New school of Veterinary Medicine

You may have heard that The University of Surrey has announced that it is going to launch a new school of Veterinary Medicine?

Well, this is looking to take place in 2014 and will be based at the University’s Manor Park site in Guildford.

According to the University, the new school will embrace the “One Health – One Medicine” philosophy.  The degree programme will also emphasize research, veterinary pathology and livestock medicine.

The new School at Surrey will collaborate with key partners to deliver their programme. Collaborators include: the Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency (AHVLA) , the BBSRC Pirbright Institude, the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD), Fitzpatrick Referrals, Liphook Equine Hospital and Westpoint Farm Vets. Extending relationships with regional Veterinary practices is also on the cards for the coming year.

The University is also in consultation with the RCVS (Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons) who plan to assist them in the development of a timetable for considering the new programme against their accreditation standards. The RCVS believe that the monitoring process of this could take a number of years.

The University certainly have already laid the foundations for the new school through its teaching and research activities expansion in its Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences. This includes the launch of the BSc programme in Veterinary Biosciences in 2009 and the new MSc in Veterinary Microbiology. A new MSc in Veterinary Pathology is currently under development also.

I think over the next 12 months we can expect them to be recruiting new academic staff along with attracting the first cohort of students for 2014.

"As a research-intensive University we have the expertise, reputation, technical and business skills which our students can benefit from, allowing us to train the veterinary leaders of the future. Combining state-of-the-art facilities, our unique partnerships and a campus location, the new School will provide a stimulating environment not only for undergraduates, but for the professional development training of qualified veterinary surgeons."

-          Professor Lisa Roberts. Dean of the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences

"This is good news for the UK veterinary research community. The Pirbright Institute currently works in close collaboration with the University of Surrey on research that benefits animal health and welfare; we very much look forward to building on this established and growing association as the new school of veterinary medicine is launched. There is an important place for trained veterinarians in scientific research and we are delighted that the University has decided to emphasise these areas in particular."

-          Professor John Fazakerley, Director of The Pirbright Institute