The JuSTICE Project, funded by the Agence Française de Développement (AFD), supported the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) in organising a second workshop on Curriculum Development focusing on the ADDIE framework (Analyse, Design, Develop, Implement, and Evaluate).
The three-day programme, conducted from 19 to 21 August 2025, brought together 30 participants, including 8 women, representing the National Institute of Justice (NIJ), the Lao Bar Association (LBA), the People’s Supreme Court (PSC), and the Office of the Supreme People’s Prosecutor (OSPP). Building on the first training organised in March, this workshop aimed to further advance trainers’ capacity to design and deliver effective and high-quality judicial training courses and curricula.
Dr. Nguyen Thi My Ngoc (Jenny) and Mr. Johnson Ong Chee Bin, the JuSTICE Project’s international experts, brought their extensive experience in curriculum development in Laos and across the ASEAN region. The workshop covered key areas such as curriculum design, learning outcomes, constructive alignment, assessment methods, and the integration of innovative tools including generative artificial intelligence (AI) into course development. Trainers engaged in hands-on sessions to draft course syllabi, develop assessment plans and marking schemes, and plan for implementation and evaluation phases.
This workshop enabled trainers to deepen their expertise, explore innovative tools, and take concrete steps towards modernising judicial training methodologies. The introduction of AI as a supporting tool in course design marks a significant shift from traditional practices towards more innovative, efficient, and future ready approaches, ultimately improving the quality of training for future judges, lawyers, and prosecutors in Laos. Participants discovered AI works in Lao language and for many it was their first time using such a tool.
By the conclusion of the workshop, participants had developed draft syllabi and assessment frameworks that will directly contribute to strengthening judicial training in Lao PDR. A final Training of Trainers session is planned for 29 September to 1 October 2025. It will build upon this progress by focusing on updating the one-year judicial training curriculum, refining programme and lesson level learning outcomes, and aligning them with constructive teaching and assessment methods, marking the next critical step in enhancing judicial education and professional development in the justice sector.
