Events
HARMS AND LIMITATIONS OF ANIMAL RESEARCH: COMMUNICATING THE HARD STUFF
WEBINAR 24 SEPTEMBER 2026 12:00-13:00 BST
A core principle of the Concordat on Openness is to provide the public with balanced information. This means communicating the harms and limitations of animal research, alongside the benefits, providing the public with a complete picture of the realities of animal research and allowing them to make an informed decision on how they feel about this type of work.
Talking about the challenging aspects of animal research doesn't need to be difficult. In this webinar, John Meredith (UAR head of education and outreach) and Hannah Hobson (UAR head of communications and engagement) will give advice on how to produce content and engage in conversations that explain the harms and limitations of animal research.
This webinar is open to all. The recording will be made available to UAR members.
NEW SCIENTIST LIVE
EXHIBITION 10 - 11 OCTOBER EXCEL LONDON
UAR will be exhibiting at New Scientist Live 2026.
COMMS TEAMS AND ANIMAL USERS UNITE: THE MANCHESTER RECIPE FOR COLLABORATIVE OPENNESS
WEBINAR 26 NOVEMBER 2026 12:00-13:00 GMT
This 1-hour webinar provides a practical, scalable blueprint for bridging the gap between animal research facilities and university communications teams. Designed specifically for Concordat on Openness signatories, those involved with transparency agreements in other countries, facility managers, and comms professionals, the session addresses the common challenges of risk-aversion and siloed operations, particularly within smaller institutions.
Key Takeaways:
- The Three Pillars of Openness: Strategies for securing unwavering executive sponsorship from senior figureheads (like the PELh), building deep researcher-BSF trust, and creating a unified institutional voice.
- Diagnosing and Fixing the Disconnect: Understanding the root causes of communications risk-aversion and providing actionable steps to demystify the animal facility through physical visits, shared vocabulary, and routine alignment meetings.
- Showcasing Shared Successes: Real-world examples from the University of Manchester—including their award-winning public virtual tour and UAR Openness Awards—proving that proactive transparency is a reputational asset rather than a risk.
- A Practical Toolkit: Step-by-step advice for smaller institutions on identifying internal champions, launching low-risk collaborative projects, and drafting joint protocols for handling press inquiries and Concordat reporting
This webinar will be presented by Maria Kamper and Mike Addlemann from the University of Manchester.
