PRIMER and PERMANOVA+

With Marti J. Anderson

PRIMER-e is pleased to announce two weeks of back-to-back courses in Multivariate Analysis implementing the new software PRIMER 8 with PERMANOVA+ to be offered in person at The Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom (MBA), Plymouth, U.K. and also online. We’ll be using our new software PRIMER 8 with PERMANOVA+.

Overview

Week 1: PRIMER, 12 – 16 October 2026
Week 2: PERMANOVA+, 19 – 23 October 2026

Participants can register to attend:

Week 1 only, Week 2 only or both weeks:
Either online or in person*.

*Important: Please note that the venue will only accommodate a maximum of 24 participants to attend in person each week. If you wish to attend in person, please complete registration and make payment as soon as possible to secure your place.

COURSE FEES

Registration fees for each week (Week 1 or Week 2) and both weeks are in pounds sterling (£GBP) shown in the tables below. Participants who reside in either New Zealand or Australia will also need to pay the relevant goods and services tax, at invoice. Participants may (at the discretion of PRIMER-e) be eligible for a global equity discount on their registration fees (depending on their country of residence), which will be administered at the time of invoicing. Please contact primer@primer-e.com if you would like to apply and learn more.

Registration Fees (in £GBP) for each week (Week 1 or Week 2)
		In Person	Online only
EARLY BIRD On or before 1st August 2026	Professional	£ 880	£ 760
EARLY BIRD On or before 1st August 2026	Full-time Student	£ 630	£ 495
AFTER 1st August 2026	Professional	£ 995	£ 760
AFTER 1st August 2026	Full-time Student	£ 720	£ 495

Registration Fees (in £GBP) for both weeks
		In Person	Online only
EARLY BIRD On or before 1st August 2026	Professional	£ 1,760	£ 1,520
EARLY BIRD On or before 1st August 2026	Full-time Student	£ 1,260	£ 990
AFTER 1st August 2026	Professional	£ 1,990	£ 1,520
AFTER 1st August 2026	Full-time Student	£ 1,440	£ 990

Week 1 will cover the core non-parametric methods implemented in PRIMER. Week 2 will cover the semi-parametric methods encapsulated in PERMANOVA+ and other advanced topics. Both weeks will include deep dives into a host of new innovations provided by the many tools and methods now available in our new software: version 8. Sessions will run daily, Monday to Friday, from 9:00 am to 5:45 pm on each day. Online participants will join the course live via Google Meet (in the BST time-zone = UTC + 1 hour). Participants may register for week 1 only, week 2 only, or both weeks.

Each day will include a mixture of lectures and computer lab sessions, in which participants can practice implementing the new methods learned on example datasets. Participants will also have the opportunity to discuss and analyse their own data in consultation with the presenter. Participants attending in person must bring their own laptop to the venue. Software may be purchased at a discounted price (see below), or a free fully functional (but time-limited) licence of the software is available to registered participants for trial use during the course. Note that PRIMER is a Windows-only product, so Macs need to run in Windows emulation. This course will cater both to those who are new to PRIMER and to those who are familiar with PRIMER methods but would like to learn all about the latest new methods and features in PRIMER 8 with PERMANOVA+.

VENUE

All sessions will be held at The Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, The Laboratory, Citadel Hill, Plymouth, PL1 2PB, UK. For local information, including directions to the venue, please click HERE or contact the venue directly on +44 (0)1752 426493 or email: info@mba.ac.uk.

WEEK 1 – PRIMER

Week 1 will provide an extensive overview of statistical methods in non-parametric analysis of multivariate data implemented in PRIMER software. Non-parametric statistics and permutation tests make the methods intuitively simple to understand, so no prior background in statistics is required.

