The NSJU and international partners join forces to train HACC judges

On January 21, 2026, Natalia Shuklina, Vice-Rector of the National School of Judges of Ukraine, together with a team of NSJU experts, held an online coordination meeting with representatives of international technical assistance projects. Representatives of the EU Anti-Corruption Initiative in Ukraine, the Council of Europe project “Strengthening Human Rights in the Criminal Justice System of Ukraine,” the OSCE Support Program for Ukraine “Ensuring Human Rights in the Administration of Justice. Phase II,” and the German Foundation for International Legal Cooperation joined the discussion.

The key topic of the meeting was the training of judges of the High Anti-Corruption Court in 2026 and ensuring its high substantive and methodological level. The parties discussed the mechanisms for involving national and international experts/consultants in specific activities of the HACC judge training program, as well as possible training formats.

Special attention was paid to ensuring that the training program covered relevant topics in anti-corruption law enforcement and judicial practice, with the involvement of appropriate instructors. Topics included: investigating anti-competitive practices in public procurement; peculiarities of sentencing in corruption cases; the procedure for examining evidence and conducting court proceedings in the absence of the defendant or using videoconferencing; enforcement of decisions on the application of preventive measures; resolving contradictions in expert conclusions; developing teamwork and effective professional communication skills; using artificial intelligence in the justice system; applying the current practice of the European Court of Human Rights in civil forfeiture and sanctions cases.

The coordination of efforts between the NSJU and international partners allows for the development of a modern, practice-oriented training program for judges of the High Anti-Corruption Court that meets today's challenges, European standards of justice, and the needs of the Ukrainian judicial system.