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KVASU Scientists visited Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and University of Edinburgh, UK

                    Six faculty members (Dr. A.P. Usha, Dr. Maya S., Dr. Shynu M., Dr. Prejit, Dr. Vinu David and Dr. Hiron M. Harshan) were deputed for an Academic visit to the University of Edinburgh for the period from 16th to 21st of June 2013 month with the following objectives:
• To study the functioning of University of Edinburgh, Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary studies and Hospitals
• Observe and learn the various teaching Methodologies being applied
• To observe Animal welfare Protocol / procedures in the Farms
• Meet faculty at Royal (Dick) School and identify areas of collaboration
                Royal (Dick) Veterinary School offers B.V.M & S in two streams- four year programme for graduates and five year programme for school leavers. Students are admitted based on their grades and an interview. Due weightage is given to students who have had voluntary service with animal associated activities (assisting vets etc.) The curriculum is so organized that the graduates are moulded to acquire day one competencies stipulated by the American Veterinary Medical Association and the Royal Veterinary College. The curriculum is organized into modules such as Animal body (four papers completed in the first 4 semesters), in which different subjects are integrated taught and evaluated comprehensively instead of courses being offered taught and evaluated by individual departments. In the first two years of the programme, emphasis is, in general, on normal and abnormal happenings of animal body as a whole (cellular and molecular level). The students then move on to elaborate studies on individual species in the 2 consequent years. The entire 9th and 10th semester is for clinical training. A 38 week extramural study (EMS) component which runs through the entire duration of the programme is also included in the syllabus, which has to be taken up by the students during their holidays.
Hospital services of the Vet School are comparable to any modern human hospital, with state of the art diagnostic facilities such as large animal CT scan and excellent in-patient facilities for small and large animals.Certified veterinary nurses and pharmacists assist in the running of the hospital, which is completely paperless. The team visited pig, sheep, beef and cattle farms associated with the university. Sheep and cattle are reared in extensive system. There is a very high degree of automation in the farms and human labour involvement is less (3-4 people for a herd of 240 dairy animals and its followers).
Royal (Dick) Veterinary School concentrates mainly on veterinary education. Research component is dealt with mainly in the Roslin institute, situated in the same campus. Great emphasis is given to improve the pedagogical skill of tutors. A three tier student support system is also in place to make the learning process of the students comfortable. The school offers post graduate courses in four different disciplines- Animal Biosciences, Applied Animal Behaviour & Animal Welfare, One health and Veterinary Medicine with a full time duration of one year.
The team could achieve an overview of the functioning of the Veterinary School with regard to undergraduate and post graduate learning. The faculty could meet eminent scientists working in the field of Animal welfare, Veterinary Medicine, Veterinary Pathology and Genetics. The visit has initiated links for future research collaborations with University of Edinburgh.