TRISK – European Advanced Risk Assessors Accredited Training Programme for highly qualified toxicology experts

The general objective of TRISK is to develop a training programme in risk assessment based on common European criteria, easily adoptable by institutions across Europe, and focusing on risk assessment methodology and procedure.

Following TRISK specific objectives are reported:

• 1) Set up a European Advanced Risk Assessors Training Programme
• 2) Identify requirements for accreditation/recognition of European Risk Assessors
• 3) Project visibility and results dissemination

TRISK fills an important need in the training of toxicologists into areas of risk assessment by establishing a clear and recognized definition of training criteria and a recognition mechanism to qualify risk assessors.
This project is aimed to fill the lack of training schemes and provide opportunities for practical, on the job training on the risk assessment approach for young scientists or new graduates interested in pursuing this area of expertise, as well as trained experts attracted by the opportunity to serve as member of the various scientific committees.
The project focuses on understanding the profile and training requirements of risk assessors in order to design a modular training programme covering a range of disciplines in risk assessment and providing a model to establish guidelines for the training and recognition of risk assessors in accordance to a well-defined and properly acknowledged training standard.
The results will be disseminated to key stakeholders by involving the numerous collaborating partners across Europe, through the implementation and upholding of the project website, and through the organization of various promotional events during EUROTOX scientific conferences in Dresden (2009), Barcelona (2010) and Paris (2011). Specific outcomes of the project include reinforcing the level of professional expertise, implementing a common standard of practice for risk assessment across Europe and leading the way to set up a structure to promote future risk assessment initiatives.
TRISK will contribute directly to the training of risk assessors across Europe in order to satisfy the constant needs for trained scientists to serve in the Commission Scientific Committees (SC) and ensure the sustainability of the EU risk assessment advice structure, while indirectly meeting the needs of industry and the private sector who also require trained risk assessors in order to satisfy the new regulatory requirements and development of new market products. It will contribute to regulatory decisions based on high-quality risk assessments, thus improving the health safety of the citizens in the Member States.