CoLabIL (Co-Lab International Law)

Concept: Collaboration of International Law

In today's globalized world, international law education is at a turning point.

Until now, international law has been used by only a few specialists, such as diplomats, international organization officials, and academics, because the basic unit of international law is the state. Today, however, with economic activities and movement of people across national borders, and with the growing seriousness of environmental problems, it is also commonly used by people working in diverse positions, including domestic legal professionals, administrative officials including local governments, business persons, and civil societies. This phenomenon surrounding contemporary society is forcing teachers of international law to reconsider the people who learn, the content to be taught, and the materials for students.

Early career teachers are particularly struggling in the dynamics due inexperience.

Traditionally, the teaching skills of international law were considered to be something that each educator should cultivate through his or her own teaching practice, and only few trainings have been provided for young educators. However, the demands of the era of globalization have created a need for high quality international law education. In addition, there is a need to fundamentally review the content, methods, and objectives of education to date. To respond to such needs, the CoLabIL Project creates a space for the co-education of teachers of international law beyond the three boundaries: disciplines, national borders, and generations.

CoLabIL Project

Comparative Research on International Legal Education and Capacity Building of Early Carrer Educators: Collaboration Across Disciplines, National Borders, and Generations

The project is funded by the Suenobu Foundation’s Comparative and Foreign Law Research and Education Project 2023–2026.

Project Managers

  • Yota Negishi (Associate Professor of International Law, Seinan Gakuin University, Japan)
  • Kento Nisugi (Associate Professor of International Law, Osaka University, Japan)
  • Miharu Hirano (Associate Professor of International Law, Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University, Japan)
image