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)

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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.

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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 Good Clinical Practice (GCP) eLearning (see link below)
  • 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.

NIHR Good Clinical Practice (GCP) eLearning

This ICH E6 GCP Investigator Site Training meets the Minimum Criteria for ICH GCP Investigator Site Personnel identified by TransCelerateBioPharma, Inc. as necessary to enable mutual recognition of GCP training among trial sponsors.

GCP courses: Free of charge

We offer GCP courses free of charge to staff and students from Scottish NHS or academic institutions. Please note that priority for places is given to individuals who work or study in Lothian. Individuals from other regions may register two weeks before the course date, subject to availability. Please contact us to enquire.

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Important Update: Changes to UK Clinical Trials Regulations 

From February 2026, both the "Introduction to GCP" and "GCP Update" courses were revised to reflect upcoming changes to UK Clinical Trials regulations, which came 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. 

About the course

This one-day workshop is suitable for those new to Good Clinical Practice (GCP) training or those whose previous training was completed more than two years ago.

The course provides a practical introduction to GCP through a combination of short lectures and interactive activities. It culminates in a monitoring workshop where learners work in small groups to review trial paperwork from the perspective of a monitor. This hands-on activity brings the concepts discussed throughout the day to life and helps learners understand how GCP principles are applied in practice.

Who is it for?

This course is intended for individuals who are new to conducting or supporting Clinical Trials of Investigational Medicinal Products (CTIMPs), or for those who have not attended a GCP course within the past two years.

Although the content is relevant to a wide range of clinical research, the course focuses primarily on legislation specific to Clinical Trials of Investigational Medicinal Products (drug trials). It also promotes the adoption of a 'GCP mindset' to help researchers meet the expectations of sponsors, regulators and auditors, making the course valuable to clinical researchers across a range of roles. 

This course provides a foundation for conducting clinical research and serves as a starting point for further training tailored to individual roles and research needs.

Please note that priority for places is given to individuals who work or study in Lothian. Individuals from other regions may register two weeks before the course date, subject to availability. Please contact us to enquire.

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What you will learn

At the end of the course, participants will:

  • appreciate the need for regulation of clinical research and understand the UK legislative framework for Clinical Trials of Investigational Medicinal Products (CTIMPs);
  • recognise the processes and responsibilities to deliver safe high quality clinical research;
  • be familiar with the principles and conditions of Good Clinical Practice (GCP);
  • understand the practicalities of demonstrating GCP compliance.

Dates/booking

See below for course dates - to register a place, please select the hyperlink (link will open to the Short Courses Platform):

2026

2027


About the course

This half-day, NHS Research Scotland (NRS) course enables learners to refresh their knowledge of Good Clinical Practice (GCP) principles relevant to clinical research delivery in the UK. It also provides updates on recent legislative changes and related processes within the clinical research landscape. Through a combination of lectures and workshops, participants will have the opportunity to share experiences and reflect on their practice. 

Who is it for?

This course is relevant for those who are conducting or supporting Clinical Trials of an Investigational Medicinal Products (CTIMPs) and who have previously undertaken a GCP course within the last two years.

Please note that priority for places is given to individuals who work or study in Lothian. Individuals from other regions may register two weeks before the course date, subject to availability. Please contact us to enquire.

Email to contact us

What you will learn

This workshop will provide:

  • an update to your previous learning on Good Clinical Practice (GCP) principles;
  • an update on recent and upcoming regulatory changes fore conducting Clinical Trials of Investigational Medicinal Products (CTIMPs), and standards and frameworks for clinical research;
  • an opportunity to reflect on your own experience and share good practice.

Dates/booking

See below for course dates - to register a place, please select the hyperlink (link will open to the Short Courses Platform):

2026

2027


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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. 

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Bitesize Introduction to Patient and Public Involvement

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

Bite-size Practical Project Management

Delivered as four 1.5 hour live online sessions, this course covers skills, tools and techniques to help you plan and deliver clinical research projects.

GCP for Laboratories

This 2.5 hour course covers the importance of GCP for Labs and how to apply it in research studies. 

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.

  • Details and booking: Thursday 12 November 2026 (9am to 11am)    |   Edinburgh BioQuarter - FULLY BOOKED (contact us to be added to the waiting list)

  • Details and booking: Friday 4 December 2026 (11am to 1pm)    |   Edinburgh BioQuarter  - FULLY BOOKED (contact us to be added to the waiting list)

    Email to contact us

Doing Patient and Public Involvement with Under-served Groups

This course will equip you with the skills to identify barriers and enablers to effective PPI with under-served communities.

Edinburgh Clinical Trial Management Course (ECTMC) 2026

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

Informed Consent in Clinical Research - Adults (Scotland)

This in-person, half-day workshop examines the ethical, legal and practical aspects of informed consent in clinical research.

Paediatric Consent: The practicalities and legalities of consent in clinical research

This half-day workshop covers the ethical, legal and practical issues around receiving informed consent for paediatric clinical research.    

Generative AI and the Researcher

This online course introduces researchers to Generative AI and how it can be integrated into the research process.

An Introduction to Health Economics

A half-day interactive online session introducing key concepts of health economics in relation to clinical research.

Statistics for Healthcare Professionals - "The Seven Deadly Statistical Sins"

This two half-day course provides an introduction to medical statistics and builds confidence in interpreting statistical analyses and research findings in medical publications. 

Data Management Planning

A two-hour workshop covering the basic components and creation of Data Management Plans for research projects. Funding available.

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.

Full list of CRF Education Core courses and events that we run

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

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