Online Tutorials + Training

In addition to onsite training for UBC researchers, the Office of Research Ethics also offers access to several free, external online training resources that provide valuable information about best practices for research involving human subjects. 

1. CORE: Tri-Council Policy Statement (TCPS 2 2022) Online Tutorial

The TCPS 2 tutorial 'CORE' (Course in Research Ethics) is offered free of charge. The tutorial - and the Policy - are available at these links:

English | French | TCPS2 2022 (Tri-Council Policy Statement on Ethical Research Involving Humans) 

All study team members - including faculty, students, residents and research staff - need to complete the TCPS2 online tutorial “Course on Research Ethics” (CORE) before their research ethics approval will be granted. This policy applies to all studies where the initial application was submitted after September 1, 2016.  Question 1.6 of the ethics application form has been amended to request confirmation that all study team members have completed the course. You do not need to attach your certificate of completion to the ethics application; however, you are encouraged to include the date you completed the tutorial in your RISe profile. 

Updating your RISe profile

The interactive online tutorial takes a minimum of three hours to complete (longer if you look at all the optional material). You can enter and exit the tutorial as you have time to work on it.

You may also complete the CITI Tutorial on either clinical or behavioural ethics to meet the requirement. See instructions below under Section 2. Network of Networks if this is your first time enrolling in the CITI program.

For queries about CORE please contact anital@mail.ubc.ca.

2. Network of Networks (N2): Research Related Training

The University of British Columbia, through the generous sponsorship of Clinical Trials BC (part of Michael Smith Health Research BC), is able to provide researchers with free access to a suite of research-related courses. N2 is a national initiative that brings together multiple existing disease networks, institutions, hospitals, and universities to enhance Canada's research capability and capacity. Course offerings include: Good Clinical Practice (GCP) | Human Subjects Research (HSR) - Biomedical focus | Human Subjects Research (HSR) - Social and Behavioural focus | Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) | Transportation of Dangerous Goods/International Air Transport Association (TDG/IATA).

First time enrolment instructions for CITI courses

Go to the CITI Program course page

3. Social Sciences Ethics Training

This free online module was created by a team of anthropologists at Macquarie University in Australia to provide ethics training specifically for social scientists. It deals with the distinctive ethical issues that social scientists face in conducting research with human participants. It also has an extensive section on research in Indigenous communities which, although tailored to an Australian context, has insights relevant to Canada.

Register for the Social Sciences Ethics Training module

4. The Lab: Avoiding Research Misconduct

This free program was created by the Office of Research Integrity in the US Department of Health & Human Services. In this training program, you become the lead characters in an interactive movie and make decisions about integrity in research that can have long-term consequences. The simulation addresses Responsible Conduct of Research topics such as avoiding research misconduct, mentorship responsibilities, handling of data, responsible authorship, and questionable research practices.

Visit The Lab website

5. Health Canada Division 5 – Drugs For Clinical Trials Involving Human Subjects

The goal of this course is for users to have a better understanding of the Health Canada Division 5 Regulations, and that this knowledge will be used in their own day to day clinical research activities. As a member of the Network of Networks (N2), Q-CROC gives the personnel of institutions in its own network access to some of the trainings available on the CITI educational platform. *Registration required

Website