National University of Laos
Faculty of Forestry
Faculty of Agriculture
Faculty of Social Sciences
During 1975 to 1995, the government of Lao PDR (GoL) ran three institutions that were considered to provide university-level programmes (the Pedagogical Institute of Vientiane, National Polytechnic Institute, and the University of Health Sciences). The GoL later united these institutes to found a university, called National University of Laos (NUOL) in June 1995. The first academic year (AY) began on November 5, 1996. NUOL has been divided into 10 faculties, several departments and study centers that offer higher education diploma, bachelor and master’s degree courses. The NUOL is the biggest higher educational institution in the country. However, presently the GoL has run 4 universities (NUOL, Souphanovong University, Champasack University and Scientific Health University) and 5 pedagogical colleges, and promoted several private colleges in a whole country.
Kyoto University, Japan and National University of Laos, Lao PDR have cooperated in several activities on area studies through faculties of NUOL such as Faculty of Forestry, Faculty of Agriculture and Faculty of Social Sciences.
The Faculty of Social Sciences (FSS) is the only highest social sciences institute in the country. The FSS first was combined with the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities which was created together with the foundation of NUOL from the decree of the Prime Minister No. 50/PM dated 09/06/1995. In year 2000, the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities was then divided into two categories as the Faculty of Social Sciences (FSS) and the Faculty of Letters (FOL) according to the decree No. 87/PM dated 20/06/2000. Presently, FSS has opened six baccalaureate degree programmes below: 1) Geography and GIS, 2) History and Anthropology, 3) Political Science, 4) Tourism, 5) Hotel Management, and 6) Sociology and Social Development programmes.