The University of Luxembourg is actively supporting problem-based learning (PBL) through training for lao lecturers to lead them on the path to be a “Moot coach”. Following the success of our first ‘train-the trainer’ moot court in November 2021, lao lecturers were eager to deepen their mooting skills and solicited a follow-up training with Dr. Papawadee Tanodomdej from Chulalongkorn University (CU). Dr. Tanodomdej is a lecturer of Public international law, the coach for Chulalongkorn’s team in the Philips C. Jessup International Moot Court Competition 2021 and is also actively involved in the Thailand IHL Moot Court Competition organised by the ICRC.
The training, which took online place from the 1st to the 24th of March, 2022, was attended by around 15 lecturers from the FLP of NUOL and from the Faculty of Law and Administration, of the University of Champasak
The main objectives of this follow-up training were to build understanding on IHL and ICL (International Criminal Law) legal issues and pleading skills to prepare the lecturers in moot court coaching. The training was run in Thai language and divided into 4 sessions. The first session covered specific selected legal issues (one count of a previous moot problem) and the sources of law/ research material. The second session covered the jurisdiction of the ICC and how jurisdiction apply to actual cases before the ICC. The third session dealt with the “war crime of compelling a prisoner of war or other protected person to serve in the forces of a hostile Power” and the constitutive elements of this offence, as well as with individual criminal responsibility. The lecturers were divided into two teams to work together and prepare their pleading as the defendant and prosecutor for the last session during which they practiced real pleading
During the training, participants also had the opportunity to work in teams in break-out rooms and had research “homework” to do to prepare the pleading. This practical aspect of the training helped the participants to gain in-depth understanding on how moot court pleadings work. Dr. Papawadee also shared her experience as a coach in Thailand and on how to make good pleading.
The training was particularly fruitful and constitutes a step forward the strengthening of moot court collaboration with Thai Universities. The Inter-University Project plans to scale up cooperation with Thailand by organizing a joint Moot court in Thai language focusing on a simpler moot case of International Criminal Law, bringing the new Lao coaches on board with a few Lao teams of students. This could be hosted either by Thammasat or Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok during spring 2023.