The Veterinary Schools Council is a membership organisation which represents the voices of world leading veterinary schools across the UK, Ireland and the Netherlands. Together, we engage in representative and policy work to ensure that the voice of veterinary schools is recognised for its expertise, innovation and commitment to the proper care of animals.
Guided by evidence-based research, our members work to promote innovative veterinary education and collaboration by facilitating the science underpinning of veterinary medicine and monitoring data and the spread of best practice. By recognising that the health and wellbeing of people, animals and the environment are interconnected, our work aims to highlight the importance of veterinary research for the One Health agenda.
There are six committees of the Veterinary Schools Council, made up of the leads in each specialist area within each school:
The vision of the Research Committee is to develop the UK veterinary research capability to improve animal and human health and welfare whilst ensuring sustainability of the environment and security of the food chain. Central to its mission is developing ways to increase funding and training opportunities in veterinary research.
The Education Committee works with the profession and the public to understand how veterinary education and research can best respond to its needs. VSCEC promotes veterinary education, faculty development and the scholarship of learning and teaching nationally and internationally.
The Operations Committee builds upon the sharing of best practices between schools to avoid duplication, and strengthens links between schools and stakeholders.
The Admissions Committee works to continually develop the admissions process and look at emerging trends in selection to share best practice between veterinary schools. VSCAC works closely with the RCVS and the BVA to promote careers in veterinary science.
The Clinical Committee works with the RCVS, the BVA and other relevant stakeholders to develop and support insights for veterinary clinical education. Part of this work concerns opening dialogue with employers of UK veterinary school graduates to investigate workplace expectations and to evaluate the feasibility of training students outside veterinary teaching hospitals.
VSCAMR looks at ways to utilise data currently held by veterinary schools to build the evidence base on the impact of AMR, and develop engagement with antimicrobial research being carried out in other disciplines. The group promotes antimicrobial research (AMR) and raise veterinary student awareness of the importance of the appropriate prescribing of antibiotics
