Ensembl training expectations

Arranging a workshop can seem like a lot of work. Here we lay out exactly what we expect our hosts to do and pay for, and what we will offer in return for both in-person and virtual workshop formats.

In-person training

Ensembl deliverables

Ensembl will provide:

Effective and tailored training on Ensembl by a highly skilled trainer.
Materials for training that will be accessible and usable before, after and during the course.
The results of any feedback surveys.

Host deliverables

We ask the host to do a number of administrative tasks for us, including:

Advertise the course locally.
Register participants for the course.
Arrange a room for the course to be held, preferably a computer teaching room, or if not available, a suitable classroom with WiFi and charging facilities so that participants can bring laptops.
Distribute a pre-course survey to all participants to allow the trainer to tailor the training.
Provide logistical support to the trainer, including:
- Arranging or advising on accommodation.
- Arranging or advising on long distance travel.
- Arranging or advising on local travel.
Communicate with the participants about the location, date, time, catering arrangements and anything they need to bring (for example laptops if not using a computer teaching room).
If the training takes place in an area where there is high-risk for foreigners (assessed according to the UK government travel advice), chaperone the trainer for travel, meals and other circumstances where the trainer is outside of the hotel or training space.
Meet with the trainer on the day of the training and take them to the training room.
Take any registration, if that is required, deal with any no-shows and, if appropriate, contact people on the waiting list to take their place.
Ensure arrangements for the trainer to get lunch and coffee breaks during the training, either by taking them to a suitable canteen or having catering for the course.
Make suitable arrangements for the trainer to finish up and leave the training room at the end of the course, including locking up.

Ensembl courses are all held in English, we are not able to provide translation into other languages. If the host is concerned about participants’ language skills, it is the host’s responsibility to arrange for a translator or to provide translation themselves where necessary.

Costs

The following costs are currently required to be covered by the host for an Ensembl workshop:

The travel of the trainer(s), both long distance travel from Cambridge, UK and local travel, including ground transport in the UK.
Accommodation for the trainer(s) for the duration of the trip.
Meals for the trainer(s) for the duration of the trip.
Any emergency costs, such as replacement travel arrangements for cancellations which are not covered by insurance.

Where the host is paying for the trainer’s expenses, we can accept reasonable restrictions (for example a maximum daily allowance for meals or a preferred airline) but these need to be agreed between Ensembl and the host before anything is booked.

Ensembl will always pay for:

The salary of the trainer.
Travel insurance on all advance bookings made by Ensembl.
Health insurance for the trainer.

Ensembl will never pay for:

Catering for the course participants.
Travel for course participants.
Hire of rooms or equipment.
The salary of the host.
Stationery or printing of course or publicity materials.

Safety

We follow guidelines from the UK government and US government on travel safety. We will not travel to any country or area deemed to be unsafe. We reserve the right to cancel any event if there is a change in the travel advice due to safety.

Where the advice suggests travelling with a guide or chaperone at all times, we expect the host to arrange for this.

Cancellation

In the event that the workshop is cancelled, we may still ask hosts to pay for any expenses that have already been booked and cannot be refunded. It may be preferable to book flexible options for travel/accommodation to allow for this.

Numbers

The numbers below are the minimum and maximum per workshop. The maximum numbers can be exceeded for Browser and REST API courses if a second trainer is arranged. If the minimum numbers have not been booked onto the course one week before the date it is arranged for (except by prior agreement) Ensembl reserves the right to cancel the workshop.

Browser workshop: 10-30 people
REST API course: 10-15 people
Train the Trainer course: 3-6 people

Virtual training