Zhang Jun, secretary of the Leading Party Members Group and president of the Supreme People’s Court, attends a symposium marking the 40th anniversary of the National Judges College on Oct 31, 2025. He joins participants in reviewing the achievements and experience of education and training for judges and discussing plans for their high-quality development. [Photo/court.gov.cn]

Zhang Jun, secretary of the Leading Party Members Group and president of the Supreme People’s Court (SPC), attended a symposium marking the 40th anniversary of the National Judges College on Oct 31. He joined participants in reviewing the achievements and experience of education and training for judges and discussing plans for its high-quality development.

The past forty years have witnessed a remarkable path of perseverance and progress in judicial education. A large cohort of high-quality, professional judicial personnel who are loyal, incorruptible and responsible have been cultivated, and rule-of-law think tanks with great influence have been developed. The National Judges College has used theory research to tackle difficult and novel problems in adjudication, established platforms for rule-of-law international exchanges, and built an education and training system with Chinese characteristics for courts nationwide, achieving significant results.

“On the new journey in the new era, judicial education and training faces greater challenges, but also has greater potential,” Zhang said. Focusing on implementing the Communist Party of China Central Committee’s decisions on cultivating judges and judicial officials, advancing judicial modernization, and exercising law-based governance on all fronts, Zhang outlined key requirements for promoting high-quality judicial education and training. 

He called for upholding the correct political direction, emphasizing that judicial education and training must be carried out with a broad strategic perspective, aligning all work with national priorities and the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) while addressing the key obstacles hindering high-quality adjudication. 

He also stressed the importance of strengthening the integrated approach of adjudication, education, research and application, ensuring that teaching and academic studies remain closely grounded in judicial practice and fully leverage the resources of courts and the National Judges College. 

He urged deeper application of technological innovation, requiring training programs to keep pace with the development of digital courts, expand online learning, and incorporate technology and artificial intelligence into teaching and research. 

He called on courts at all levels to enhance organizational leadership and improve training and research mechanisms, and encouraged instructors at the college to refine their professional ethics and legal expertise to better contribute to the cultivation of judicial talent.

Xu Xianming, Wang Liming, Zheng Weimei, Wang Ximin, Fan Chunming, Ding Yuxiang, and Xiang Kai deliver remarks representing part-time professors, faculty and trainees from various stages of the college’s history, as well as winners of the thematic essay competition. [Photo/court.gov.cn]

The event was chaired by Deng Xiuming, deputy secretary of the Leading Party Members Group and executive vice-president of the SPC. SPC vice-presidents Mao Zhonghua and Li Yong, both members of the Leading Party Members Group, respectively read a commendation notice and announced the results of the thematic essay competition. Representatives of faculty and trainees from the college, as well as winners of the thematic essay competition delivered remarks.

Other attendees included Wang Zhongming, member of the Leading Party Members Group and vice-president of the SPC; standing members of the SPC's adjudication committee Liu Guixiang, Wang Shumei and He Li, along with some deputies to the National People’s Congress and members of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference.