Embedding the 3Rs in Research (Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences)
Duration 0.5 days
Team Researcher Academy



This face to face course is run by the Researcher Academy as part of the Medicine and Health Sciences Faculty Training Programme.

The Researcher Academy courses are very popular and the majority are run in both semesters to give you the opportunity to attend at a time of the year that suits you. 

Target Audience:
First year postgraduate research students in the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. All postgraduate students and post-doctoral fellows embarking upon research projects using animals

This course is part of the M&HS Faculty Training Programme and N-trans training programme, which are convened by Researcher Academy.

Process: Short focused talks delivered to students. Interactive group work

Aims and Objectives:

  • To provide the student with an overview of the 3Rs (Replacement, Reduction and Refinement) including the legislative and ethical need for them
  • To give a practical understanding of the importance of good experimental design, analysis and data reporting
  • To discuss how alternative animal and non-animal models can be applied to impact the 3Rs in a diverse range of disciplines

Course description:

The 3Rs are an ethical framework for scientific experiments using animals in research. In recent years the 3Rs have been adopted by the UK government, research councils within the UK and Europe, and many other funding organisations to impact the use of animals in scientific research. With increasing focus on the 3Rs in funding applications and the publication of research data it is fundamental that researchers understand the implications of the 3Rs and how to identify new ways to impact them

The course will cover the following topics:

  • Philosophy of the 3Rs and their need in today’s society
  • Experimental design
    • Power and sample size
    • Randomisation and controlling bias
    • The ARRIVE guidelines
  • Advice and tips for writing 3Rs sections in publications and funding applications
  • Successful application of the 3Rs in a range of disciplines

You may also be interested in the following related courses:

Good Laboratory Practice: fundamentals

A question of ethics: the use of humans and animals in biomedical research

Course Accessibility

The following table shows a summary of what is needed to participate in the course. 

If you feel you will experience any difficulties participating, please let us know via the ‘special requirements’ tab, providing as much information as possible. The special requirements tab can be completed when you book your place. Alternatively, you can contact us directly at ra-training@nottingham.ac.uk.

Print off pre-requisite paperwork/ resources & bring them to the course (optional)
Bring your own laptop/ PC to the course (optional)
Access seminar room on campus
Attend the course at the specified date and time
Watch and listen to the course tutor(s) and/or other attendees
Follow presentation slides during the course


Booking Conditions

Latecomer policy

Researchers should plan to arrive prior to the advertised course start time. Except for exceptional reasons, there will be no admittance to a Researcher Academy or Faculty Training Programme (FTP) course 15 minutes after the advertised course start time.

Importance of booking commitment

When booking on to a Researcher Academy short course you are entering into a commitment to attend. If you find that you are no longer available to attend you MUST cancel your place (on the system if more than three days before the course) or if at short notice by emailing ra-training@nottingham.ac.uk. This will ensure that your place can be offered to another researcher on the waiting list. Failure to cancel a place results in other researchers missing out on places through the waiting list process.

It is unacceptable for researchers to just not attend when booked onto a course. The Researcher Academy maintains records of those who repeatedly do not attend courses they have booked. This may affect future eligibility to book onto further Researcher Academy courses and will affect considerations for Researcher Academy funded opportunities.

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