Academic goals
One essential factor in protecting the well-being of animals used for experimentation and other scientific and teaching purposes is that the individuals charged with their handling are properly trained to do so.
Article 15 of Royal Decree 53/2013, of February 1, addresses this issue, reflecting the provisions in articles 23, 24, and 25, and Annex V of Directive 2010/63/UE. This article establishes the general principle that people who handle experimentation animals must have appropriate previous training, and it lays down the basic training requirements as follows:
1. It attributes to the competent institutions the responsibility of guaranteeing by means of authorization or other appropriate training means for the personnel who perform the various functions.
2. It establishes that the training for such personnel may have a modular structure based, where appropriate, on European Union guidelines, policies, or recommendations.
3. The minimum training requirements must be expressed in learning outcomes and that recognition for such training shall be valid throughout Spain.
Order ECC/566/2015, of 20 March, sets the training requirements that must be met by personnel who handle animals that are used, bred, or supplied for experimentation and other scientific purposes, including teaching.
Article 15.2 from Royal Decree 53/2013 establishes that the training requirements regulated by this ministerial order shall be applicable to personnel who perform one or more of the following functions:
a) Care for animals.
b) Euthanasia of animals.
c) Participation in procedures.
d) Design of projects and procedures.
e) Assumption of responsibilities for in situ supervision of the well-being of and care for animals.
f) Assumption of the functions of designated veterinarian.
The training qualifications are obtained through compliance with one or more of the following requirements:
a) Possession of the university requirements that are established, if applicable.
b) Completion of theoretical and practical training that affords the learning outcomes from the modules corresponding to each of the functions.
The modules are classified as:
1. Fundamental or Core: Acquiring their corresponding learning outcomes is necessary for performing any of the functions.
2. Functions: Acquiring their corresponding learning outcomes is necessary for performing some of the functions.
They may refer to one or more of the kinds of animals listed in Annex II.
c) Furthermore, completion of a period of supervised work for the functions that are so determined.
The training qualifications earned remain current via continuous training in the manner regulated by this ministerial order.
This Nano Master is accredited by the Conselleria de Agricultura, Medio Ambiente, Cambio Climático y Desarrollo Rural of the Generalitat Valenciana.
Learning objectives
This program provides students with the knowledge and skills necessary for autonomously performing several of the functions referred to in Article 3.2 (A+B+C+D) of Ministerial Order ECC/566/2015, which establishes the training requirements that must be met by personnel who carry out procedures with and euthanize animals in experiments and other scientific endeavors, including teaching.
It is important to keep in mind that successful completion of this program does not by itself provide authorization for carrying out the functions (A+B+C+D). After program completion, students must complete a period of supervised work on their own, and this work will enable them to vie for certification of successful completion of said work for functions A+B+C. The qualifications for the functions (including D) are applied for subsequently to the Conselleria de Agricultura, Medio Ambiente, Cambio Climático y Desarrollo Rural of the Generalitat Valenciana, and this program's diploma and the certificate of completion of the supervised work are included in the application.
Once enrolled in this program, and following justification of their supervised work requirements, students may choose from among various possible itineraries:
- C.1. Rodents (basic itinerary: 128 hours)
- C.2. Rodents and fish (140 hours)
- C.3. Rodents and rabbits (139 hours)
- C.4. Rodents and physiology (148 hours)
- C.5. Rodents, fish, and physiology (160 hours)
- C.6. Rodents, rabbits, and physiology (159 hours)
Facilities and schedule
This Nano Master has a theoretical portion that is completed on the NanoCursos Virtual Platform, an online tutored portion that is completed on the Telegram Platform, in addition to another that is practical and that takes place at the Sant Joan d'Alacant Campus. The dates for the laboratory sessions (practical portion) are:
- Functions A+B+C: End of January 2020 (date to be determined)
- Function D: February 22, 2020