Web Content Display Web Content Display

News

Breadcrumb Breadcrumb

Web Content Display Web Content Display

University Centre for Veterinary Medicine

From 2012, Krakow will become the only academic centre in southern Poland offering a veterinary medicine study programme. The opening of the programme has been suggested for a long time. Young people have been keenly interested in pursuing the career of veterinary physician in Krakow. Until recently, the realisation of this project was not possible as there was neither enough funds nor a proper teaching and scientific base in the city.

It has become possible thanks to the joint efforts of two institutions. An intercollegiate University Centre for Veterinary Medicine was created last June on the strength of an agreement between the Jagiellonian University and the University of Agriculture in Krakow. In March 2012 the Centre was joined by scientists from other institutions.

In addition to their teaching duties, the joined team will conduct research into food safety as well as human and animal health and will carry out other innovative projects in the field of medicine and veterinary. The expansion of the state-of-the-art complex will cost 24 million zlotys, including a 16,5 million zlotys grant from the European Union. The Centre, located in Bielany district of Krakow, will be expanded by eleven brand new laboratories and four veterinary surgery rooms. Negotiations are held with the Marsha's Office about subsidizing the investments from budget reserves.

The programme will consist of 11 semesters. The graduates will be awarded a double degree, of both the Jagiellonian University and the University of Agriculture. Basic courses, such as anatomy, histology or pharmacy, will be taught by lecturers from JU Medical College and professors of veterinary medicine. Lecturers from the University of Agriculture will teach courses on animal biology. Starting from 7th semester, the students will be introduced to the practice of medicine and surgery of small animals (such as dogs, cats, and other companion animals) and of the livestock (sheep, pigs) from the University of Agriculture farms. In the new centre in Bielany students will master large animal medicine. One of the strong points of the programme is an integrated approach to food safety. Other Polish veterinary centres focus on animal medicine and surgical treatment. The European Union aims to assure high level of food safety, animal health, animal welfare, and plant health and supports centres that put this strategy into practice. On 18 June 2012 the head of veterinary medicine programme, Dr hab. Tadeusz Wijaszka, the University of Agriculture Associate Proffesor, was appointed member of the Management Board of European Food Safety Authority by the Council of the EU.

60 students will be enrolled in 2012 and start their first year of study. In the following year, the University Centre for Veterinary Medicine will consider allowing 20 students to study veterinary medicine in English, as the universities from Uppsala in Sweden and Liege in Belgium have declared the will of cooperation and have offered to support the Centre with international staff. Veterinary medicine in English will be an answer to the demand expressed by foreign students. The School of Medicine in English has reported that such question has often been asked by the applicants from abroad during the admission process.

Published Date: 25.06.2012
Published by: Mariusz Kopiejka
Uniwersytet Jagielloński