Under the Cooperation Between the Faculty of Law and Political Science, National University of Laos and the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) - Lao PDR.
The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) Lao PDR believes that capacity and education are key to protecting wildlife. By supporting teachers and students to better understand natural resource and environmental laws, WCS aims to build greater awareness of wildlife crime and inspire future leaders to help stop it. This effort supports the Party and Government’s policies on advancing a rule-of-law state.
In the Academic Year 2023-2024, WCS Lao PDR started providing technical and financial support to the Faculty of Law and Political Science (FLP), National University of Laos. With WCS support, scientific legal research was conducted on three key topics: (1) Problems and Challenges in the Prosecution of Wildlife Trade Crime through Online Media, (2) Criminal Offence Regarding Wildlife Crime, and (3) Evidence Required by Forestry Authority and People’s Prosecutor in the Prosecution of Wildlife Crime. All research papers will be used as lessons for officers and officials who engage in actual enforcement of the laws in Lao PDR.
In the Academic Year 2024-2025, the cooperation and support on legal research expanded to include the National Institute of Justice (NIJ), Ministry of Justice (based in Luang Prabang province, Vientiane Capital, Savannakhet and Champasak provinces) and the Faculty of Law and Political Science (FLP) of Champasak University.
As part of this initiative, students took the lead, guided by their teachers, in developing thesis and final research projects on laws related to wildlife crime in Lao PDR. A total of nine research topics were pursued, including two at the Master’s level and seven at the Bachelor’s level. These cover critical issues such as wildlife crime and money laundering, corruption linked to wildlife crime, implementation of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in Lao PDR, and the challenges of prosecuting wildlife crimes at the local level.
These graduation thesis and final projects were completed, and the students reported on their findings on 29 August 2025 in Vientiane Capital.
To ensure students' knowledge was enhanced with hands on practical implementation, the project provided support to law students from the Faculty of Law and Political Science, National University of Laos and the National Institute of Justice, Ministry of Justice (in Luang Prabang province) who received internships in relevant government agencies, such as: Office of the People’s Prosecutor of local level. Department of Forestry, Ministry of Agriculture and Environment and Department of Environmental Police, Ministry of Public Security.
To promote in-dept awareness and understanding about wildlife crime issues, lectures were also organized to law students and teachers on key topics, including; status of wildlife crimes occurring at international, regional level and in Lao PDR, Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Fauna and Flora (CITES), national legislations related to wildlife crime and practical enforcement in Lao PDR.
Over the past two academic years, collaboration between the Faculty of Law and Political Science (FLP) at the National University of Laos and WCS Lao PDR has delivered promising results. With the next generation of law students who will become future lawyers and the teachers serving as the “printing blocks” of the nation, this partnership builds confidence that the next generation will play a vital role in advancing conservation, preventing wildlife crime and strengthening environmental law in line with National policies.
The Wildlife Crime Legal Research initiative activities with the NUOL-FLP were implemented under the Memorandum of Understanding between the Office of the Supreme People’s Prosecutor (OSPP) and WCS on Cooperative Action to Combat Wildlife Crime. Project funding support from the US State Department Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement and the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection project to support and strengthen criminal justice institutions and CITES actions against wildlife crime.