial training.
The programme also addressed self-management and leadership skills for trainers, providing participants with opportunities to lead training sessions and reflect on their role as judicial educators. These participant-led sessions encouraged peer learning and reinforced the practical application of newly acquired teaching methodologies.
By the end of the five-day training, participants had strengthened their capacity to design and deliver interactive, practice-oriented judicial training. A pilot training is planned in 2026 to further consolidate learning outcomes and support the continued application of these methodologies within judicial training institutions in Lao PDR.
