Course: Animal Experimentation for Wildlife Researchers

This online course is required according to regulatory demands for personnel planning and/or performing experiments with wild animals in Norway. The learning outcomes for the course are based on the detailed learning outcomes in the relevant modules specified in the EU Commission´s Education and Training Framework Caring for animals aiming for better science - Publications Office of the EU (europa.eu). The learning outcomes has been adapted for wildlife field researchers.

Scheduled activites

Target group

Personnel planning and/or performing experiments with wild animals in Norway.

Requirement for admission is minimum 3 years education on university or college level (bachelor’s degree or corresponding) within biology, ecology, physiology, life sciences, biomedicine or other relevant academic field.  

Individuals without a bachelor's degree may be admitted to the course (see description under "Course certificate")

Recommended prerequisites are course in statistics and knowledge of literature search using internet and library.

Course certificate

The course certificate issued for the training covers theoretical education for EU Function A (carrying out procedures) and EU Function B (designing and planning procedures).

The admission requirement (minimum of a bachelor's degree) is due to the inclusion of EU Function B (designing and planning procedures) in the course.

Individuals without a bachelor's degree may be admitted to the course under the following conditions:

• They must complete the entire course (including the exam), including the parts related to EU Function B (such as statistical design). We are unable to offer individual adaptation (the course is digital and the self-study portion is “pre-programmed” with mandatory completion requirements).
• The course certificate will state completion of EU Function A (carrying out procedures on animals), but EU Function B will not be included on the certificate (as EU regulations require a minimum of a bachelor's degree for this function).

Course Content

The course aims to fulfill the requirements for theoretical training for EU function A and B in accordance with the EU Commission´s "Education and training framework document" (Caring for animals aiming for better science - Publications Office of the EU (europa.eu).  

The course covers the following species-groups of wild animals: terrestrial and marine mammals, birds fish, and decapods used in field experiments. The course does not cover aquaculture fish.  

Overview of main parts of the academic content:

• Legislation related to use of wildlife in animal research in Norway
• Ethics, animal welfare and the Three Rs
• Administrative procedures: Application process, reporting and evaluation of animal experiments
• Recognition of pain, suffering, and distress
• Humane methods of killing
• Statistical design of field experiments
• Species-specific capture, tagging and sampling techniques
• Sedation, immobilization, anaesthesia, and basic surgical techniques
• Health surveillance in wildlife
• Reporting field studies in the scientific literature
• Communication to society and press media

Learning outcomes

The learning outcomes for the course is based on the detailed learning outcomes in the relevant modules specified in the EU Commission´s Education and Training Framework Caring for animals aiming for better science - Publications Office of the EU (europa.eu). The learning outcomes has been adapted for wildlife field researchers.   After completing the course, the student should have the following overall learning outcomes (defined in knowledge, skills, and general competence):  

• Knowlegde

  The student can:

  • Account for the national and international legislation regulating research with wildlife in Norway

  • Understand the key roles and responsibilities of personnel involved in animal research
  • Identify and understand ethical and welfare issues raised by the use of animals in research
  • Describe and discuss the principles of the 3Rs and suggest how to implement the 3Rs in a specific study proposal
  • Recognise and describe the principles of pain, pain management, humane endpoints and humane killing
  • Identify potential human health hazards when working with wildlife and describe appropriate protective measures
  • Identify and explain the key factors for planning and designing experiments with wildlife appropriately
  • Describe and understand the principles of capturing and immobilizing techniques for wildlife

• Skills

  The student can:

  • Consider the use of and apply alternatives and supplements to animal experiments
  • Make qualified assessments of and respond appropriately to ethical and animal welfare issues
  • Have a proactive and conscious attitude to factors that may affect the outcome of an animal experiment
  • Make qualified decisions on the use of anaesthesia, humane endpoints and euthanasia
  • Have a conscious attitude towards preventing human health hazards

• General competence

  The student should be able to:  

  • plan and direct animal studies
  • commence to train on practical procedures on animals under competent supervision

Learning activities

The course is fully web-based using Canvas as learning platform. The course consists of self-studies (pre-recorded e-lectures, videos, written material, and self-testing), followed by digital live online teaching activities (lectures, Q&A sessions, and group work).

Estimated necessary time for self-studies are 2 weeks. The proposed time for self-studies is an estimate that will vary with personal prior knowledge.

The online live teaching activity is given concentrated during approx. one week and consists of lectures, Q&A-sessions and group work.

The estimated workload for the whole course is in total 4 weeks (including self-study of web-based modules, live lectures/ group work, and preparing for exam).

Compolsary activities

• Completion of individual self-study tasks and self-tests within defined deadlines
• Participation in live teaching activities (min. 80% attendance)
• Submission of group work task

Students that do not progress and timely complete mandatory activities (e.g., self-study tasks and tests, live teaching activity, etc.) - will not be allowed to continue the course and take the exam. The teaching is conducted integrated and sequentially, and holistically provides the students with mandatory training in animal research. For this reason, it is required that all compulsory assignments are completed within the boundaries of each course. Each compulsory activity is not valid on its own, but total completion of teaching (all compulsory activities) is valid in the teaching semester and the next semester.

Examination

1,5 hours online multiple-choice exam

Passed/fail (70 % to pass) All aids allowed,

Admission

Requirement for admission is minimum 3 years education on university or college level (bachelor’s degree or corresponding) within biology, ecology, physiology, life sciences, biomedicine or other relevant academic field.  

Recommended prerequisites are course in statistics and knowledge of literature search using internet and library.

Course fee

Course fee is 9 500 NOK. The fee covers access to all teaching material and follow-up from teachers via Canvas.

Cancelling your registration

Registration is binding. Cancellations made after the registration deadline will incur a fee for 4 000 NOK. For cancellations made less than 10 business days before the course start date or in the case of non-attendance, the full course fee will be charged.

The course is subject to a sufficient number of participants to commence.

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