Advanced Course on Federalism
The Advanced Course on Federalism was implemented to strengthen the capacity of youth leaders and key stakeholders in Myanmar by equipping them with the knowledge and analytical skills required to engage meaningfully in the country’s ongoing political transition. The course aimed to deepen participants’ understanding of federalism and enhance their ability to contribute to Myanmar’s transition toward a more democratic, inclusive, and decentralized system of governance.
During 2025 IPSJ successfully conducted three sessions of the course. The 19-day training program combined theoretical foundations with practical applications of federalism in transitional and conflict-affected contexts.
| Advance Course on Federal Training 2025. | ||||||
| Sr. | Description | Period | Remarks | |||
| Male | Female | Other | Total | |||
| 1. | Advanced Federal Training Batch II-2025 | Feb 4 to 21 2025 | 11 | 15 | 5 | 31 |
| 3. | Advanced Federal Training Batch III-2025 | July 4-26, 2025 | 65 | |||
| 4 | Advanced Federal Training Batch IV-2025 | Sept 15-27 | 32 | |||
| Total | 128 | |||||
| *Other = non-binary people | ||||||
The training was delivered by a team of experienced scholars and practitioners with specialized expertise in federal governance, constitutional design, and public resource management. The trainers and their respective topics are outlined below:
- Comparative Federalism
- The Role of Local Governance in a Federal System
- Resource Sharing
- Fiscal Federalism
- Constitutional Foundations of Federalism and Judicial Authority, The Concept of Judicial Federalism, Balancing Judicial Powers Between Federal and State Levels, The Importance of Judicial Independence in Federalism, Constitutional Courts and Judicial Review in Federal Systems
- Resource Management
Participants were selected through an online application process and drawn exclusively from DHR training alumni and ethnic youth leaders. The selection emphasized diversity, inclusivity, and broad geographic representation, including participants from states and regions across Myanmar, areas along the Myanmar–Thailand border, and individuals currently residing abroad. Participants came from diverse professional and social backgrounds, with the majority engaged in the education sector, particularly CDM teachers and CDM students. Other participants included members of political parties, ethnic organizations, student unions, and civil society groups.
Certificates of Completion were awarded to participants who actively attended the sessions and met all course requirements. In addition, a limited number of Outstanding Participant Award Certificates were presented to participants in recognition of their exceptional engagement, contributions, and performance throughout the program.
Fig. 1; U Khin Maung Win delivered a lecture on comparative federalism during the training session.
Overall, the Advanced Course on Federalism helped build a cohort of informed, skilled, and committed youth and civic actors with enhanced capacity to promote federal democratic principles, inclusive governance, and institutional accountability in Myanmar’s ongoing struggle for democracy.
