Qualified, knowledgeable and competent?

To be qualified, you need to meet extensive training requirements, which will depend on the role you play in a research project. Additional information can be found on the 3Rs-Centre Utrecht website.

On 15 March 2023, the Lifelong Learning (LLL) policy, approved by the establishment licence holders UMC Utrecht and Utrecht University on 5 October 2021, goes into effect. What this means for you in practical terms is worked out in the implementation guide. In brief, it means that you must be re-registered every three years as a qualified and knowledgeable staff member.

Your department’s LLL coordinator will register you, after coordinating with your manager, using a portfolio you provide for this purpose. We do this at the beginning of a calendar year during the registration meetings, so make sure your portfolio is in order in time. You must also ensure that your competencies (abilities to perform particular tasks) are registered. This can be requested during the approval of a work protocol (WP). You can only be trained by a registered supervisor, and an assessor can run an assessment to determine whether you can be entrusted with independently performing a task with an animal.

Supervisor and assessor

The person who trains (the supervisor) or assesses (the assessor) whether a task involving laboratory animals may be entrusted to another:

• is a qualified and registered staff member
• is competent in a number of procedures
• is registered with the Animal Welfare Body as an assessor
• has taken an assessor training.

Principal Investigator

The researcher who bears the final responsibility for the animal experiment and submits the application:

• Has a Master’s degree in the relevant field of study.
• Has a certificate for the legally required Course on Laboratory Animal Science, including a relevant course in the specific animal species.
• Is registered with the Animal Welfare Body and has participated in the introduction.
• Continues to educate him/herself with courses, conferences, skills training.
• Needs to register as researcher animal experiments.

Study Director

The researcher who performs the animal experiment:

• Has a Master’s degree in the relevant field of study and a certificate for the legally required Course on Laboratory Animal Science ór a diploma from a recognised educational programme (MBO-4, HBO, biotechnique or zoological analyst).
• Is registered with the Animal Welfare Body and has participated in the introduction.
• Continues to educate him/herself with courses, conferences, skills training.
• Is demonstrably competent in the use of laboratory animals.
• Needs to register as researcher animal experiments.

Research analyst / biotechnician

The research analyst involved in the animal experiments:

• Has a diploma from a recognised educational programme (MBO-4, HBO, biotechnique or zoological analyst) with an animal experiments certificate (MBO-3).
• Is registered with the Animal Welfare Body and has participated in the introduction.
• Continues to educate him/herself with courses, conferences, skills training.
• Is demonstrably competent in the use of laboratory animals.
• Needs to register according to Article 13f2 Wod.

Animal caretaker

The animal caretaker that works with laboratory animals:

• Has a recognised MBO level 3 animal caretaker diploma.
• Is registered with the Animal Welfare Body and has participated in the introduction
• Continues to educate him/herself with courses, conferences, skills training.
• Is demonstrably competent in the use of laboratory animals.
• Needs to register according to Article 13f2 Wod.

Other Co-Worker

Special rules apply for temporary guest staff, students, interns and medical specialists who participate in experiments on animals. For example, they may only work with laboratory animals while under the supervision of an authorised individual, again after registration with the Animal Welfare Body.