On the Activities of the Laboratory for the Study of Mongolian Law

Scholars from the Dorji Banzarov Buryat State University have long and successfully utilized the unique opportunities afforded by their geographical, historical, and cultural position, as well as their ties with Mongolia, in their scientific endeavors to advance Russia's international policy in the southeastern direction.

The early 21st century has been marked by a wide range of joint scientific forums, conferences, roundtables, and seminars held in collaboration with higher education institutions in Mongolia, both in Ulan-Ude (Lake Baikal) and Ulaanbaatar (as well as in other Mongolian aimags), including at Lake Khövsgöl.

Since 2019, the Laboratory for the Study of Mongolian Law at the Institute of Law and Economics of Dorji Banzarov Buryat State University has been successfully operating, representing a new level of academic cooperation between universities. The Laboratory was officially inaugurated at the Buryat State University’s Law Faculty with the participation of a delegation from the MUIS Law Institute, led by Mongolian Academy of Sciences academician S. Narangerel.

A joint research program has been prepared and approved. In the fall of 2025, the MUIS Law Institute plans to establish a Center for the Study of Russian and Chinese Law. These structural units are essential for fostering ongoing academic collaboration among faculty, graduate students, and undergraduates, deepening knowledge in comparative jurisprudence and the study of legal systems in Russia and Asian countries. This will contribute to the scientific, economic, and cultural cooperation between our nations.

The research activities of the Laboratory for the Study of Mongolian Law are carried out in accordance with the joint scientific program of the Russian and Mongolian universities. As part of its research on Mongolian law, the Laboratory has published works by prominent Mongolian scholars in Russian, including:

• "Current Issues in the Study of the History of the Mongolian State" by Mongolian Academy of Sciences academician and distinguished scientist Sh. Bira;

• "In Search of the Spirit of the Law: The Testament of Genghis Khan" by Mongolian Academy of Sciences academician and professor at the Mongolian National University, S. Narangerel.

The scientific-practical conference "Legal Culture of the Peoples of Central Asia: Traditions and Renewal" has become a platform for discussing and exchanging research findings on Mongolian law. First held at the regional level in 2016, the conference later gained all-Russian status and, in its anniversary year of 2019, international recognition. Participants include students, graduate students, and scholars from Russia, Mongolia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, South Korea, and Japan.

The results of joint Russian-Mongolian research are published in academic journals of Buryat State University and the MUIS Law Institute. A key focus of the Laboratory’s work is legal anthropology—examining the origins of law and the state through the study of Mongolian legal monuments. The next major joint academic event will take place in November 2025 at the MUIS Law Institute, dedicated to the 250th anniversary of the Selenga Code, a landmark of Buryat customary law.

All these efforts help bridge significant gaps in understanding the nature and essence of nomadic legal culture, address disparities in the study of medieval legal and state history in global and domestic contexts, and deepen insights into geopolitical processes in Asia and their impact on contemporary international relations in the region. They also contribute to refining international legal language and techniques, fostering better mutual understanding in addressing strategic tasks of global cooperation in the era of globalization.