A new training course developed at The Pirbright Institute has been approved by the Royal Society of Biology (RSB) for continuing professional development (CPD) purposes.
This approval recognises and underscores its relevance and value to those in the field and marks a significant milestone for biosafety specialists seeking formal recognition of their skills.
The Pirbright Institute hosts a range of specialist low- and high-level biocontainment facilities, making it uniquely placed to deliver expert training in managing biological risks.
The Biorisk Advisor Training course is designed to meet the knowledge requirements of the Registered Biorisk Advisor (RBA) pathway of the Biorisk Professional Registration Scheme (BPRS). The BPRS is a national framework for benchmarking competence, supporting career development, and raising standards across the biosafety profession. It is led by the Royal Society of Biology (RSB) and developed in conjunction with the UK’s Biorisk Strategic Leadership Group (BSLG) for biosafety practitioners to develop and evidence their professional skills.
The course was developed throughout 2024 by Pirbright Training, the Institute’s external training team, in collaboration with experts from its Health, Safety and BioSafety (HSBS) team, and with contributions from other experts across the organisation, including Estate Management Services. This collaborative approach ensures the training reflects real-world challenges and the Institute’s extensive experience in managing high-containment facilities.
“We’re proud to have achieved approval from the RSB.” Said Graeme Harkess, Head of Biorisk and Site Biological Safety Officer at The Pirbright Institute.
“We’ve created a course to meet the needs of the Biorisk Professional Registration Scheme, which reflects Pirbright’s expertise in biorisk management. This course was achieved thanks to the support and input from the many biosafety and biocontainment experts working here at the Institute.”
The course implements a blended approach to training, comprising eLearning and four days of hands-on teaching by Pirbright experts, ensuring that participants benefit directly from the Institute’s experience and insight.
The course offers 135 CPD points and is already attracting interest from both UK-based and international professionals.
Next course dates are 7-10 July and 10-13 November 2025. For more information and to enrol, please visit the course webpage.
