22 Jun 2021
The new school will be based in Preston; offer foundation, undergraduate and postgraduate courses; and become the UK’s 11th veterinary school.
James Westgate
Job Title
Image: © Siam / Adobe Stock
The University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) has become the latest university to announce plans to open its own vet school.
Last month Scotland’s Rural College announced plans to offer courses in veterinary medicine ranging from Higher National Diploma to postgraduate degree level – now UCLan has revealed plans to follow suit.
The new school will be based in Preston, and become the UK’s 11th veterinary school and the second in the north of England after Liverpool.
UCLan’s proposed school will deliver foundation, undergraduate and postgraduate courses in areas such as veterinary medicine, bioveterinary science, veterinary clinical practice, veterinary physiotherapy and rehabilitation, and clinical animal behaviour and training.
Graham Baldwin, UCLan vice-chancellor, said: “We’re absolutely delighted to be creating an innovative and dynamic veterinary school. UK veterinary schools are highly prestigious, so we are thrilled to be launching only the second school in the north of England and one of only 11 in the UK.
“We have taken massive strides in developing all areas of human health provision in recent years, and animal health will now join our ever-expanding portfolio of medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, biomedical sciences and optometry.”
Cathy Jackson, executive dean of the Faculty of Clinical and Biomedical Sciences, added: “Our new veterinary school will be focused on producing much needed industry-ready graduates for our region, particularly as recent figures have highlighted a national shortage of vets and a sector heavily reliant on vets educated in the European Union.
“As with our medical and dental schools, we have demonstrated we want to break down barriers and make education accessible to all. It’s no different with our veterinary school, and we want to open the doors and offer a pathway for any student, no matter of their background, into this rewarding profession, while maintaining the very highest of education and professional standards.”
The Batchelor of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery (BVMS) course at UCLan will be a five-year programme making use of “hands-on” modules from year one, rather than in the later years as delivered in more traditional programmes.
UCLan already offers RCVS-accredited vet nursing programmes, and will collaborate with Myerscough College and local veterinary partners to deliver certain programmes of study.
UCLan will become one of the first universities in the world to make use of a digital, virtual dissection platform for teaching animal anatomy using the veterinary Anatomage technology.
Students will also undertake practical placements at local, regional, and national veterinary surgeries and hospitals.
Linda Prescott-Clements, RCVS director of education, added: “The RCVS looks forward to working with the team at UCLan to ensure that the degree meets our accreditation standards and, in time, produces high-quality and competent vets for the future.”
UCLan is planning to welcome the first intake of UK and international students to veterinary sciences BSc and foundation courses in September 2022, while BVMS students will be welcomed from 2023.
