The overarching project aim is to reinforce the rule of law and improve the sound functioning of the judiciary, by raising the professional qualifications of legal professionals. The specific purpose is to support and consolidate the JA (Judicial Academy), on the grounds of the existing JTC (Judicial Training Centre), with the provision of technical assistance and programmatic support for specific key activities. The principal aspects include reinforcement of the human resources management, establishing formation programmes for Candidate Judges and Prosecutors and improvement of the information management systems.
Three major components will be addressed:
- Component 1: places emphasis on the design and implementation of a strategic planning programme that provides direction on specified subjects including institutional objectives, human resources management and financing and budgeting operations. Human Dynamics will provide assistance in the implementation of work plans set out by the strategic planning programme. Furthermore it will provide guidance in establishing a business re-engineering plan to enable the refocusing of the appropriate business and management practices to strengthen the institutional structure, organisation and management of the JA.
- Component 2: focuses on the Initial Professional Formation for Candidate Judges and Prosecutors. A key aspect is the creation of a European Union Law Focal Point, which is to be structured as a separate entity, and which will provide European Union Law training to Candidate Judges and Prosecutors. The main objective will be to widen the scope of this unit to organise conferences, internships and publications on subjects relevant to European Law and to Serbia’s integration to the EU for the judiciary. An electronic library of legal information shall be created with appropriate structures, policies and procedures and passwords. This electronic library will include key learning tools enhancing the reputation of the JA as a main leaning source on the Serbian legal system.
- Component 3: has a twofold focus: (i) improving and expanding the monitoring and evaluating systems and (ii) improving the Information Management systems. In terms of monitoring and evaluating systems, a system will be designed to contain all the information relating to the Instructors at the JA, as well as to evaluate the performance of the institutions taking interns and the performance of Candidate Judges and Prosecutors. The improvement of the Information Management systems involves the creation of standardised records management systems for Instructors, Candidate Judges and Prosecutors.