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Plans for new vet school in Scotland
SRUC plans to open a new vet school in Scotland.

School will address existing shortage areas in veterinary practice

Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) has announced plans to create a new veterinary school that, if given the go-ahead, could become Scotland’s first new school of veterinary medicine since the 19th Century.

Under the plans announced today (28 May), SRUC will offer courses in veterinary medicine ranging from Higher National Diploma to postgraduate degree level. The school would be based in Aberdeen, making it the first outside of Edinburgh or Glasgow in more than 150 years.

A fundamental aim of the school would be to address existing shortfalls in areas such as veterinary practice, food production, food safety and animal and public health. It plans to achieve this by using work-based teaching to align student recruitment and employability in shortage areas that are essential to Scotland’s valuable rural and food sectors. 

A working group will be formed to progress the plans, chaired by Professor Sir Pete Downes, a former principal and vice-chancellor of the University of Dundee. He will be joined by Sheila Voas, Chief Veterinary Officer for Scotland, former NFUS President Nigel Miller, SRUC Board member Jane Craigie, and Dr Kate Richards, junior vice president of the RCVS.

Findings from a report conducted by BiGGAR Economics show that the new school could add £26m GVA and 242 jobs to the Scottish economy by 2030.

SRUC principal and chief executive Professor Wayne Powell, said: “We are an ambitious institution with a bold vision for the future. This is a ground-breaking model to expand access to educational opportunities and broaden the range of potential students who would not ordinarily be able to attend a vet school. It will also help solve existing skills shortages across Scotland.

“We see a key role of the new vet school in sustaining primary agriculture and hence food and drink productivity, with the welfare of both livestock and companion animals at its heart. The school will produce champions for best-in-class animal welfare in support of these industries, which will help improve productivity, effectiveness, and sustainability.”

RCVS director of education Linda Prescott-Clements, added: “The RCVS looks forward to working with the team at SRUC as it moves towards meeting our accreditation standards so that its future graduates can join the UK veterinary profession.”

Image (C) SRUC

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Cold-water dip to raise funds for Vetlife

News Story 1
 The veterinary mental health charity Vetlife is inviting the veterinary community to join it for a sponsored cold-water dip.

The event will take place at Walpole Bay, Margate, on 17 May during Mental Health Awareness Week. Participants of all abilities can join in the challenge and are advised to bring a towel, a hot drink, a snack, and warm clothes to get changed into afterwards.

Those taking part are being asked to try to raise 100 each to support the work of the charity.

Details about how to take part can be found here. 

Click here for more...
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Bluetongue low vector period ends

In an update to its bluetongue guidance, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has announced that the seasonal low vector period for the disease has ended.

With winter over, Defra is planning for a possible increase in cases as midges become more active. It has warned that farms along the east coast of England from Norfolk to Kent, and along the south coast from Kent to Devon, are at highest risk from infected midges blown over from northern Europe.

Since the virus was detected in England in November 2023, there have been 126 confirmed cases. The most recent case to be confirmed was on 1 March 2024.

Farmers are asked to continue to frequently monitor their livestock and ensure their animals and land are registered with the Animal and Plant Health Agency.