PLANS FOR a new school of veterinary medicine have been announced by Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC).

Based in Aberdeen, but with a footprint across rural Scotland, it will be the first Scottish vet school based outside of Edinburgh or Glasgow, and the first new school of its kind established in 150 years. The intention is that it will offer courses in veterinary medicine ranging from Higher National Diploma to postgraduate degree level.

SRUC already has a national network of veterinary hubs and consulting offices, and is the biggest provider of veterinary nursing, livestock husbandry and animal care training in Scotland. The college now aims offer a core veterinary programme to address existing shortages in veterinary provision, in areas such as rural veterinary practice, food production, food safety and animal and public health.

A working group will now be established to progress the plans for the school, chaired by Professor Sir Pete Downes, former Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Dundee, who will be joined by Chief Veterinary Officer for Scotland Sheila Voas, former NFUS President Nigel Miller, SRUC board member Jane Craigie, and Dr Kate Richards, who is a non-executive director on the SAC Commercial Board and currently the junior vice president of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons in line to become President in July. Professor Caroline Argo, currently Dean of SRUC’s North Faculty, will lead the project for SRUC. Other members will be announced in due course.

Principal and chief executive of SRUC, 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.

“Building on the excellent new facilities we have already announced for Aberdeen and Inverness, there is a lot of work still to be done, but we are ready to seize the opportunity.”

Director of Education at the RCVS, Linda Prescott-Clements, said: “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.”