Virtual Workshop on the Way Forward of VEEs and VSBs in South-East Asia

Background

Strengthening the quality of veterinary education establishments (VEEs) and veterinary statutory bodies (VSBs) in South-East Asia will significantly provide an effective veterinary workforce in the region. Since 2011, WOAH Sub-Regional Representation for South East Asia (SRR-SEA) has continuously supported the strengthening of VEEs and VSBs in South-East Asia in close collaborations with the South-East Asia Veterinary School Association (SEAVSA) and the ASEAN Veterinary Statutory Body Network (AVSBN).

The latest WOAH workshop on VEE Accreditation held in Thailand in October 2022 resulted in the development of South-East Asia veterinary school accreditation standards. As the ASEAN Member States (AMS) have attempted to proceed with the transboundary mobility of veterinarians between the AMS, the application of these standards in VEE accreditation would be the baseline to facilitate the movement of veterinarians who graduated from the accredited VEEs. In addition, WOAH SRR-SEA has collaborated with the Ohio State University (OSU), USA in supporting the VEEs in AMS to perform a self-assessment of their curriculum against the WOAH Day 1 Competencies and create a comprehensive action plan to best address the gaps found.

The VSBs in South-East Asia are diverse in capacity and authority. Many countries have benefited from long-established regulatory bodies or rely on the veterinary authority to act as a VSB, while others are still at the preliminary stage of establishing a VSB and its associated legislation. The support of WOAH SRR-SEA in the establishment of AVSBN in 2017 has led to the development and implementation of the AVSBN strategy to strengthen the capacity of VSBs/VSB equivalent authorities, particularly the drafting of the ASEAN Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA) on Veterinary Practitioners to facilitate the mobility of veterinarians within ASEAN.

To escalate the capacity and quality of VEEs and VSBs/VSB equivalent authorities, WOAH SRR-SEA in collaboration with the SEAVSA and AVSBN and with funding support from the Australian Government organised the Virtual Workshop on the Way Forward of VEEs and VSBs in South-East Asia from 27 February to 1 March 2023.

Objectives:

To introduce the South-East Asia veterinary school accreditation standards and discuss the way forward to achieve the standards;
To report the progress made on the VSB establishment by the countries where VSB is being developed and on the regulation of veterinary paraprofessionals by the countries with VSB existence;
To introduce the AVSBN strategy (2023-2025) and its implementation; and
To discuss the contribution of VEEs and VSB to strengthening the national veterinary workforce development.

PROGRAMME

REGISTRATION OF PARTICIPANTS

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS