AEC Training

Mandatory Animal Ethics Training

All staff and students who plan to work with animals at JCU must have completed training in animal ethics. Free training can be completed online through the ANZCCART ComPass training site. You will need evidence of training before you can begin to work with animals.

Providing Evidence of Training Completion

Once complete, upload your evidence of training completion into GECO applications where you are the Principal Investigator or an Internal Collaborator and choose Document Type <Training Record>.

Mandatory Training Modules

There are several training modules offering training in a number of areas and activities:

1. Core Mandatory Training for AEC Members and Animal Users
2. Competency Training in Certain Activities:
   • Aseptic Technique
   • Minimally Invasive Techniques Without Anaesthesia, Including Wildlife Trapping
   • Anaesthesia for Minor Procedures
   • Anaesthesia for Major Procedures
   • Surgery Principles, Methods and Materials
   • Performing a Systematic Post-Mortem Examination
   • Establishing and Managing a Rodent Breeding Colony
   • Maximising Welfare and Behavioural Assessment in Research Animals
3. Technical Skills Training Guides and Resources

• Training Materials for Minimally Invasive Procedures in Research Animals
• Training Materials for Performing Aseptic Technique, Surgical Skills, Suturing and Euthanasia Methods

Only the module 1, the 7 core modules are mandatory, but we strongly recommend that you undertake other modules, as they relate to your research projects. Once you’ve completed the training you’ll receive a Certificate of Completion that you will need to present to the AEC before your application can be approved. This is best done by:

1. Request access to the Organisation 'Animal Welfare' in LearnJCU (which also has a considerable collection of SOPs for use in ethics applications);
2. Login to the 'Animal Welfare' Organisation, and click on the 'ComPass Animal Ethics Training' in the left-hand side bar;
3. Upload the ComPass Certificate of Completion into the system.

OR

1. Email your ComPass Certificate of Completion to ethics@jcu.edu.au

Exemptions or Recognition of Prior Training

If you feel that you have had training at another institution, or have through your research career gained sufficient knowledge in animal ethics, you can apply for an exemption. Please email ethics@jcu.edu.au and outline why you feel you should be given an exemption or provide evidence from another Australian institution that you've completed training elsewhere.

Supplementary AEC Resources (Recommended)

In addition to the mandatory ANZCCART ComPass training, the Animal Ethics Committee (AEC) and the Ethics Office provide JCU-specific resources to support staff and students in navigating the ethics approval process, maintaining continuous compliance, and using the GECO ethics module in the platform. Completion of these resources is not mandatory; however, they are strongly recommended for Investigators, Supervisors, projects staff, and students.

• AEC Approval Lifecycle Booklet — A practical guide to the full lifecycle of an animal ethics approval, covering amendments, progress and final reporting, expiry and renewal, and continuous coverage requirements under the Australian Code for the Care and Use of Animals for Scientific Purposes.
• GECO Training Booklet — A step-by-step reference for using the GECO platform to prepare, submit, amend, and report on animal ethics applications.
• AEC Knowledge Check (GECO and Project Lifecycle Knowledge Test – Fill out form) — A short, self-directed assessment designed to consolidate understanding of the material. Results are for self-reflection only and are not recorded against staff or student profiles.

For questions about these resources, or to request a tailored briefing for your research group, please contact the Animal Welfare and Compliance Officer at ethics@jcu.edu.au.