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Welcome to learning at CRG

At CRG, we believe that continuous learning is essential for scientific excellence, innovation and professional growth. Our training programme supports researchers, technical staff and administration employees in developing the knowledge, skills and competencies needed to thrive throughout their careers.

Training at CRG is more than attending courses; it is an opportunity to explore new ideas, strengthen collaborations, share knowledge and contribute to a culture of lifelong learning.

Why we invest in training

CRG is committed to providing high-quality learning opportunities that support both individual career development and institutional priorities.

Our training programme aims to:

  • develop scientific, technical and transferable skills.
  • support career progression at every stage.
  • foster collaboration across disciplines and departments.
  • encourage innovation, critical thinking and continuous improvement.
  • strengthen leadership, communication and professional development.
  • build an inclusive learning community where knowledge is shared openly.

What you can expect

When you participate in a CRG course, you can expect:

  • high-quality training delivered by internal or external instructors.
  • a welcoming, respectful and inclusive learning environment
  • opportunities to ask questions, exchange ideas and interact with fellow participants.
  • practical learning experiences whenever possible
  • administrative support from the Training and Academic Office (TAO) before, during and after the course

The CRG Training Program

At CRG we provide a full training program involving:

  • Internal training. Free courses organized by CRG. These are designed and usually performed by our own staff. It includes topics such as science & technology, organization and compliance, language courses and transversal skills development.
  • BIST and Intervals training. Courses available for CRG: free (Intervals) or discounted (BIST) for CRG staff. These courses are usually given by external instructors and are usually used to develop transversal skills.
  • International Courses@CRG. Paid courses organized by CRG, where we invite global experts together with in-house experts and scientific organizers to teach about an advanced topic in science.
  • External training. We understand that some specialized courses may not be offered within the previously mentioned methods. Thus, we encourage external training opportunities that align with your personal development goals.

This classification is only relevant to the associated Terms and Conditions.

The totally of this program can be fitted into the following 6 main topics:

1. Science, Technology & AI

These courses are mainly tailored towards acquiring or enhancing technical skills that are directly applicable to CRG staff, making them essential for professional development. These are mainly focused on Bioinformatics, Biostatistics, Data Science, Biological sciences, AI&ML in Life Sciences, Advanced biological technologies and Digital Tools (Copilot usage, MS Apps, Power Automate, Power BI).

We offer a wide range of courses as part of the recommended path for learning Bioinformatics and computational biology at CRG.

2. Career & leadership development

Regardless in which stage of your career you are, at CRG we help you navigate this moment of your life.

Courses include Career planning & transitions, Fellowships, Grants & Funding opportunities, Academic & Non-academic career paths, Leadership & Supervision, Mentoring & Coaching, Teamwork, Recruitment & Hiring skills.

3. Innovation & Entrepreneurship

These courses include topics such as: Translating research into innovation, Business development & Market opportunities, Design thinking, IP & IT law, Technology transfer & Commercialization, Innovation mindset & Creativity, Entrepreneurship & Startup creation.

4. Professional skills for research management

These courses include topics such as: Project management for research, Grant writing & funding strategy, Research planning, Time management & Delegation, Collaboration & Networking skills, Negotiation & Influencing, Training & facilitation skills, Research administration & Procurement.

5. Responsible Research, Wellbeing & Compliance

These are crucial for understanding and aligning with the internal values, policies, and operations of the CRG. These are generally mandatory and specific to CRG employees and include the following topics: Sustainability, Equality-Diversity-Inclusion, Wellbeing, Health-Safety-Emergencies, (Research) Data management & Cybersecurity, Research integrity, Ethics, Responsible Research, Open Science, Conflict resolution, Mediation, Harassment prevention. We also provide proper training to access specific wet lab facilities, as shown in the figure.

6. Languages and Communication

At CRG, we believe that language is more than just words—it’s a bridge to integration, collaboration, and personal growth. That’s why we offer free Catalan, Spanish, and English courses to all employees, visitors, collaborators, and EMBL Barcelona staff. Additionally, we offer courses in Scientific writing & Publishing, Oral presentations & Public speaking, Science communication for diverse audiences, Data visualization & illustration, Digital & Online science communication.

