NC3Rs launches interactive 3Rs self-assessment tools

The NC3Rs has launched two online 3Rs self-assessment tools that research groups and institutions can use to collate, track and benchmark their 3Rs activities. These interactive tools, which are secure and free-to-use internationally, help researchers, ethics committee members and others to identify and implement 3Rs opportunities.

Leaders of research groups and institutions who want to ensure an optimal 3Rs culture need to be able to evaluate their current activities, understand their strengths and establish what should be improved and how. Through consultation with the scientific community, NC3Rs has developed two 3Rs self-assessment tools: one for individual research groups and one for research institutions (i.e. universities and other academic, research-intensive organisations). Each tool consists of a series of questions on the 3Rs, divided into categories that reflect the breadth of potential 3Rs activities across different levels. Once each question set is completed, the system automatically scores the responses and provides bespoke feedback on what is being done well and what improvements the research group or institution could make.