New vet school will be UK’s 11th

New vet school will be UK’s 11th

A new veterinary school is to be opened at the University of Central Lancashire, making it the UK’s 11th.

The Preston-based school will deliver foundation, undergraduate and postgraduate courses in areas including veterinary physiotherapy, rehabilitation, veterinary medicine and clinical animal behaviour.

Graham Baldwin, UCLan vice-chancellor, said: “We’re absolutely delighted to be creating an innovative and dynamic veterinary school. UK veterinary schools are highly prestigious, so we are thrilled to be launching only the second school in the north of England and one of only 11 in the UK.

“We have taken massive strides in developing all areas of human health provision in recent years, and animal health will now join our ever-expanding portfolio of medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, biomedical sciences and optometry.”

‘Industry-ready graduates’

Cathy Jackson, executive dean of the Faculty of Clinical and Biomedical Sciences, added: “Our new veterinary school will be focused on producing much needed industry-ready graduates for our region, particularly as recent figures have highlighted a national shortage of vets and a sector heavily reliant on vets educated in the European Union.

“As with our medical and dental schools, we have demonstrated we want to break down barriers and make education accessible to all. It’s no different with our veterinary school, and we want to open the doors and offer a pathway for any student, no matter of their background, into this rewarding profession, while maintaining the very highest of education and professional standards.”