1. How to effectively evaluate
judicial training
Professor Cheryl Thomas
Director, UCL Judicial Institute
University College London

2. Assessment Tool for Evaluating Judicial Training
Purpose of the Assessment Tool:
Help each country identify the key factors that need to be considered in assessing their current judicial training programme and future needs
For a detailed description of Assessment Tool that can be read with this presentation see:

3. Approach to Evaluating Judicial Training
Evaluation Tool
does not assess judicial training in Europe on a hierarchical basis
does not rank European countries according to quality of training
recognises that no one country has an ideal training programme
Each country’s training must be evaluated based on its history, needs and institutional structures.

4. Issue-based Approach to Evaluating Judicial Training
Assessment Tool establishes a framework for monitoring and evaluating judicial training in Europe
Using the Assessment Tool building blocks each country can develop training and evaluation programme suited to its needs
But the Tool provides a common European methodology for assessing judicial training

5. 4 Stages of Training Evaluation
STAGE 1: SCOPE
STAGE 2: GAPS
STAGE 3: BARRIERS
STAGE 4: ASSESSMENT

6. Stage 1: SCOPE What are Your Jurisdiction’s Training Approaches?
Background factors
Types of training structure
Scope of training programme
Training methods

7. Stage 1: SCOPE - explained
What are your Background Factors (1A)
Judicial recruitment methods
Recent areas of scrutiny (eg, diversity, media attention, politicisation, major reviews or reforms)
Established or recent transitional judiciaries
What is your Type of Training Structure (1B)
Who delivers and who controls judicial training and education
Which judges receive training: requirements versus targets

8. Stage 1: SCOPE - explained
What is Scope of Training Programme (1C)
Substantive law
Legal skills
Judicial ethics
Modern judicial skills
Social context
Personal welfare

9. Stage 1: SCOPE - explained
What are Training Methods used (1D)
Centralised, face-to-face programmes
Decentralised, court-based programmes
IT and web-based distance learning
Modules
Streamed programmes for individual judicial ranks
Integrated programmes for judges and court personnel
Bespoke programmes for individual courts

10. Stage 2: GAPS How to Identify Skills Needs
Consider the following:
Responsibility for evaluating training
Course assessments
Surveys of judicial training needs
Surveys of perceptions of the judiciary
Reports on judicial recruitment, evaluation & quality control of courts

11. Stage 2: Identifying Gaps
Who evaluates judicial training and how often is it done? (2A)
Conducting “Training Needs Assessment”
Feedback questionnaires (2B)
Surveys of Judges (2C)
Training committees/coordinators
Surveys of external perceptions (2D)
Other sources of information (2E)
Evaluation of judges & courts
Large-scale reviews of the judiciary
Research

12. Stage 3: BARRIERS To Improved Training
Funds
Time
Geography
Lack of skilled trainers
Lack of study of judiciary
Internal resistance
Lack of comprehensive evaluation

13. Stage 4: Assessment How to achieve comprehensive evaluation
What is rarely done: Integrating effective training evaluation into programme development
Requires Evaluation to be linked to Outcomes
Two things are required:
Sharing Information widely
Assessing Outcomes Periodically

14. Sharing Evaluation Info
Need to provide info from Stage 2 & Stage 3 to:
Each level of the judiciary
Court administration
Those responsible for funding judicial training
Those responsible for quality control of courts and judicial appointments
Can be sensitive and controversial

15. Conducting Periodic Surveys
Of the Judiciary - on their training needs
Also of:
Court Users
Public
on their perceptions of judiciary
Can also be sensitive and controversial – especially deciding what to ask & sharing results

16. Judicial Education & Training Assessment Tool
You can conduct a Self-Assessment of how comprehensive your country’s approach is to judicial training through a specially-designed Questionnaire
This is designed to help each country identify specific areas to work on to develop a more integrated and effective judicial training programme
Available to download at: