High-level meeting - confirmation of support for the NSJU

On 24 November 2025 the National School of Judges of Ukraine hosted an important meeting between Rector Mykola Onishchuk and Kate Firon, Director of the OSCE Conflict Prevention Centre and Deputy Head of the OSCE Secretariat. 

The purpose of the meeting was to emphasise the resilience of Ukraine's judicial system, which is supported by the NSJU and continues to train judges and court staff despite the ongoing war in the country.

Among other things, Mykola Onishchuk highlighted the role that the NSJU has played since the first days of the full-scale invasion. Through judicial education, the institution has become a platform for unity and support for the functioning of the judicial system, ensuring communication between judges, including those who find themselves under occupation or under threat of occupation.

The rector thanked the partners for their long-term and constant support, highlighting priority areas of cooperation, such as: the development and testing of training courses, in particular on non-discrimination, electronic evidence, personal data protection, the rule of law, gender equality and the application of ECHR practice, as well as training events for judges on EU law (seminars, summer schools), which are key topics of the Roadmap on the Rule of Law, approved by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine and endorsed by the European Union as part of Ukraine's accession to the EU.

In addition, Mykola Onishchuk emphasised the importance of the OSCE Support Programme for Ukraine launching a new area of activity – monitoring court proceedings and training judges and representatives of the public sector in order to provide judges with recommendations on how civil society assesses their professional activities. The technical support provided by the NSJU is particularly valuable, as the partner organisation has provided network equipment, cyber security systems, computers and printers, which significantly improves the institution's operational capabilities and enhances the security of its information systems.

In turn, Kate Firon noted the stability and resilience of the Ukrainian judiciary in the context of war, as well as the leading role of the NSJU in judicial education. At the same time, Ms. Firon assured that the OSCE Support Programme for Ukraine remains committed to Ukraine and the NSJU and will continue to seek opportunities to continue its intensive and fruitful cooperation with our institution.

Alessandra Ronioni, Senior Policy Support Specialist from the OSCE Secretariat, and Daniela David-Cimpoies, Deputy Head of Operations from the OSCE Support Programme for Ukraine, also participated in the meeting.