Terms & Conditions

All training courses and activities offered by CRG are designed for our research community, in all stages and our research support staff.

We are committed to providing relevant training to our staff, so please let us know if you have any training need that is not covered by CRG via this FORM, your voice matters! We will do our best to find a suitable training activity to cover it!

All communications need to be addressed to training@crg.eu.

If you want to stay updated with the latest courses offered and promoted by CRG, check our weekly Newsletter. It goes out every Friday at 10:00am.

The following section explains the detailed policy for each part of the CRG training program.

1. Internal training portfolio

The internal training portfolio includes courses that are organized by CRG and are free for CRG and EMBL staff.

The next information is valid for all those participants that are CRG staff/visitors, and EMBL Barcelona staff.

Registration

These courses are completely free, but places are limited on most of them. Thus, register only if you are reasonably confident you will be able to attend.

CRG promotes a culture of continuous learning, where employees and their PIs or Head of Unit share responsibility for professional development through open and regular dialogue. Training plans should be discussed in advance to align individual development goals with team priorities, support effective workload planning, and maximise opportunities for learning and growth.

Some details regarding registration:

  • All internal courses are published via the CRG learning platform.
  • Registration links will be accessible via the platform, within the course description. It is not necessary to login to see all these courses.
  • Feel free to register by yourself, but make sure you always use your institutional email in the form, so you affiliation can be easily checked. This avoids confusions. If you do not have yet a CRG email address you can register with your personal email address, providing information about who is your PI and the date of your arrival at CRG (start of the contract). You can use the comments section of the registration for this.

Selection of participants

Selection of participants is performed in the following order:

  1. Target audience
  2. Motivation statement
  3. First-come, first served.

Cancellation policy

Make sure that you register only if you are willing to attend. This may sound obvious, but managing lists, emails, and cancellations imply a cost for us (time, money, people and resources). In addition, we usually have waiting lists, so cancelling early has a real impact in other people. Be responsible and do not register “just in case”.

If you are unable to attend after registering, please notify training@crg.eu as soon as possible. If you are in touch with the trainer directly, please keep training@crg.eu in cc. Courses may be cancelled up to three working days before the start date, unless otherwise specified.

Repeated no-shows or late cancellations without valid justification reduce opportunities for other colleagues and may result in temporary restrictions on future course registrations, in accordance with the CRG no-show policy.

  • In case of no-show without timely notification or valid justification you might be prevented to attend future courses for 3 months following the no-show.

Certificates and diplomas

We will issue diplomas/certificates of attendance at the end of the course, but only to those participants who attend at least 75% of the whole duration of the activity AND have filled the Feedback form.

2. BIST Training Portfolio

The BIST Training Portfolio includes a general training offer for researchers and support staff, as well as specialized training from other programs such as WellBIST, their psychological support program.

BIST has its own Policies. Please check them before applying to any course HERE

The BIST MOSAIC Course Platform provides access to all training activities offered directly by BIST. You can also explore additional training opportunities through the websites of the seven BIST research centres. BIST is an institution of scientific cooperation that brings together seven top research centres committed to creating a collaborative environment of multidisciplinary scientific excellence: CRG, IBEC, ICFO, ICIQ, ICN2, IFAE and IRB Barcelona

IMPORTANT: These are paid courses. BEFORE registering, make sure you have permission from your supervisor/Head-of-Unit to attend the course. Please follow these steps:

  1. Ask your supervisor or Head of Unit for approval to participate in the course.
  2. Request a project number from your supervisor or Head of Unit.
    This project number is required to pay for the course.
  3. Send an email to training@crg.eu, with your supervisor or Head of Unit in CC, stating that you would like to participate in the BIST course.

Please include the following information in your email:

  • Full name of the participant
  • Full name of your supervisor or Head of Unit
  • Project number to pay for the course (most important)
  • Name of the course

Once you have sent the email to the Training and Academic Office, you may enrol in the course if registration is open.

