The Veterinary Schools Council (VSC) is delighted to announce that Professor Ewan Cameron has been elected as the new Chair of the Council.

Professor Cameron is head of the University of Glasgow School of Veterinary Medicine, where he has worked since 1991. His teaching area includes farm animal health and his principle research focus is cancer, in particular leukaemia.

He succeeds Professor Gary England as Chair and will be building on progress made by the Veterinary Schools Council during its first years of activity. Key to this has been the establishing of expert groups in veterinary research, education, assessment and other areas. These groups draw from staff within the veterinary schools, bringing their knowledge to bear on key issues while embracing their strong will to collaborate.

This period has also seen the expansion of the Veterinary Schools Council beyond the borders of the UK, with University College Dublin and Utrecht University joining as associate members.

As Chair, Professor Cameron will assist the Council in representing and developing veterinary education and research, in particular looking to further the essential links between the UK and wider Europe.

Professor Cameron said, ‘I feel very privileged to be asked to lead the Veterinary Schools Council during the next stage of our development and would like to pay tribute to Professor Gary England for all his excellent work that led to the creation of VSC.

‘The heads of veterinary schools established VSC through a common determination to work together to promote and enhance veterinary teaching and research. Together we seek to share and disseminate best practice and innovation, and to pool our resources to advance academic veterinary medicine. I am looking forward to taking on the challenges that lie ahead and working closely with my colleagues in the other schools.’

Professor England said, ‘I am proud to have convened the group that led the foundation of the Veterinary Schools Council and to have been the first formal Chair. We have achieved a huge amount in these first few years. I am delighted that Professor Ewan Cameron is taking over as Chair as we move into our next phase of development and I look forward to continuing to serve with him in our Council.’

-ENDS-

Notes to editors:

1. The Veterinary Schools Council is made of the heads of seven UK veterinary schools offering degrees accredited by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and has two associate members outside of the UK. It provides a source of informed opinion on matters concerning veterinary education, from the welfare of its students and academic researchers to its links with government and industry. The Council engages in representative and policy work to ensure that the voice of UK veterinary schools is recognised for its experience and will to innovate. For more on the work of the Veterinary Schools Council, see www.vetschoolscouncil.ac.uk and @ukvetschools
2. For queries on this press release or the work of the Veterinary Schools Council, please contact Edward Knight, Senior Communications Officer, on 020 7419 5427, or edward.knight@vetschoolscouncil.ac.uk.