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How to Interview During Audits Training Course

One of the most valuable tools for auditors in the pharmaceutical industry is the ability to conduct thorough and effective interviews during audits. This training will equip you with these essential skills.

11 July 2025
+ 10 November 2025, 12 March 2026 »

from £649

Need help?  Enrol/reserve

Part of Audit Essentials: From Interviews to Inspections series:

Led by industry expert Mustafa Edik, this comprehensive new training series is designed for professionals in the pharmaceutical industry who want to master GMP audits. Learn how to conduct thorough audits, manage supplier assessments, and confidently handle regulatory inspections. The courses in this series cover everything from raw material audits and GMP compliance to overcoming challenges and maintaining audit readiness for major health authorities like the FDA, EMA, and WHO. Additionally, you’ll gain crucial knowledge of Good Distribution Practices (GDP) and Good Storage Practices (GSP) to ensure product quality and safety. Ready to elevate your auditing expertise and stay ahead of industry standards? Enrol today!

Course overview

Ensuring compliance with Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) is crucial for the safety and effectiveness of products, particularly in the pharmaceutical industry. A GMP audit plays a key role in verifying that these standards are being met, and interviews are one of the most effective tools auditors can use. They provide auditors with the opportunity to uncover operational insights, assess individual performance, and ensure that companies adhere to GMP requirements on a deeper level than just reviewing documents.

While audits generally rely on methods like observing operations, examining records, and reviewing documentation, interviews add an extra layer of depth. Each auditor may have a different style, with some preferring to engage directly with employees, while others focus on paperwork. However, for a GMP audit to be comprehensive, it is essential to integrate interviews, observations, document reviews, and record checks to create a full understanding of GMP compliance.

Interviews are particularly valuable because they allow auditors to understand the practical realities of manufacturing beyond what’s written in manuals. Discrepancies between documented procedures and actual practices may arise, and employees may reveal informal methods that deviate from the standard. With this training, you will learn how to identify these inconsistencies during interviews, empowering you, as the auditor, to make informed recommendations and ensure GMP standards are fully adhered to.

This course is part of our GxP training (Good x Practice) course collection, which features a variety of topic areas to ensure you comply with the most recent quality guidelines. For more information on the latest EU GMP regulations, see our GMP training course covering the Annex 1.

Benefits of attending

  • Learn questioning techniques used to gather critical insights about processes, responsibilities, and compliance
  • Improve critical thinking and analytical skills to draw accurate conclusions
  • Identify deviations from documented procedures
  • Discuss building a rapport and trust with employees to foster cooperation during audits
  • Gain a deeper understanding of GMP regulations and how they apply to real-world processes
  • Combine technical knowledge with interview techniques ensuring the audit process is more comprehensive
  • Develop interpersonal and soft skills, such as active listening, empathy, and emotional intelligence

Who should attend

This training would suit those in the following departments:

  • Quality Assurance
  • Quality Control
  • GMP Compliance
  • Auditing
  • IT
  • Regulatory Affairs
  • Engineering
  • Supply Chain

Enrol/reserve

This course will cover:

The role of interviews in GMP audits

  • Why interviews are essential for a comprehensive GMP audit
  • How interviews complement document reviews and observations
  • Identifying gaps in documented processes through interviews

Interview techniques overview

  • Types of interviews (structured, semi-structured, unstructured)
  • Preparing for an interview: setting objectives and expectations
  • The importance of active listening and asking the right questions

Effective questioning techniques

  • Open vs. closed questions: when and how to use them
  • Probing techniques: digging deeper for useful information
  • Avoiding leading or biased questions
  • Encouraging honest and detailed responses

Building rapport and trust and observing non-verbal cues

  • Techniques for creating a comfortable environment for interviewees
  • The importance of empathy and active listening
  • Overcoming nervousness or resistance from interviewees
  • Handling difficult or defensive individuals
  • Recognising body language and facial expressions during interviews
  • How to interpret non-verbal cues to assess truthfulness or hesitation
  • Adapting interview techniques based on observed behaviours

Case study

  • Participants engage in a group discussion on common GMP audit interview challenges

Enrol/reserve

Mustafa Edik

Mustafa Edik is an Independent GMP Consultant and Auditor.  

