Judicial Training Methods

The Judicial Training Methods activities aim to enhance the sharing of good judicial training practices among justice professionals and to establish new approaches for the delivery of training and knowledge to EU judges and prosecutors.

What is it?

Judicial Training Methods (JTM) responds to the growing need to share good judicial training practices among justice practitioners and to develop innovative approaches for delivering training to EU judges and prosecutors, and court staff, reflecting changing priorities and requirements.

Through a “Train the Trainers” approach, JTM intends to support the network in training design and development. Several handbooks have been published to enhance and share training methods. This group oversees the “Activity Coordinator” training (AC Training) which gives knowledge and tools to the different activity coordinators of EJTN activities. JTM is also responsible for the evaluations tools of the network and promotes the use of the Kirkpatrick Evaluation Model.

AIM

What’s the objective?

The Judicial Training Methods Portfolio, led by a dedicated Working Group, serves as a unifying thread that supports various aspects related to judicial education. Its distinctive feature lies in creating an environment for the identification, research, and dissemination of effective training tools. The Working Group aims to propose the most efficient and practical training methodologies that are adaptable across different judicial contexts. Its contributions are broad and transversal, designed to address training needs comprehensively. This includes a focus on increasing the use of digital and e-learning tools to make training more accessible and effective. 

As a forum to share best practices in judicial training, JTM launched a project for a Comparative Study on Judicial Training Institutions in 2024. This project consisted of a questionnaire sent to all EJTN Members, Associate Members and Observers to compare and contrast the training methods used in the different institutions

Moreover, the JTM portfolio heads special initiatives and projects, such as the ‘Women in Justice’ initiative launched in 2024, which addresses and explores gender equality in justice. 

Key Topics

The JTM Working Group is organised around three specialised project teams that focus on key areas crucial to modern judicial training.  

The first area, Innovation in Judicial Training Methods, explores innovative learning methods and tools to modernise and effectively support judicial training.   

The second area, Judgecraft, aims to enhance the practical skills and competencies necessary for judicial decision-making and courtroom management.  

The third area, the Leadership team, is dedicated to developing leadership qualities among judges and prosecutors, fostering judicial excellence and promoting a culture of quality justice across Europe. 

Activities planned for 2025

Between June and November 2025, a series of training sessions will be offered to judicial trainers, court staff, judges and prosecutors, focusing on leadership, communication, and innovative tools in judicial training. In October and November, several online activities will explore topics such as women in leadership, video production for training, virtual reality in judicial education, and managing conflicts and unconscious bias. 

For the full list of activities planned to take place in 2025, please refer to the EJTN Online Training Catalogue. 

Any questions?

For any queries concerning the Judicial Training Methods activities, please contact the EJTN Secretariat – Camille Durez, camille.durez@ejtn.eu