On the afternoon of June 16, 2026, Hanoi Law University had the honor of welcoming and holding a working session with a high-level delegation from the Ministry of Justice of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR), led by H.E. Mr. Khamphan Phommathat, Member of the Politburo, Deputy Prime Minister of the Government, and Minister of Justice of Laos.

Overview of the working session

On behalf of the delegation from the Lao PDR, in addition to Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice Khamphan Phommathat, the delegation included H.E. Mr. Khamphao Ernthavanh, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Lao PDR to Vietnam; Ms. Sisouda Sophavanhdy, Deputy Minister of Justice of Laos; together with leaders of departments and offices under the Ministry of Justice of Laos.

Representing the Ministry of Justice of Vietnam, participants included Mr. Nguyen Thanh Ngoc, Member of the Party Standing Committee, Head of the Party Committee’s Commission for Communications, Education and Mass Mobilization, Deputy Minister of Justice; Mr. Nguyen Quang Thai, Standing Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee; and leaders of the Department of International Cooperation and the Office of the Ministry of Justice.

H.E. Khamphan Phommathat, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice of Laos, and Mr. Nguyen Thanh Ngoc, Deputy Minister of Justice of Vietnam, at the ceremony

Welcoming the delegation on behalf of Hanoi Law University were Mr. To Van Hoa, Rector of Hanoi Law University; Vice Rectors: Mr. Nguyen Van Quang and Mr. Nguyen Ba Binh; leaders of university units; and all Lao students currently studying at the University.

Mr. Nguyen Thanh Ngoc – Deputy Minister of Justice of Vietnam delivering remarks at the ceremony

In his welcoming remarks, Deputy Minister of Justice Nguyen Thanh Ngoc expressed his honor in accompanying the delegation on its visit to Hanoi Law University. He emphasized the close and long-standing relationship between the two Parties, States, and justice sectors of Vietnam and Laos.

Recognizing the important contributions of legal education institutions, Deputy Minister Nguyen Thanh Ngoc stated that Hanoi Law University (established in 1979) is one of Vietnam’s leading centers for training high-quality legal human resources. Since 1985, the University has fulfilled its important mission by training more than 200 Bachelor of Laws, 184 Master of Laws, and 8 Doctor of Laws graduates for Laos.

The Deputy Minister expressed his belief that the visit by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice Khamphan Phommathat would serve as a strong motivation for the University’s lecturers and students to continue improving training quality and opening new opportunities for cooperation in legal education between the two countries.

Rector To Van Hoa delivering remarks at the ceremony

Reporting to the delegation, Rector To Van Hoa affirmed that training and developing legal human resources for Laos is not only an international cooperation activity but also a political responsibility and a special sentiment of the University.

To date, Hanoi Law University has trained nearly 400 Lao students and trainees at various levels. Rector To Van Hoa also highlighted several recent achievements in cooperation. In May 2026 alone, the University granted full scholarships to two officials from the Lao Ministry of Justice to study Vietnamese and pursue postgraduate training.

At the beginning of June 2026, a delegation from Hanoi Law University also visited Laos and signed new cooperation agreements with the National University of Laos and Champasak University.

The Rector emphasized that training legal human resources for Laos is not merely an international cooperation mission but also a political responsibility and a special bond of friendship with the Lao people.

Mr. Pongchai Chitaphong, a K33 postgraduate student, speaking at the ceremony

Representing Lao students, Mr. Pongchai Chitaphong, a K33 postgraduate student, expressed his deep gratitude for the attention and support provided by both countries.

He shared that although there are still certain language barriers, thanks to the dedicated assistance from the University — from professional training to daily life support — Lao students always strive to overcome difficulties, improve themselves, and contribute positively to the development of Laos’ legal system after returning home.

Mr. Khamphan Phommathat, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice of Laos, delivering remarks at the ceremony

In a solemn yet warm atmosphere, H.E. Khamphan Phommathat, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice of Laos, expressed his happiness at visiting Hanoi Law University and meeting Lao students studying at the University.

Reviewing the activities of the delegation during its visit to Vietnam, the Deputy Prime Minister highly appreciated the close, continuous, and practical cooperation in the fields of justice and law between the two countries, as well as between their legal education institutions.

Sharing the direction of strengthening the development of a rule-of-law state in Laos in accordance with Resolution No. 12, the Deputy Prime Minister frankly acknowledged the current shortage of legal human resources and legislative experts in Laos.

He especially reminded Lao students that this was a valuable opportunity, encouraging them to make every effort in their studies. He emphasized that students should not only master legal texts but also deeply understand the nature, context, and practical application of laws, so that they can become core experts serving the development of their country.

On this occasion, the Deputy Prime Minister extended sincere thanks to the Party, State, Ministry of Justice of Vietnam, and Hanoi Law University for their continuous attention, support, and contribution to training valuable human resources for Laos.

Delegates attending the ceremony

The visit and working session of H.E. Khamphan Phommathat, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice of Laos, left many positive impressions and served as a great source of encouragement for the lecturers and students of Hanoi Law University.

The event also marked a new step forward in strengthening cooperation in legal education between Vietnam and Laos.