In an effort to strengthen international ties, Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine (RUSVM) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Ngee Ann Polytechnic in Singapore. The partnership was established to develop mutually beneficial collaborations in education and research, as well as provide a pathway for Singapore students to obtain a veterinary degree. As part of the partnership, the schools will create an international research internship program which will allow a select group of Ngee Ann Polytechnic students to spend 15 weeks at RUSVM’s campus in St. Kitts. The students will complete a research project within one of RUSVM’s four research centers. The internships will fulfill a core requirement of Ngee Ann Polytechnic students’ training program. They will also provide students with practical experience in a veterinary research environment, according to Ross University, including in topics such as food safety, fish diseases, sea-turtle conservation and the One Health Initiative. “Whether our students choose the veterinary technician career path or decide to further their education through a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree or postgraduate research degree, the international research experience they gain at RUSVM will better prepare them for the world of global veterinary medicine,” said Hedy Goh, Ph.D., director of the Ngee Ann Polytechnic School of Life Sciences & Chemical Technology. The internships will begin February 2015. The Memorandum of Understanding also encourages faculty and students from both schools to develop future collaborations. “An important component of RUSVM’s vision for veterinary education and research is the expansion of global collaborations, including Asia,” said Elaine Watson, DSc, Ph.D., FRCVS, dean of RUSVM. “The internship program with [Ngee Ann Polytechnic] is an exciting initiative, and serves as a catalyst for future opportunities with Singapore and beyond.”
