The First Law School in the Kingdom of Bhutan · development of Bhutan’s democratic institutions. JSW Law is a vital component of Bhutan’s legal, political and social development.

Jigme Singye Wangchuck School of Law

UNDER THE PRESIDENCY OF HER ROYAL HIGHNESS PRINCESS SONAM DECHAN WANGCHUCK

Developing leaders to support stable democracy, sustainable development, and the rule of law for the Kingdom of Bhutan and beyond

The First Law School in the Kingdom of Bhutan

HER ROYAL HIGHNESS PRINCESS SONAM DECHAN WANGCHUCK

“ JSW School of Law will produce a generation of responsible and

able lawyers who will contribute to a just and content societ y.

Law and happiness, we believe, are not opposed to each other .”

HER ROYAL HIGHNESS PRINCESS SONAM DECHAN WANGCHUCK

“ JSW School of Law will produce a generation of responsible and

able lawyers who will contribute to a just and content societ y.

Law and happiness, we believe, are not opposed to each other .”

jsw lawNamed for the Fourth King of Bhutan, His Majesty Jigme Singye Wangchuck, the architect of Gross National Happiness (GNH) and the father of democratic Bhutan, JSW Law opened in 2017 as the country’s first and only law school.

Headed by its President, Her Royal Highness Princess Sonam Dechan Wangchuck, sister of the Fifth King, His Majesty Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, JSW Law will prepare students for careers throughout the legal profession and beyond, reflecting the core principles of the Kingdom in a very unique way.

OUR MISSION IS TO COMBINE A THOROUGH GROUNDING IN LEGAL DOCTRINE AND SKILLS WITH SEVERAL INNOVATIVE ELEMENTS:

❍ Adherence to traditional Buddhist values, including the concept of Gross National Happiness (GNH)

❍ Practical experience in topics of importance to Bhutan’s development, such as dispute resolution, entrepreneurship, human dignity, and environmental law and sustainable development

❍ Research in related fields in support of the development of Bhutan’s democratic institutions

JSW Law is a vital component of Bhutan’s legal, political and social development. The Kingdom of Bhutan is already a global leader on issues such as environmental conservation, carbon-neutrality, holistic well-being and the rule of law in a way that belies its diminutive size. The law school seeks to serve as a model for all of South Asia by providing legal education that focuses on Gross National Happiness, sustainable development, environmental protection, the rule of law, and the preservation of the nation’s rich culture and traditions.

“One thing that really inspired me to apply for JSW School of Law was the very impressive selection criteria that they presented to us…it literally tests your analytical, critical and reasoning skills. And the interview that is the last phase of the selection criteria is one of the most interesting parts because it really examines the core of the kind of person you are.”

Sonam Yangchen

CLASS OF 2022

“When I heard about our country’s first law school and its name, I knew it would be an extraordinary place. After reaching here, I was proven right. The teachers and professors are highly knowledgeable as well as from different parts of the world. I feel very fortunate to be here and I am really grateful to everybody involved in making this a dream come true for us.”

Sonam Tenzin

CLASS OF 2022

an innovative Approach

curriculum

LEGAL CLINICS

JSW Law currently hosts three groundbreaking legal clinics where students are required to participate in live client and policy advocacy work, supervised by top Bhutanese and foreign faculty and practitioners.

The HUMAN DIGNITY CLINIC includes core concepts of human rights and their application to pressing social issues in Bhutan.

The APPROPRIATE DISPUTE RESOLUTION CLINIC incorporates traditional Bhutanese methods of managing conflict, and applies them to address complex disputes.

The ENTREPRENEURSHIP CLINIC encourages lawyers to think like innovative business consultants, and to write clear legal documents to support local entrepreneurs and introduce best legal practices.

LEGAL NEEDS ASSESSMENT

JSW Law faculty and staff will, for the first time in the nation’s history, systematically document perceptions of justice in Bhutan. This project will also document the customary dispute resolution methods used by people across Bhutan to resolve civil disputes.

The study will span all 20 districts of Bhutan, rural and urban, to set a benchmark to measure rule of law progress in the decades ahead.

RESEARCH CENTER

One of our core missions is to create a vibrant research culture that will benefit not only our students and faculty, but also the national parliament, judiciary and government. The Research Center will serve as a focal point for Bhutanese researchers and invited foreign guests to conduct and present joint and individual research.

green campus initiativeThe law school aspires to become the first campus in Bhutan and in South Asia to fully integrate cutting-edge green campus materials and practices, and thereby be a role model throughout the region. Experts have been engaged from around the world to advise on the construction. Specific initiatives include a mix of electricity and solar power for campus-wide lighting and water heating, state-of-the-art sewerage and kitchen-waste treatment systems, and rainwater harvesting and treatment facilities.

how you can help

Our leadership now strives to place JSW Law on a firm financial footing, equipped with the financial, human, and intellectual resources for broadening and deepening our programmes.

funding opportunities include:

STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS

ENDOWED FACULTY POSITIONS

FURNITURE

STUDENT COMPUTER LABORATORY

LIBRARY: COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT, DOCUMENT PRESERVATION AND DIGITIZATION

STUDENT STUDY MATERIALS

RESEARCH CENTER

LAW CLINICS: HUMAN DIGNITY, APPROPRIATE DISPUTE RESOLUTION, ENTREPRENEURSHIP

GREEN CAMPUS INITIATIVE

STUDENT EXCHANGE AND INTERNSHIP PROGRAMMES

STUDENT RECRUITING AND ADMISSIONS

FACULTY AND STAFF TRAINING

to give online:Please visit our website at www.jswlaw.bt/donate

for questions or more information:Please contact Phuntsho Wangmo, Registrar [email protected] +975 (2) 365305

“What I like most about this law school is that it takes in a very small number of students—no more than 25— in each batch. Therefore, the learning process is made more individual and special for both the professors and the students.”

Tenzin Selden

CLASS OF 2022

thank you to our donors

What began as the King’s idea, supported by both the Supreme Court and Parliament, has come to fruition through the hard work of many and the generous support of donors.

The Royal Government of Bhutan

Government of India

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT JSW LAW, PLEASE CONTACT:

Phuntsho Wangmo, Registrar [email protected] +975 (02) 365305

www.jswlaw.bt