About The Belgian Judicial Training Institute (IGO-IFJ)

Law and statute The Judicial Training Institute (JTI) is a young Belgian institution, and has been founded by the law of 31 January 2007. It commenced its activities on 1 January 2009. The JTI has been founded under the form of a parastatal ‘sui generis’ of which the structure guarantees the independency of the magistracy and allows the JTI to autonomously identify and to organise training courses for the personnel member of the judiciary. Moreover, the statute enables a coherent approach and vision regarding training. This autonomy, however, doesn’t mean the JTI unilaterally (or in isolation) identifies the appropriate or necessary training. On the contrary, the JTI supports an extensive involvement of respective stakeholders, so that they could make their observations known to the JTI.

Organization The JTI is composed of four organs: 1. The direction; 2. The governing board; and, 3. The scientific committee ; 4. The evaluation commission of the judicial training.

Mission As an independent federal body, the JTI wants to contribute to a quality justice by developing in an optimal way the professional competences of the magistrates and the personnel members of the judiciary in a European perspective. In order to develop those professional competences, the JTI organises aside from the initial training hands-on training courses. Training activities The JTI offers magistrates and the staff members of the judiciary a diverse training offer, basic training offers, management courses, international exchange programmes,… By offering these training courses, the JTI want to upgrade the skills of each member of the judiciary in order to realise an efficient and effective Justice at the service of the citizen. To achieve this objective, the JTI tends to offer a hands-on and tailor-made training offer.

Knowledge and documentation management In addition, the JTI is also building a digital library containing the documentation provided in its training courses, elearning modules and livestreaming sessions.

Hands-on and tailor-made training offer The mission of the JTI goes beyond ‘providing education’, but is increasingly about supplying ‘tailored competence development’, which is only possible by integrating different forms of teaching and guidance as well as focusing on critical competences. The JTI has to provide the means for individualised development paths based on the empowerment of those involved, integrating different forms of learning.