IRRI completes intensive refresher course on stewardship

The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) recently concluded a two-month, 10-module refresher course on responsible stewardship, effective management, and best practices across the institute, helping ensure that IRRI maintains its high performance and world-class standards in operational stewardship.

Led by Dr. Gururaj Kulkarni, Head of the IRRI Stewardship Unit and Global Head of Research Infrastructure and Regulatory Compliance, the refresher course was conducted from July 24 to September 25, 2024. It spanned ten comprehensive modules that tested participants' knowledge and understanding of basic and advanced stewardship principles, policies, and practices.

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The 10 modules covered by the refresher course include Stewardship Policy and Quality Management System; Directives on Genetic Integrity and Traceability and Third-Party Management; Directives on Incident Response Management and Incident Notification; Control of Documents and Record Management; Authorization and Access to Transgenic Facility and Space Allocation; Deviation Request Management; Labelling and Color Coding; Regulated Facility Inspection; Internal Audits and Corrective Actions; and Management Review.

Over 40 participants from around the institute and in various roles participated in the refresher course, held across several online meetings. The training ensured that participants remained well-versed in managing sensitive materials, facilities, and operational frameworks in compliance with industry regulatory and stewardship standards.

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"The goal was to equip participants with updated knowledge and skills to enhance their stewardship practices," said Dr. Kulkarni. "The focus on deviation management, labeling, facility inspections, and internal audits provided actionable insights that could be directly applied in their operational roles. A feedback system helped highlight the practicality and relevance of the topics covered. As a result, participants left with a strong foundation to improve their unit's stewardship activities and maintain compliance with regulatory standards. They expressed their eagerness to implement the lessons learned in their roles. This reinforces the importance of continued learning and adapting to new stewardship challenges in a dynamic environment."

As one of the world's premier agricultural research organizations, IRRI continuously strives for global excellence in management and stewardship. Dr Kulkarni led the development of the IRRI Transgenic Stewardship Policy in support of a strong stewardship framework in 2017. An updated policy version was released in 2021, expanding its coverage of transgenic, gene-editing, and native traits research activities. In 2018 and 2023, IRRI completed external audits by Excellence Through Stewardship (ETS), a global organization that promotes the universal adoption of product stewardship programs and quality management systems. As a next step, IRRI Stewardship team will organize a management review meeting which is part of the checklist before the external audit. IRRI has been a member of ETS since 2016 and will undergo its third external audit in 2025.