Training structure
Continuing Education Department
Presentation
Aquatic animals are true allies of science.Without us always realizing it, they play an essential role in areas such as the development of new drugs, understanding heart disease and mental illness, and protecting the environment.
However, their use in research projects isstrictly regulated. All individuals involved must undergomandatory training to ensure a thorough understanding of the issues and practices that respect animal welfare.
The Continuing Education Department atthe University of Montpellier offers a training course at the "applicator"level for professionals working with aquatic animals, whether for breeding, maintenance, reproduction, or the implementation of experimental protocols in laboratories, research institutes, associations, etc.
The advantages of the training program
The next session is scheduled forNovember 12-21, 2025.
A certificate of completion will be issued at the end of the course, subject to passing the final exam.
Know-how and skills
- Fundamentals of biology, choice of experimental model, and reproduction(fish, amphibians, and cephalopods)
- Animal husbandry and maintenance systems
- French regulations applicable to animal experimentation
- Ethical principles applied to animal experimentation
- Pain in aquatic species: definition, mitigation, threshold levels, and euthanasia
- Population management, identification and tagging, minimally invasive procedures
- Health management and biosecurity
- Livestock management and animal welfare
The training concludes with a day of practical work in the laboratories ofthe Institute of Functional Genomics (IGF)in Montpellier, allowing participants to consolidate the knowledge they have acquired through hands-on experience.
Upon completion of the training, learners will be legally qualified to participate in the implementation of scientific research projects involving aquatic animals.
Program
The first part of the training takes place on the banks of the Thau lagoon, at the Mediterranean Coastal Environment Station in Sète.
The courses are taught by expert scientists, mainly from the Montpellier region.
The course is organized into several modules, allowing for a gradual increase in skill level.