Veterinary education establishments (VEEs) and veterinary statutory bodies (VSBs) play a key role in ensuring the effectiveness of veterinary professionals and delivery of competent Veterinary Services (VS). WOAH supports strengthening of the Veterinary Service (VS), veterinary education establishments (VEEs) and veterinary statutory bodies (VSBs) globally and regionally through its global programs for PVS pathway, VEE and VSB twinning projects, global and regional conferences, and establishment of recommendations and guidelines.
In the sub-region of Southeast Asia, with support from WOAH Sub-regional Representation for South East Asia, strong networks among VEEs and VSBs already exist. However, participation by South Asian VEEs and VSBs has been limited to the global conferences on veterinary education and a few regional events. At regional level, the Asian Association of Veterinary Schools (AAVS) is an international organization for veterinary educational institutions in Asia that was established in 2001. As of April 2023, only 3 VEEs from South Asia (one each from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka) are members of AAVS. A VSB Network called ‘ASEAN Veterinary Statutory Body Network (AVSBN)’ was established since 2017 for the ASEAN countries with the support from WOAH SRR SEA.
In the subregion, the Chattogram Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (CVASU), Bangladesh in collaboration with the Development Partnerships in Higher Education (DeLPHE), UK did initiate to establish a South Asia sub-regional VEE network sometime around 2010 but could not progress due to change of leadership at the University and lack of fund support after the project. Workshops on VEE and VSB for India and also for South Asia and Iran held in 2021 and 2022 respectively recommended establishment of a VEE and VSB network for the sub region. To progress on the recommendation implementation a focal point each for a VEE and VSB were nominated by the delegates/CVOs of the members countries as of April 2024. These focal points were to lead the process for establishing a sustainable VEE and VSB network for the sub region. Resource persons from India and Bangladesh who had been champions in their own countries were engaged for the preparation and delivery of the meeting.
In the above context, WOAH facilitated to organise a virtual meeting among the focal points nominated for the proposed network “South Asia VEE & VSB – (SAVEE&VSB) Network’ and other invited participants from the other VEEs and VSBs from the respective countries. The main expected outputs of the meeting were;
VEE and VSB baseline information from South Asia (Pasang Tshering, WOAH RRAP)
Asian Association of Veterinary Schools (AAVS): Networking to improve veterinary education outcomes – By-Laws of Network, benefits to members and activities. (Prof Anil Pushpakaruna, Executive Committee Member AAVS & Dean, Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences Faculty, Univ of Peradenya, Sri Lanka)
ASEAN Veterinary Statutory Body Network (AVSBN): its history, mandates and role in veterinary education and veterinary services (Prof Achariya Sailasuta, Chair of AVSBN and member of Veterinary Council of Thailand (VCT))
CVASU’s initiative on a sub-regional veterinary schools network in South Asia called South Asia Veterinary Education (SAVE) Network. How it was established, objectives, activities conducted, and how it got stalled now. (Prof Nitish Debnath/Prof Md. Ahasanul Hoque, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, CVASU, Bangladesh)
WOAH’s VEE and VSB Twinning programmes (Maho Urabe, WOAH RRAP)
VEE Twinning experience between GADVASU, India and University of Calgary, Canada (Prof Sarvpreet Singh Ghuman, Dean, GADVASU)
Benefits and changes in curriculum/ teaching after VEE Twinning at CVASU, Bangladesh AND University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka (Prof Md. Ahasanul Hoque) Oral intervention (Prof Anil Pushpakumaran, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka)
Group discussion introduction: TOR of the Sub-Regional VEEs & VSBs Network in South Asia
WOAH Veterinary Workforce Development Programme
