Animal Behaviour and Welfare in Biomedical Research
Graduate School of Health and Medical Sciences at University of Copenhagen
This course is free of charge for PhD students at Danish universities (except Copenhagen Business School), and for PhD Students from NorDoc member faculties. All other participants must pay the course fee.
Anyone can apply for the course, but if you are not a PhD student at a Danish university, you will be placed on the waiting list until enrollment deadline. This also applies to PhD students from NorDoc member faculties. After the enrollment deadline, available seats will be allocated to applicants on the waiting list.
Learning objectives
A student who has met the objectives of the course will be able to:
Knowledge
Explain and give examples on how to observe, assess and measure animal behaviour in home cages/pens and in behavioural tests
Describe the basic principles of laboratory animal training
Describe pain-related behaviours in common laboratory animal species such as rodents and pigs.
Skills
Plan a behaviour study
Interpretate behavioural data
Competence
Discuss how to define animal welfare
Discuss how animal behaviour relates to animal welfare-
Content
The aim of the course is to provide the participants with a broad understanding of animal behaviour and its importance and application in laboratory animal research. The course offers a broad overview of topics such as observing, assessing and measuring behaviour, normal behaviour in laboratory animals, environmental effects on behaviour, animal welfare definitions and assesment using behavioural variables, animal training using reinforcement techniques, pain-related behaviours, behavioural assays and models, behavioural data and how to analyse it.
Participants
PhD-students and other scientists, as well as veterinarians and technicians, who wish to increase their knowledge and skills in the use of studies on animal behaviour. Participants should have passed a course in laboratory animal science for at least functions A and D according to Directive 2010/63/EU, Article 23.2 (formerly FELASA C or B courses)
Relevance to graduate programmes
The course is relevant to PhD students from the following graduate programmes at the Graduate School of Health and Medical Sciences, UCPH:
All graduate programmes
Language
English
Form
The course consists of lectures (70%), practical exercises and a field trip
Course directors
Klas Abelson, Professor, Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, klasab@sund.ku.dk
Dorte Bratbo Sørensen, Associate professor, Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences brat@sund.ku.dk
Teachers
Dorte Bratbo Sørensen, Associate professor, Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, brat@sund.ku.dk
Otto Kalliokoski, Associate professor, Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, ohk@sund.ku.dk
Sara Hestehave, Assistant professor, Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, shk@sund.ku.dk
Klas Abelson, Professor, Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, klasab@sund.ku.dk
Dates
21 - 25 September 2026
Course location
CAMPUS FREDERIKSBERG, STALDEN, Ridebanevej 6, 1st floor
Registration
Please register before 21 August 2026
Seats to PhD students from other Danish universities will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis and according to the applicable rules. Applications from other participants will be considered after the last day of enrolment.