Hong Kong course first in Asia to gain direct RCVS accreditation
"It is a testament to the quality of the course that it received full accreditation for the maximum period of seven years."- Dr Kate Richards.
A veterinary medicine course in Hong Kong has become the first veterinary degree in Asia to receive direct accreditation from the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS).
The City University of Hong Kong’s (CityU’s) Jockey Club College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences has received a full seven-year accreditation for its Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine (BVM) degree.
RCVS’ accreditation system assesses the course against their Accreditation Standards, including the thoroughness of the curriculum, the procedures and policies of student admissions and the veterinary degree examinations.
Receiving this accreditation means that recipients of a CityU BVM degree will be able to register as an RCVS member and practise veterinary medicine in the UK without first taking the Statutory Examination for Membership. They would still need to proceed through the UK’s Home Office visa and immigration system as usual.
The decision of the College’s Primary Qualifications Subcommittee was confirmed at the September meeting of the RCVS Education Committee. This makes the six-year-long course the first in Asia to be RCVS-accredited
It is also only the second programme overseas to be directly accredited by the RCVS. While other international courses receive accreditation from joint visitations or recognition through agreements with other accreditation bodies, only one other programme has been accredited by the RCVS directly.
Dr Kate Richards MRCVS, past president of the RCVS and current chair of the RCVS Education Committee, said: “Many congratulations to everyone at CityU for the successful accreditation of its veterinary degree by the RCVS. As the first veterinary degree in Asia to be directly accredited by the RCVS, we understand the significance of our decision for the whole Asia-Pacific region and Hong Kong in particular.
“The final visitation panel for the course took place this summer and was based on our new 2023 accreditation standards and assessment methodology. It is a testament to the quality of the course that it received full accreditation for the maximum period of seven years.
“We now look forward to continuing to work with CityU to monitor the quality of the course on an ongoing basis.”
Image © Shutterstock
Defra has published guidance for the vet sector ahead of a proposed UK-EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary agreement.
