Accreditation board for education and training
Composition
Chair
- Patri Vergara
Members
- Marcel Gyger
- Bryan Howard
- Hans Peter Käsermann
- Ana Isabel Moura Santos
- Timo Nevalainen
The accreditation system
FELASA has established an accreditation system for teaching programmes which follow the four categories for which FELASA has published guidelines. The system was introduced on 1 January 2003*.
This quality assurance system is intended to assist in the development of uniform high quality educational programmes for laboratory animal technicians (Category A0-A2), research technicians (Category B), scientists (Category C) and specialists (Category D) throughout Europe.
Guidelines for Categories A1, A2, B, C and D have been published in Laboratory Animals. Links to these publications can be found on our Recommendations page. Guidelines for the new Category A0 are being drawn up.
Category B and C courses are accredited for a period of 5 years.
Category D courses are accredited for a period of 10 years.
Motivation
One of FELASA's main activities is to drive the process of continuing implementation of refinement in the husbandry and use of animals in research as well as design of animal experiments. These go hand in hand with good science. FELASA encourages professional competence in all staff working with animals as a prerequisite for implementation of the 3Rs and for high quality science. Consequently, the establishment of an accreditation system ensuring high quality education in laboratory animal science is seen as an important milestone.
Application procedure
The application package and additional information can be obtained by sending an e-mail to the secretariat.
Please note: the average time for completion of the accreditation process is 6 (six) months.
Review process
The review process will be carried out via e-mail communication. No paper documents will be circulated. The process will be conducted and maintained in strict confidentiality. Further details of the process can be found in the recommendations published in Laboratory Animals 36(4): 373-377, 2002.
National liaison experts may be consulted and take part in the review process.
To verify quality and content of courses, a course audit will be made during the life of an accreditation.
Annual report
The organiser of each accredited course is required to submit an annual report throughout the duration of the accreditation, together with a list of student certificates issued during that year.
An annual fee is payable together with a fee for each student certificate issued.
The official Annual report form may be obtained from the secretariat.
Annual reports and supporting documents should be submitted electronically to the secretariat.
Accreditation timing
FELASA Accreditation lasts for five years, (10 years in the case of Categories A1 and A2 and D) during which time a course audit will be made. At the end of this Accreditation period, a new application for accreditation will need to be made. It is suggested that this is done at least six months before the expiry of the accreditation to maintain continuity.
Fees
The initial application fee is € 385 and is inclusive the annual fee for the first calendar year. The application package will include a proforma invoice, which must be paid before any application can be considered.
The FELASA accreditation programme is a non-profit venture, but is required to be financially self-supporting. The annual fee for maintaining an accreditation is € 385. A fee of € 5 will be charged for each certificate issued under the scheme.
For further information and queries, please contact the secretariat by email or by post.
* Following a review of the role of laboratory animal technician in Europe, a revised scheme for education and training was recommended by the FELASA Board. This comprises level A0 (entry level), level A1 (principal career grade) and level A2 (including supervisory and basic managerial skills).