After graduating as a Chemist from university, Mustafa began his 25 year plus career as a Laboratory Supervisor at Bayer, a German Pharmaceutical Company. After 15 years of working as a Quality Assurance Assistant Manager, Laboratory Supervisor, Pharmaceutical Quality Management Systems, and GMP Lead Auditor, he decided to continue his career as a Consultant. He has served the Turkish Atomic Energy Authority (TAEA) as Principal GMP Auditor and Consultant for 6 years. TAEA was audited by the Republic of Turkey Ministry of Health and granted GMP Certificate for 5 Radiopharmaceuticals. This success has won great acclaim from all health authorities and industry. 

He has prepared and presented various training courses and workshops to more than 8000 individuals from 150 International and local Pharmaceutical, Medical Device, and Cosmetics companies on GMP, GDP and Pharmaceutical Quality Management Systems. He has taken part in several International Pharmaceutical Facility Establishment projects as GMP Consultant and has also set up various Quality Management Systems for Local Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Companies.

While he was the Vice President of Quality and Technical Operations at a Quality Academia Training and Consultancy firm, he acquired and converted it into a 100 % Turkish Company. As the only IRCA Certificated Pharmaceutical Quality Management Systems and GMP Lead Auditor in Turkey, he currently conducts API, Excipient, Packaging Materials Suppliers and Manufacturers, Third Party Logistics Service Providers, Sterile and Non-Sterile Manufacturing Facilities Audits according to FDA, EMA, PIC /S, TMMDA, MHRA, TGA Health Canada, and WHO regulations and guidelines.

He finished his second university degree in Biopharmaceutical Sciences BSc (Hons) at Atlantic Technological University - Ireland. He is the author of chapter 6 of the book published by PDA named “Good Distribution Practices” and his new book on ‘GMP Audits in Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology Industires’ will be published by Taylor & Francis in June 28, 2024.

More details

NEW higher discounts for multiple bookings - bring your colleagues to make your training budget go further:

  • 30% off the 2nd delegate*
  • 40% off the 3rd delegate*
  • 50% off the 4th delegate*

Please contact us for pricing if you are interested in booking 5 or more delegates

11 July 2025

Live online

09:30-17:00 UK (London) (UTC+01)
10:30-18:00 Paris (UTC+02)
04:30-12:00 New York (UTC-04)
Course code 15626

  • GBP 649 749
  • EUR 909 1,049
  • USD 1,043 1,199

Until 06 Jun

View basket 

 
Not ready to book yet?

for 7 days, no obligation

10 November 2025

Live online

09:30-17:00 UK (London) (UTC+00)
10:30-18:00 Paris (UTC+01)
04:30-12:00 New York (UTC-05)
Course code 15627

  • GBP 649 749
  • EUR 909 1,049
  • USD 1,043 1,199

Until 06 Oct

View basket 

 
Not ready to book yet?

for 7 days, no obligation

12 March 2026

Live online

09:30-17:00 UK (London) (UTC+00)
10:30-18:00 Paris (UTC+01)
05:30-13:00 New York (UTC-04)
Course code 15628

  • GBP 649 749
  • EUR 909 1,049
  • USD 1,043 1,199

Until 05 Feb

View basket 

 
Not ready to book yet?

for 7 days, no obligation

* Early booking discounts may not be combined with other discounts or offers. As such, the discounts for 2nd/3rd/4th delegates are based on the full price; and apply only when booking multiple delegates on the same date.

Run How to Interview During Audits Live online for your team

Pricing from:

  • GBP 500
  • Per attendee, based on 10 attendees
  • Course tailored to your requirements
  • At your choice of location, or online

 

We can customise this course to your requirements and deliver it on an in-house basis for any number of your staff or colleagues.

Contact our in-house training experts Aleksandra Beer and Yesim Nurko to discuss your requirements:

Multiple colleagues? See above for details of our discounts for 2, 3, or 4 delegates. For more, talk to one of our training experts to discuss how to:

Run this course conveniently and cost-effectively in-house for your staff and colleagues

Aleksandra Beer

Aleksandra BEER
Training expert

Yesim Nurko

Yesim NURKO
Training expert

+44 (0)20 7749 4749

inhouse@ipi.academy