Advancing Research. Preserving Legal Heritage. Connecting Knowledge. Inspiring Scholarship.
Research, the preservation of knowledge and the dissemination of scholarship belong to the founding purpose of the law school.
The Office of Research, Archives and Library Services (RALS) is the office through which the Jigme Singye Wangchuck School of Law (JSW Law) creates, curates, preserves and shares legal and policy knowledge. RALS brings the JSW Law Research Centre,
Four Pillars of RALS
The Four Pillars of RALS: Advancing mission-led research, preserving legal heritage, enabling informed legal inquiry, and fostering ethical, impactful scholarship for Bhutan and beyond.
R: Research
Mission-led, ethical and connected inquiry through the JSW Law Research Centre. The faculty research, grants, fellowships, institutional linkages, research centres and student research.
A: Analysis and Archives ipsum
Stewardship of the JSW Law Archive, institutional memory, research records and Bhutanese legal heritage, so that analysis rests on reliable primary evidence.
L: Library and Legal Information
Authoritative collections, global databases, research and information-literacy services, the Institutional Repository, DLIN as Bhutan’s national legal database, and the JSW Diamond Strategy Hub.
S: Scholarship
Research forums and the annual research conference, the JSW Law Publishing Series, research ethics and integrity, citation and editorial standards, and public scholarship.
Vision
Vision 2031
RALS is the trusted engine of JSW Law’s knowledge mission: it makes JSW Law Bhutan’s leading centre of legal scholarship and a credible regional voice, and it preserves and shares Bhutanese legal knowledge for future generations.
Our Mission
To create, curate, preserve and share legal and policy knowledge by supporting rigorous and ethical research, providing authoritative information resources, safeguarding institutional and legal heritage, and convening and publishing scholarship that serves Bhutan and the world.
Our Integrated Approach
From Research to Lasting Knowledge
The four pillars of RALS are distinct in their functions but interconnected in their purpose. Research generates new questions and insights. Archives preserve the records and evidence that make deeper inquiry possible. Library and legal information services connect researchers with the sources they need. Scholarship provides avenues through which ideas and findings can be evaluated, shared, and developed further.
Together, these functions form an integrated knowledge ecosystem that supports the academic mission of JSW Law.
RALS works to strengthen the relationship between knowledge creation, preservation, access, and dissemination. This approach helps ensure that research can draw upon reliable sources, that valuable records remain available for future inquiry, and that scholarship can contribute to continuing academic and public conversations.
Through this integrated model, RALS aspires to support a community in which knowledge is not only produced, but also preserved, shared, critically examined, and put to meaningful use.
Discover Our Knowledge Resources
Featured Resources & Initiatives
Explore the platforms and initiatives that support research, legal information, institutional memory, and scholarly engagement at JSW Law.
JSW Law Research Centre
A focal point for supporting research and advancing inquiry into legal, institutional, and policy questions relevant to the School’s mission.
Discover the Research Centre
JSW Law Archive
A resource for preserving institutional records, documentary evidence, and materials that contribute to understanding the School’s history and legal heritage.
Explore the Archive
JSW Law Library
An academic resource supporting legal education, research, information discovery, and access to relevant legal literature and digital resources.
Explore Library Services →
Digital Legal Information Network (DLIN)
Bhutan’s national legal database, connecting users with legal information and supporting access to the country’s legal knowledge resources.
Access DLIN →
JSW Law Institutional Repository
A platform for collecting, preserving, and facilitating access to scholarly and academic outputs associated with JSW Law, subject to applicable access and deposit policies.
Visit the Repository →
JSW Diamond Strategy Hub
A specialised knowledge resource supporting engagement with strategic and policy-related information and research.
Explore the Strategy Hub →
Ideas That Inform. Scholarship That Connects.
Research Events & Publications
RALS encourages active participation in academic and research communities by supporting opportunities to share findings, exchange perspectives, and engage with important legal and policy questions.
Through conferences, research forums, scholarly publications, and academic initiatives, RALS helps create spaces for dialogue among researchers, students, faculty, practitioners, and other members of the wider scholarly community.
This section of the website brings together the latest updates from RALS, helping visitors discover research activities, upcoming events, new publications, and opportunities to participate in scholarly engagement.
Discover what is happening at RALS.
Latest Research: Explore research projects, outputs, and academic initiatives.
Upcoming Events: Find information about conferences, seminars, lectures, and research forums.
Recent Publications: Discover new contributions to legal and policy scholarship.
Research Opportunities: Learn about relevant grants, fellowships, collaborations, and calls for academic contributions.
Ethics, Integrity & Reponsibility
Knowledge Built on Trust
Ethical conduct and academic integrity underpin the work of RALS. Responsible research, careful handling of information, respect for intellectual contribution, and appropriate scholarly attribution are essential to maintaining confidence in academic work and knowledge resources.
RALS promotes a culture in which research is conducted responsibly, sources are acknowledged appropriately, records are preserved with care, and scholarly work is developed and communicated with attention to accuracy and integrity.
These commitments inform our support for research, archival preservation, information services, and scholarly dissemination. They reflect the broader responsibility of an academic institution to contribute knowledge in ways that are credible, considered, and beneficial to society.
Through these principles, RALS seeks to nurture an environment in which inquiry is rigorous, information is used responsibly, and scholarship earns trust through the quality and integrity of its work.
RALS & Bhutan’s Legal Knowledge Ecosystem
Rooted in Bhutan. Engaged with the World.
Bhutan’s legal and institutional development calls for sustained research, reliable access to legal information, careful preservation of documentary heritage, and meaningful engagement with emerging ideas.
RALS contributes to this environment by supporting research into relevant legal and policy questions, preserving resources that inform historical and institutional understanding, connecting users with authoritative information, and encouraging scholarly exchange.
At the same time, RALS recognises the value of engagement with regional and international scholarship. Dialogue across disciplines, institutions, and jurisdictions can broaden perspectives, strengthen research, and create opportunities for collaboration.
By bringing Bhutan-centred inquiry into conversation with wider academic and professional communities, RALS aims to support legal knowledge that is locally grounded, critically informed, and relevant beyond national boundaries.
Be Part of the Conversation
Engage with RALS
RALS welcomes engagement from the JSW Law community and the wider academic and research community. Whether you are conducting research, exploring legal sources, consulting archival materials, or seeking opportunities for scholarly exchange, our four pillars provide pathways to discover and engage with knowledge.
Explore our resources, learn about our initiatives, and connect with the services most relevant to your work.
Explore. Research. Discover. Contribute.
Our Guiding Values
Justice · Service · Wisdom
These values guide our commitment to research, preservation, access, and scholarship at JSW Law.
Justice
We support the pursuit of knowledge that encourages critical reflection, strengthens legal understanding, and contributes to a more informed and just society.
Service
We serve the academic community and wider society by supporting research, preserving knowledge, and facilitating access to reliable information.
Wisdom
We value thoughtful inquiry, responsible interpretation, intellectual integrity, and the careful application of knowledge to complex questions.
Advancing Knowledge in the Service of Justice, Service, and Wisdom
Through research, archives, library and legal information services, and scholarship, RALS supports the creation, preservation, access, and sharing of knowledge.
We remain committed to strengthening the intellectual foundations of legal education, preserving Bhutan’s legal and institutional heritage, and fostering scholarship that serves the needs of Bhutan and the wider world.
RALS — Connecting Knowledge. Preserving Heritage. Advancing Scholarship.
Jigme Singye Wangchuck School of Law
Office of Research, Archives and Library Services
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