The Project

Description and Objectives

In line with Article 23 of the Directive 2010/63/EU on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes, HERMES main priority concerns the transparency and recognition of skills and qualifications in the European labour market of all professionals involved in the use and care of animals for scientific purposes.

HERMES targets this challenge by designing, testing and validating a common certification for the promotion of free movement of competent personnel in the EU Member States (MS), based on an innovative multilingual “digital certificate” for the recognition and validation of learning outcomes.

The project intends to provide suitable and scalable solutions to the fragmentation of the LAS E&T system by proposing a new model to plan and manage education and training in LAS in Europe through:

• the definition of European quality standards for vocational education and training on LAS
• the assessment of both organisations and their training offer in LAS in relation to the above standards in MS
• the harmonisation of the Vocational Education Training (VET) programmes on LAS in the EU
• the adoption of a common knowledge, skills and abilities certification scheme for the promotion of free movement of competent personnel within the EU territory

The project also sets a flexible and open scheme for C-VET by adopting web-based learning as an appropriate tool. A blended approach is thus tested with the aim to balance practical and theoretical knowledge as well as to take advantage on the use of ICT as a driver for systemic change.

HERMES targets all the four different staff functions of LAS personnel involved in the use of animals for scientific purposes:

• Function A: researchers in charge of carrying out procedures on animals
• Function B: researchers in charge of the experimental design of procedures and projects
• Function C: technicians and animal care takers working in authorised establishments
• Function D: operators working in authorized establishments in charge of apply human methods of killing.