On June 12, 2026 the Association of Law Schools of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (ALS SCO) Forum was held at Kyrgyz National University named after Jusup Balasagyn (KNU). The Forum was titled \u201cThe Role of the Association of Law Schools in the Implementation of SCO Initiatives\u201d. The event, timed to coincide with the upcoming SCO Summit in the Kyrgyz Republic in 2026, became a key event in the field of legal education and regional cooperation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Forum was attended by over 100 representatives from 33 leading universities, government agencies, judicial bodies, law firms, chambers of commerce and industry, and business associations from Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Belarus, and Azerbaijan, as well as international experts from France.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The key topics of the Forum were:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Professor Dogdurbek Chontoev, Rector of KNU, moderated the meeting. He noted that the Shanghai Cooperation Organization today is a pillar of Eurasian stability thanks to economic and security cooperation, as well as targeted and important work to foster a common understanding of justice, trade, and governance. He emphasized that the legal profession, which is formed in law schools, lies at the heart of these efforts. \u201cTherefore, it is deeply symbolic that this Forum is being held at the Kyrgyz National University named after Jusup Balasagyn,\u201d the Rector emphasized. He then outlined three areas that require serious attention for the SCO network of law schools: harmonizing commercial and investment law, preparing for the digital world, and developing legal linguistics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The following welcome speeches were taken by:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After the break, the Forum\u2019s plenary sessions began, with keynote speakers from representatives of Northwest University of Political Science and Law (China), Xi\u2019an Jiaotong University, Qingdao University, Kutafin Moscow State Law University, St. Petersburg State University, MGIMO, HSE University, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration, Altai State University, SSLA, Gumilyov Eurasian National University, Far Eastern Federal University, the Academy of the State Committee for National Security of the Kyrgyz Republic, GRATA Law Firm, as well as judges of the CIS Economic Court and the Supreme Court of the Kyrgyz Republic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Forum, held as part of the implementation of the decisions of the 1st SCO Association of Southeast Asian Law Schools (2022) and annual forums dedicated to the training of highly qualified international lawyers, will conclude on June 13. The Association of Law Schools of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) brings together 33 leading universities in the SCO member states. The Forum in Bishkek is the first practical step toward implementing agreements on joint training of international lawyers, the creation of a research institute for SCO legal issues, and the development of academic mobility. Particular attention will be paid to training personnel for the mining industry and cross-border economic cooperation, in line with the priorities of Kyrgyzstan\u2019s SCO chairmanship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n