Courses and events

Information and booking for courses and events run by Edinburgh Clinical Research Facility

Edinburgh Clinical Research Facility (CRF) delivers a wide range of in-person and online courses and events covering diverse topics in clinical research. Our current courses and events programme follows. 

Information on our course programme, including how to book and how to apply for Funded Places, is provided below. 


A limited number of Funded Places are available on selected courses. Where applicable, Funded Places will be detailed in the course fees (or funding and discounts) section of the individual course description.  Terms and conditions apply for Funded Places on our courses.

Terms and conditions for Funded Places


We are currently transitioning to a new booking system: the University of Edinburgh Short Courses platform. During this transition period, courses may use either our existing ePay booking system or the new Short Courses platform. We aim to make both systems as intuitive as possible; however, if you experience any issues or have questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

University of Edinburgh Short Courses platform

Email to contact us


For general queries, please consult our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ).  If you require further assistance, cannot find a specific course, or would like to contribute to our programme, please contact us.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Email to contact us


Website homepage

For additional information, including educational resources and webinars, please visit our website homepage.

Education Core homepage.

Mailing List

Join our mailing list to receive updates on upcoming courses and events, as well as news from the Edinburgh CRF Education Core.

Join our mailing list

Podcast

Listen to our podcast exploring different careers and opportunities in clinical research. Available on Spotify and Apply Podcosts.

Clinical Research Career Conversations  

Social Media

Follow us on Bluesky - Education @ Edinburgh CRF    Handle: @EduEdinburghCRF.    

Edinburgh CRF Education Core on Bluesky 


Good Clinical Practice (GCP) Courses

We offer regular Good Clinical Practice (GCP) training courses.  See below for information and scheduled dates of available courses.

Which course to book

Please ensure you register for the course most appropriate to your experience. We advise that GCP training should be renewed every two years, and if you are involved in a clinical trial, the MHRA and/or your sponsor will expect you to hold a current GCP certificate.

  • If your GCP training has lapsed, or you have never completed GCP training, you should book onto our Introduction to GCP course.
  • Alternatively, you may complete the free NIHR Introduction to Good Clinical Practice (GCP) eLearning.
  • If you have completed an "Introduction to GCP" course within the past two years, or have maintained training by attending update courses every two years, you should register for a "GCP Update" course.  NIHR also offer an online update course.

We offer GCP courses free of charge to staff and students from Scottish NHS or academic institutions. Please note that priority for course places is given to individuals who work or study in Lothian. 

NIHR Good Clinical Practice (GCP) eLearning

Important Update: Changes to UK Clinical Trials Regulations 

From February 2026, both the "Introduction to GCP" and "GCP Update" courses will be revised to reflect upcoming changes to UK Clinical Trials regulations, which come into effect in April 2026.  If you are working on Clinical Trials of an Investigational Medicinal Product (CTIMP), it is important that you attend one of the updated courses within a reasonable time after the regulations change. We recommend completing the new training within 12 months of April 2026, although you should confirm the required timeframe with your sponsor.  After completing the updated course, GCP training should be refreshed every two years. 

You are advised to attend this course if you have not attended GCP training before or if your GCP training has lapsed (that is if more than two years have passed since your last GCP course). 

Please note - we give priority on our GCP courses to those working or studying in Lothian. 

See below for course dates - to register your interest, please select the hyperlink:

2026


You are advised to update your GCP training every two years.  If you have not attended GCP training before or if your GCP training has lapsed, you should book instead on an "Introduction to GCP" course.  

Please note - we give priority on our GCP courses to those working or studying in Lothian. 

See below for course dates - to register your interest, please select the hyperlink:

2026


.

Other Scheduled Courses

See our full programme of courses below.  

Join our mailing list to be kept informed of our courses and events programme and news from Edinburgh CRF Education Core. 

Join our mailing list

Bitesize Introduction to Patient Public Involvement Course

This free online, self-directed Xerte course aims to help you begin your Patient Public Involvement (PPI) activities.

Research Management: Research Finances and Contracts

This one-hour training course for NHS Lothian and University of Edinburgh staff will cover different aspects of clinical research finances and contracts.

A Practical Guide to Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) in Research

This workshop will provide you with a basic understanding of what Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) in research is all about.

Navigating the new UK Clinical Trial Regulations: ACCORD Q&A Webinar

This webinar offers researchers the opportunity to ask questions about ACCORD's updated Sponsor SOPs in preparation for the new UK Clinical Trial Regulations and ICH‑GCP E6(R3).

Knowledge Mobilisation and Co-production Workshop

A one-day workshop looking at how to mobilise knowledge, making sure valuable research findings don't gather dust, and how co-production is part of this process. 

Edinburgh Clinical Research Methodology Course 2026

A two-day introductory course providing a comprehensive overview of methods and frameworks essential for conducting clinical research.

Lothian Clinical Research Welcome Day

An introduction event for those new to working in clinical research in Lothian. 

Good Clinical Practice (GCP) for Laboratories

This 2.5 hour course covers the importance of Good Clinical Practice (GCP) for Laboratories and how to apply it in research studies.

"There's an SOP for that!" A practical guide to Standard Operating Procedures

This half-day course explains the importance of SOPs in clinical research and how to write and manage them effectively. 

Inspection Survival Guide: Being prepared for an MHRA GCP inspection

This half-day course gives an overview of the GCP inspection process in clinical research settings. 

Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) in Research - Summer School

This three-day summer school will build your confidence and skills in PPI, helping you to carry out your first PPI activity or enhance your existing practice.

Edinburgh Clinical Trial Management Course (ECTMC) 2026

This two day course aims to develop your knowledge and skills in clinical trial management.

An Introduction to the R Statistical Software

This self-paced online training course is designed to introduce beginners to the R software.

Courses that we run

Refer to the full list of courses that we run to register your interest in future courses or to suggest other topics for training related to clinical research.

CRF Education Core courses and events

Follow us on Bluesky - Education @ Edinburgh CRF      Handle: @EduEdinburghCRF.

Bluesky - Education Core

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