The topics covered in Week 1 include:

Properties of multivariate data (summary statistics, shade plots, histograms, draftsman plots, etc.);
Pre-treatment of data (transformations, normalisations, standardisations, dispersion weighting);
Resemblance measures: distance, similarity & dissimilarity (Euclidean, Bray-Curtis, Sørensen, Jaccard);
Cluster analysis (hierarchical agglomerative, divisive and k-R cluster methods using CLUSTER), including tests for significant structure within clusters (SIMPROF) to permit non-arbitrary classifications of samples/species;
Ordination via projection using principal components analysis (PCA);
Ordination to preserve sample relationships via non-metric, metric or threshold metric multi-dimensional scaling (MDS, mMDS, tmMDS);
Handling ordered variables/size-classes using multivariate approaches, and the treatment of empirical distributions.
Non-parametric permutation tests for differences among a priori groups of samples (analysis of similarities – ANOSIM) for one-, two- and three-way multi-factor designs and for ordered factors);
Visualising group differences and variation in the group averages using bootstrap averages;
Tests of association between resemblance matrices (RELATE), e.g., relating biotic to abiotic data, including finding optimal subsets of environmental (or other) variables that generate a ‘best’ match to patterns among samples based on species (or other) variables (BEST);
Measures of biodiversity, including richness, even-ness/dominance, abundance-biomass curves, and taxonomic and/or functional diversity and distinctness (DIVERSE);
Identifying important subsets of species and their roles in generating overall multivariate patterns (BIOENV, coherence curves) or group/cluster differences (SIMPER);
Identifying roles of environmental (or other) variables in generating biotic patterns or distinctive splits using non-parametric classification and regression trees (LINKTREE);
Graphical tools for effective presentation of results, including matrix displays and a variety of plot types (bar, box, dot, violin, means, line, histogram, scatter, surface, shade), animations of ordinations captured to video files, bubble plots and multi-variable segmented bubble plots.
Univariate non-parametric tests, including Wilcoxon, Mann-Whitney, Kruskal Wallis, Kolmogorov-Smirnov, and Tests of association.
New univariate graphics, including dotplots, violin plots and means plots.

WEEK 2 – PERMANOVA+

PERMANOVA+ allows robust analysis of multivariate data in response to complex sampling / experimental designs on the basis of a resemblance measure of choice, with rigorous inferences obtained using permutation methods. The broader suite of methods in PERMANOVA+ enable formal models, tests, and predictions to be achieved for multivariate ecological (and other) systems that are over-parameterised (i.e., have too many variables) and/or that demonstrate substantial non-normality. Familiarity with the core methods in PRIMER and/or some prior knowledge of basic multivariate methods is desirable. However, Week 2 (like Week 1) will emphasise conceptual understanding, software implementation of the methods and interpretation of results for scientists and practitioners, so no prior specific background in statistics is assumed.

The topics covered in Week 2 include:

Partitioning variation for high-dimensional data in the space of a chosen resemblance measure – a geometric approach (PERMANOVA);
Tests for differences in centroids among groups and constructing specific contrasts (PERMANOVA);
Accommodating heterogeneity in multivariate dispersions in PERMANOVA tests.
Multivariate variation (spread), tests for homogeneity of multivariate dispersions and comparisons of beta diversity (PERMDISP);
Constructing (pseudo) F-ratios and permutation methods for correct tests of individual terms in multi-factorial designs, based on expectations of mean squares (EMS).
Complex multi-factor experimental designs, identifying fixed and random factors that are nested in or crossed with one another; fitting seasonal/cyclical models in PERMANOVA.
Centroid plots for main effects and interactions; Residual plots for discovering non-dominant factor effects.
Quantifying components of variation for individual terms in a PERMANOVA model, simplifying models by pooling or removing terms;
Advanced experimental design topics, including repeated measures, split plots, randomized blocks, inclusion of covariates, imbalance & asymmetry, finite factors, and BACI designs.
Fitting multivariate response data (e.g., species) to continuous predictor variables (e.g., environmental), including model selection (DISTLM);
Visualising and quantifying explained (fitted) variation using dissimilarity-based redundancy analysis (dbRDA);
Dissimilarity-based discriminant analysis via canonical analysis of principal coordinates (CAP), including leave-one-out allocation success and the predictive placement of new points into existing canonical model spaces;
Discriminate positions along an environmental (or other) continuous variable axis; rotate two sets of variables to explore inter-relationships in a (dissimilarity-based) canonical correlation analyses (CAP).
Identify outliers or impacts in time series or monitoring data using the new dissimilarity-based multivariate Control Charts.

