Training needs assessment of judges: best practices

The article examines approaches to training needs assessment of judges in the context of international standards and best practices. Considering that the current Ukrainian legislation obliges each judge to maintain his qualifications at the appropriate level necessary for administration of justice, and at the same time provides for the right of a judge to raise his professional level, the authors emphasize the importance of training needs assessment for both initial and continuous judicial training, with the emphasise to specific judicial skills. The authors analyse the methodology of training needs assessment used in foreign judicial education institutions, namely German Deutschen Richterakademie and French École nationale de la magistrature, including the role of questionnaires and surveys, expert commissions, as well as standards of such international organizations as the EJTN and IOJT set up in the judicial training principles. The authors conclude that the international standards and best practices can guide national judicial training institutions in their activities, i.e. can serve as an important prerequisite for enriching and improving the existing system of judicial training needs assessment in Ukraine. A systematic approach to training needs assessment allows not only to adapt training programs to modern requirements but also contributes to the timely introduction of innovations in judicial training. It is important to ensure the independence of the assessment process to guarantee the relevance and validity of the results. The variety of methods used (questionnaires, surveys, observations, focus groups) ensures a comprehensive understanding of both the individual needs of judges and the overall effectiveness of judicial education. Key words: judicial training, training needs assessment, professional competence, judicial skills, administration of justice.