On 22 May 2026, The European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX) and the Kosovo Correctional Service (KCS) have successfully concluded a 15-day management training programme for Prison Directors and Heads of Units from correctional institutions across Kosovo.

Delivered by the EULEX Correctional Unit, the programme focused on strengthening leadership and management capacities within the KCS, while promoting professionalism, accountability, and respect for human rights.

A key element of the initiative was its focus on sustainability and local ownership. Through a training-of-trainers approach, the programme aimed not only to share knowledge, but also to strengthen KCS’s long-term internal training capacities. In November and December 2025, experts from the Swedish Prison and Probation Service (SPPS), together with EULEX, provided pedagogical training on adult learning and curriculum development to selected KCS staff, who later helped deliver the management training themselves.

Organised in three phases between March and May 2026, the programme brought together 22 participants. Throughout the training, participants explored leadership and management topics linked to the daily challenges of correctional institutions, with particular emphasis on ethical leadership, accountability, and application of internationally recognised human rights standards, including the “Nelson Mandela Rules”, the “Bangkok Rules”, and the “Beijing Rules”.

Apart from strengthening professional skills, the training also encouraged peer learning, open discussion, and the exchange of experiences among prison managers and unit heads, helping build stronger cooperation within the Kosovo Correctional Service.

The programme concluded with a certificate award ceremony, during which participants received their certificates for their participation in the programme, marking another important step in the continued commitment of the Mission for professionalisation of Kosovo’s correctional system.