Sunday Times 2
Pera Uni Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science begins admissions for BVSc degree
View(s):The Bachelor of Veterinary Science (BVSc) degree of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science (FVMAS) of the Peradeniya University has commenced admissions.
The BVSc has a new curriculum, which is a step towards gaining international recognition and accreditation.
With FVMAS being the only higher education institution in Sri Lanka that offers an undergraduate study programme leading to the BVSc, the faculty responded to concern expressed by OIE-the World Organisation for Animal Health and Sri Lankan stakeholders and completed a comprehensive revision of the curriculum.
Under the auspices of an OIE intervention, Peradeniya University was ‘twinned’ with New Zealand’s Massey University. This was the world’s second twinning programme to improve the quality and standards of veterinary education in a developing country with the direct partnership of a developed country. The first was between Thailand’s Chiangmai University and America’s University of Minnesota, states the Head of Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, FVMAS, Dr. Nayana Wijayawardhane.
The curriculum reforms followed academic staff from Massey University and FVMAS conducting a critical review of the current veterinary degree programme, based on the findings of which restructuring and revising of the existing programme took place to produce veterinarians who would be able to serve the needs of Sri Lankan and international stakeholders better, with respect to animal health, production, welfare and veterinary public health.
The specific objectives of the curriculum reforms were to:
Align the BVSc curriculum with the Sri Lanka Qualifications Framework (SLQF), which defines the quality standards pertaining to higher education in Sri Lanka, and with the international guidelines (i.e. with the OIE and Australasian Veterinary Board’s Council guidelines),
Adopt outcome-based, student-centred teaching and learning approaches into curriculum design and delivery,
Enhance hands-on practical training in core veterinary competencies as well as developing analytical and communication skills,
Provide early exposure of undergraduates to veterinary procedures in animal health and production,
Extend the duration of undergraduate training programme from 8 semesters to10 semesters (from 4 years-to 5 years), with the last two semesters (final year) being devoted to intensive clinical training and industry-based externships, which will ultimately allow more time for students to acquire hands-on experience through outbound training,
adopt a ‘Course Unit’ and Grade Point Average (GPA) grading system
The new programme will provide sufficient depth and breadth of material on animal diseases and their management, biosecurity, animal husbandry and production, etc., she said, adding that the University Grants Commission (UGC) has granted approval for the new curriculum.
Meanwhile, the Veterinary Council of Sri Lanka, the statutory body concerned with the veterinary profession, has evaluated, reviewed and endorsed the proposed curriculum. Once the BVSc degree programme in Sri Lanka obtains the accreditation of the Australasian Veterinary Board’s Council, Sri Lankan veterinary graduates would be able to practice in Australasian countries without having to pass the qualifying examinations, Dr. Wijayawardhane added.