International Visitors Education Program

Since 1993, NCSC has hosted and facilitated more than 600 study visits and professional exchange programs for more than 6,000 participants from more than 110 countries through our
International Visitors Education Program (IVEP).

The National Center for State Courts offers a full-service program to provide educational and practical hands-on opportunities for justice sector professionals interested in studying the U.S. justice system and innovations in court administration and justice sector governance and organization. With decades of experience organizing professional exchanges for foreign delegations and judges from across the world, NCSC has the contacts and experience to provide custom-made services that meet clients’ needs.

NCSC can organize a broad range of professional exchange opportunities through our IVEP in the United States and internationally. NCSC has extensive contacts and established partnerships with justice sector providers in federal courts and the 50 state and six territories of the United States. NCSC also maintains partnerships with courts of general and specialized jurisdiction around the world.

Since 1993, NCSC has supported visiting judges to observe and research different aspects of the U.S. justice system, as well as to benefit from NCSC and professional mentorships. Visits, mentorships/fellowships, and other exchange opportunities will be designed in partnership with the client and can be tailored to include integrated training opportunities with justice sector institutions, including U.S. courts, bar associations, law schools, and civil society organizations.

The program can last for one day or up to several months depending on the clients’ learning objectives and the type of exchange program.

NCSC can provide a broad range of assistance to help design and implement your visitor program. Services include:

  • Facilitating travel arrangements, as well as arranging all program logistics (lodging, interpretation, transportation, scheduling meetings, etc.);
  • Designing tailor-made programs that will be responsive to the learning objectives of visiting scholars;
  • Providing mentorship and training to visiting scholars by leveraging in-house NCSC expertise;
  • Pairing international visitors with justice sector counterparts for professional mentorships;
  • Placing international visitors in relevant state and/or federal courts for court observation experiences and research;
  • Providing professional programmatic facilitators to accompany visitors;
  • Hosting delegations in our offices in Arlington and Williamsburg, Virginia for meetings with NCSC experts and partners.

Examples of research topics (not limited to this list):

  • Court Technology and Automatization
  • Court Administration Models and Case Management Systems
  • Difference between Adjudication and Administrative Functions
  • Coordination Mechanisms between Head of Administrative Sections and Chief
  • Virtual Courts/Hearings (Benefits and Challenges)
  • Cyber Security
  • Caseflow and Workflow Assessment/Management
  • Accountability and Court Performance
  • Judicial Benefits and Protection
  • Codes of Ethics and Disciplinary Rules and Procedures
  • Jury Trial Management & Judge’s Role
  • Learning about the U.S. Adversarial Justice System
  • Plea Agreements – A Way to Make the Court More Effective
  • Alternative Dispute Resolution
  • Juvenile Justice
  • Money Laundering/Asset Forfeiture

If you are interested in developing a visitor program, contact Ms. Lauren Nicholson.

IVEP