3. Intervals training portfolio

The INTERVALS Training Programme (PRBB) is focused on helping the staff at the Parc Recerca Biomedica Barcelona (PRBB) to develop the skills needed to work in complex environments and across boundaries, both – within science and beyond. The courses here are focused on improving your 1) self-skills (emotional intelligence, critical thinking, creativity, meditation, time management), 2) team-skills (leadership, project management, negotiation, conflict management) and 3) system-skills, aim at navigating the complexities of both the research system and the world beyond academia (Career management, writing for publication, speaking in public).

The Intervals program has its own Policies. Please check their FAQ section before applying to any course HERE.

The overall vision of the Intervals program is to help staff at the Parc Recerca Biomedica Barcelona (PRBB) develop the skills needed to work in complex environments and across boundaries, both – within science and beyond. These are in-house courses free of charge for the PRBB community.

4. CRG International courses

We bring international experts to teach at the CRG, attracting scientists from all over the world. Each course includes theoretical lectures and hands-on sessions that enables participants to acquire new skills and/or knowledge.

Courses@CRG is a CRG flagship training initiative. This program brings international experts in the field to teach at the centre, and attracts students from Barcelona, Spain and all over the world. The aim of Courses @ CRG is to address particular training needs. Each course program includes theoretical lectures and hands-on sessions and enables participants to acquire new skills and/or knowledge, either specific to a field or interdisciplinary in nature. They mainly focus on delivery of content together with interaction and discussion between the participants, speakers and instructors.

EMBO promotes excellence in the life sciences through a variety of programs and activities. Browse all EMBO conferences, lectures and trainings. Each workshop will have its own policies and procedures. You can also check the EMBO Courses and Workshops privacy policy.

If you are unable to find a course that interest you, please fill out this form to express your interest and when it opens we will communicate it to you:
Which Courses@CRG are you interested in?

4.1 Courses@CRG policies

Registration and payment

The registration is performed via the https://courses.crg.eu/ website. After the selection process, accepted participants receive a link for payment and must perform this payment before the stated deadline (in the course website). Regardless of the method of payment, participants must access the provided link and fill it in with the required information. Once the course is paid, participants are officially accepted to the course.

In case we provide fellowships or fee waivers for the courses, the information is explicitly stated in the course website. Always check the sponsors of the course, it may be a European project that your lab or institution is participating. If this is the case, please contact your project manager on how to proceed with the payment process or drop an email to courses@crg.eu.

Selection of participants

The selection of participants is performed by a committee of experts, usually the instructors of the course. They evaluate all participants anonymously based mainly on the motivation statement and professional experience. The professional experience proof will vary depending on the course, you can be asked for a: CV, reference letter, quiz, professional summary, etc.

Cancellation policies

These courses are international; thus, it implicates that many of the participants are coming from abroad to Barcelona. This means that many of the participants must book flights and hotels well in advanced to secure their spot in the course.

To ensure a fair process:

  • Accepted participants must pay before the announced deadline. If the payment is not performed and we do not receive any kind of communication, the acceptance is revoked and offered to the next person in the waiting list.
  • If for any reason you already have paid the inscription fee, but cannot attend, we can issue a refund depending on the time of cancellation. The time of cancellation will be provided in the course website.
Time of cancellation Refund
≤ 4 weeks before starting date No refund
>4 weeks before starting date 100% refund


Certificates and diplomas

We will issue diplomas/certificates of attendance at the end of each activity, but only to those participants who attend at least 75% of the whole duration of the activity AND have filled the feedback form.

For all communication regarding the external scientific courses please send an email to courses@crg.eu.

5. External training

We understand that some specialized courses may not be offered within the previously mentioned methods. Thus, we encourage external training opportunities that align with your needs and personal development goals, especially those linked to your annual appraisal objectives. These training opportunities applies to all CRG employees requesting external training not organized by CRG.

If you wish to enrol in an external course (not from Intervals nor BIST), follow this guideline:

Step 1. Supervisor Approval (Mandatory)

Before doing anything, ensure your Head of Unit agrees with:

  • the relevance of the course for your role
  • your availability to attend.
  • the approval of the course
  • Project number to pay the course.

Step 2. Define payment of the course

Fill in the External Course Form Information at least 1 month before the course starts. You will be asked how the course will be paid (Please have the project number on hand before filling it)

If the course requires EAPC registration, TAO will perform it for you using the information from the form. Be sure that you provide the information we asked in the form so we can perform the registration.

Step 3. Register for the Course

Register yourself for the course on the provider’s website, unless it is EAPC. Make the payment through your operations manager.

Step 4. Attend the Course

You must attend at least 75% of the course. If there are any changes on the course, please communicate it promptly to training@crg.eu.

TAO will assess if the course can be bonified via FUNDAE eligible. If affirmative, TAO will send you a for you and the trainer to sign. This document is the proof of attendance required by FUNDAE. For more information about FUNDAE, please check this document.

Step 5. Submit Certificate & Documents

After completing the course, the participant must send to TAO (training@crg.eu) the following documents:

  • Certificate of the course (Attendance proof)
  • Feedback (TAO will send a feedback form to the participant beforehand)
  • Signed attendance (If the course is processed via FUNDAE)

Other general policies

These general policies apply to the courses held at CRG, such as the Internal Training portfolio and the Courses@CRG.

Expectations from our participants

Creating an engaging learning environment is a shared responsibility. We kindly ask participants to:

  • attend the full course whenever possible.
  • arrive on time and inform training@crg.eu if unforeseen circumstances prevent attendance.
  • actively participate and contribute to discussions and practical activities.
  • respect trainers, fellow participants and different perspectives.
  • complete any requested pre-course preparation.
  • complete the anonymous course evaluation after the training.
  • apply the knowledge and skills gained in their daily work.
  • whenever appropriate, share useful learning and resources with colleagues.
  • Comply with CRG policies and regulations, for example, you should always use reglementary software and use AI responsibly as stated in the IT policies. All policies and guidelines can be found in the .

Sustainability

We are committed to be sustainable in terms of time, resources, and materials. Because of this:

  • We will minimize the use of paper and print copies. All course materials are available via our online learning platform.
  • If the course is within CRG premises, we will provide some cookies and coffee. However, we encourage you to Bring Your Own Mug (BYOM) or use (and return) the available mugs at CRG.
  • We will prioritize the use of videoconferencing in activities that do not require being in person, reducing unnecessary trips and making the activity available to people abroad.
  • We will individually evaluate each activity, and if a minimum number of participants is not reached, the course will be cancelled or postponed. If this happens, you will be reimbursed and informed at the right time.

Handling of personal data

If you are attending a training, we will use your personal information to:

  • process your registration and facilitate your attendance at the event.
  • provide you with information regarding the training including scheduling and logistics.
  • provide you with other information that we believe may be of interest to training attendees.
  • We may also share personal information of training attendees with the other training attendees. The purpose of this is to enable training attendees to contact each other prior to or after the training for networking purposes.
  • We reserve the right to take photographs during the course, to promote courses and out training program in social media, but not for commercial activities. If you do not feel comfortable with this, please tell us in advance and we will respect your will. If you appear in a photo despite opting out or later decide you do not wish to be included, please contact us at training@crg.eu

Please check our website for the CRG legal notice and privacy policy.

Accessibility & Inclusion

Our courses are inclusive and expect to include all our community. If you require any reasonable adjustments to participate fully in the course, please contact TAO before the course. We will do our best to accommodate your needs.

Gender balance will be actively sought in every activity, so it can happen that your seat may not be confirmed until participants from other genders register.

If there is anything else we need to know (diets, accessibility, etc), please send an email to training@crg.eu and let us know in advance, we will do our best to accommodate to your needs for each particular activity.

Contact point

CRG Training and academic office (TAO) is responsible for designing and running the institutional wide training. You can contact them via: training@crg.eu