If you are organizing a course/symposium, it is possible to apply for recognition of continuing education for animal experimentation
If the course/symposium only involves participants from the cantons of Vaud and Geneva, an application can be submitted to the respective cantonal veterinary authorities, who are the only ones who can decide whether or not to grant recognition.
For events involving participants from all over Switzerland, an application may be submitted to the Swiss Association of Cantonal Veterinarians (SACV/VSKT), which will then recommend whether or not the event should be recognised as continuing education for all Swiss cantons.
Criteria for recognition
In order to be accredited as continuing education, the content of the symposium/course must be related to
- Application of 3R principle (reduction, refinement & replacement) in specific fields of research and animal welfare
- Characterization of new animal models and gain of scientific knowledge on existing animal models
- Laboratory animal science (improvement of housing conditions, anaesthesia & analgesia procedures, surgical procedures, diseases..)
Gain of scientific knowledge in a specific field "per se" is not a criteria for recognition.
In the cantons of Vaud and Geneva, one hour of conference is recognised as one hour of continuing education. Thus, a minimum of 3 hours of lecture is required to obtain a ResAL certificate validating half a day of continuing education or 6 hours of conference to validate one day.
