EPTA 17th Annual Conference

From 11-13 September 2024, the European Penitentiary Training Academies (EPTA) held its annual conference in Tbilisi, Georgia. Now integrated into EuroPris, EPTA organises its annual conferences in partnership with the country of the elected EPTA president. In 2024, the Training Center of Justice of Georgia (TCJ) was elected as president and, with the support of the Ministry of Justice of Georgia, hosted the event under the theme “Navigating Challenges: Advancing Penitentiary Education & Practices.”

Held at the Radisson Blu Hotel, the conference gathered members from across Europe for three days of workshops, sessions, and discussions on the future of penitentiary training. The event featured active participation from EPTA members, who shared best practices and addressed challenges in the field.

A key focus of the discussions was The Future of EPTA following its transition to EuroPris. Over the next years, the organisation will concentrate on enhancing training standards, expanding knowledge-sharing initiatives, and facilitating staff exchanges. There was also a strong emphasis on collaboration between prison agencies and training academies, with plans to increase member participation in EuroPris events.

Participants also had the opportunity to visit key facilities, including the N16 Penitentiary Establishment, the Public Service Hall (PSH), and the Saakadze Training Center, where they observed cultural programmes and training simulations. These visits provided valuable insights into Georgia’s penitentiary practices.

This year’s conference, expertly hosted by the Training Center of Justice of Georgia, set new standards for future events and underscored the importance of international collaboration in advancing penitentiary training.

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EPTA Transition Update

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During the EPTA Annual Conference 2024, significant discussions took place regarding EPTA’s transition into EuroPris as an expert network for training academies.

The following key points were outlined for the next three years:

Training Excellence: Emphasis on delivering high-quality training and facilitating exchanges of best practices among trainers.
Knowledge Sharing: Increased sharing of training resources and materials through digital platforms.
Networking: Enhanced collaboration and networking opportunities for members, with ongoing support for research and development of best practices.
Annual Events: EPTA will continue hosting annual conferences and seminars, with more dialogue and activities throughout the year.
Platform and Curriculum Development: Efforts to create a common training curriculum and improve resource-sharing platforms, including e-learning tools.
Community Building: Strengthening the sense of community among members and supporting professional networks.

EPTA’s fusion with EuroPris will retain its name and logo, with a dedicated EPTA segments on the EuroPris website.

EPTA members will have full access to the EuroPris website and its communications. Additionally, EPTA members will be able to join EuroPris events, enhancing collaboration between prison agencies and training academies.

A new EPTA Coordination Committee will be established by 2025, including representatives from training academies and HR experts, to steer the network’s initiatives. This marks an exciting phase of integration, further supported by the EuroPris budget and funding schemes.

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Recommendations

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Following the discussions during the workshop sessions, several key recommendations were established to guide the integration of digital tools in penitentiary training. These recommendations aim to enhance both the digital literacy of staff and the effective use of technology within challenging environments like prisons:

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