COURSE FEES

The course fee includes coffee/tea and snacks during breaks, lunch, free Wi-Fi (for those participants attending in person), all course materials and a temporary time-limited (but fully functional) software licence key for the duration of the course. In person course participants will also receive a free a 1-year membership to The Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom. The fee does not include accommodation or other meals, or the separate (discounted) cost of purchasing subscriptions to PRIMER 8 software.

Registration fees for each week are shown below:

Registration Fees (in £GBP) for one week only (Week 1 or Week 2)
		In Person	Online only
EARLY BIRD On or before 1st August 2026	Professional	£ 880	£ 760
EARLY BIRD On or before 1st August 2026	Full-time Student	£ 630	£ 495
AFTER 1st August 2026	Professional	£ 995	£ 760
AFTER 1st August 2026	Full-time Student	£ 720	£ 495

All prices are in pounds sterling (£GBP). Participants who reside in either New Zealand or Australia will also need to pay the relevant goods and services tax, at invoice. Participants may (at the discretion of PRIMER-e) be eligible for a global equity discount on their registration fees (depending on their country of residence), which will be administered at the time of invoicing. Please contact primer@primer-e.com if you would like to apply and learn more.

DISCOUNTED SOFTWARE PRICES FOR COURSE PARTICIPANTS

We are pleased to offer all course participants a discount of 10% off our standard prices for your initial software subscription. If you would like to receive a quote for a software subscription for PRIMER 8 with PERMANOVA+ (either a 12-month or 36-month term), please contact our team at primer@primer-e.com. All discounts for which you are eligible (including student discounts, global equity discounts, or recognition discounts for those with existing PRIMER 7 licences, etc.) will be applied to your subscription quote.

REGISTRATION

To register, please fill out the registration form on the PRIMER-e website and return it directly to primer@primer-e.com to secure your place. The deadline for registration and payment is 28th September 2026. Late registrants will only be accepted if space permits. Unfortunately, we cannot permit attendance at the course unless payment for registration has been received in full by PRIMER-e prior to the commencement of the course. Please get in touch with us directly if you have any questions primer@primer-e.com, and especially if you would like:

to receive a quote for your registration;
to register more than one individual from your organisation and pay on a single invoice (please include separate registration forms for each individual participant); or
to receive a quote for a software subscription at a discounted price.

ABOUT THE PRESENTER

Marti J. Anderson is the Director of PRIMER-e (Quest Research Limited), a Fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand (FRSNZ) and Distinguished Professor Emerita in the New Zealand Institute for Advanced Study (NZIAS) at Massey University in Auckland. Her core research is in community ecology, biodiversity, multivariate analysis, experimental design and resampling methods, with a special focus on developing novel statistical methods for ecology. She has developed all of the statistical methods in PERMANOVA+ and especially enjoys engaging in the dynamic interactions with students, academics and professionals that have become a trademark of the PRIMER/PERMANOVA+ international courses, shedding new light on multivariate data.

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Terms and Conditions

Please refer to PRIMER-e’s Standard Terms and Conditions for Courses. In addition, PRIMER-e’s Specific Terms and Conditions for this Course.

Deadlines: Registration and payment must be received by the PRIMER-e office no later than 28th September 2026. Contact PRIMER-e directly at primer@primer-e.com if you have any questions. Please use one form per person.
Payment information: Registrants will be invoiced directly upon receipt by the PRIMER-e office of a completed registration form. All payments are to be made in £GBP.
Payment options are detailed on the invoice and include:
- by Credit/Debit Card;
- by Direct Electronic Bank Transfer
GST: If you reside in New Zealand, you will need to pay 15% GST, applied at invoice. If you reside in Australia, you will need to pay 10% GST, applied at invoice.
Cancellation and Refund policy: The course organisers should be notified of cancellations in writing. If cancellation occurs before 28th September 2026, the total course fee will be refunded, less any associated bank fees and administration costs. If you cancel after the deadline stated above, you may send a substitute person. Please notify the PRIMER-e office and provide us with the appropriate registration details for the substitute at the time of cancellation. In the absence of a substitute, we will still refund the payment (less administration costs) if we succeed in filling your place. “No shows” are non-refundable and are liable for the full registration costs. In the unlikely event of a course cancellation, PRIMER-e will refund registration fees in full, but shall not refund nor be liable for any additional associated costs, expenses, or losses incurred by participants.

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