Kansas State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine and Sokoine University of Agriculture Faculty of Veterinary Medicine in Morogoro, Tanzania, have established a twinning partnership through a program administered by the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE). The OIE’s Veterinary Education Establishment Twinning Program aims to strengthen veterinary education at the two universities by establishing partnerships that lead to exchanges of ideas, knowledge and experiences for students and faculty. The overall objective is to ensure that veterinary graduates are equipped with the competencies needed to support their national veterinary services. The OIE has committed a $457,213 grant for the twinning project between Kansas State University and Sokoine University. The project will be supported by the OIE for three years, however, both universities are committed to maintaining a long-term relationship, according to Kansas State University. “The OIE believes that strengthening the capacities of its member countries and, in particular, ensuring that veterinarians possess an adequate level of education, are fundamental,” said Monique Eloit, DVM, director general of the OIE. “Veterinary students will become the professionals who will ensure that their countries meet the health challenges of tomorrow. The OIE Veterinary Education Twinning Program, in addition to the OIE recommendations and guidelines on veterinary education, were developed to ultimately improve the provision of high quality veterinary education worldwide.” The partnership with Kansas State University will strengthen the curriculum and educational resources at Sokoine University of Agriculture Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and provide opportunities for faculty and students from both universities to be exposed to global health challenges and veterinary production systems in a different cultural and socio-economic setting, according to Kansas State University. “International collaborations are critical to the future of our profession and our ability to educate the next-generation veterinary workforce,” said Tammy Beckham, DVM, Ph.D., dean of the Kansas State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine. “We have been working with the faculty at Sokoine University since October 2015 to develop mutually beneficial objectives for this project, an appropriate time frame and a work plan. We’re very excited by the opportunities that will be available for our faculty and students.” Keith Hamilton, BVetMed, executive director of the College of Veterinary Medicine’s Office of International Programs, was instrumental in identifying and developing the partnership with Sokoine University, the university noted. “As well as supporting curriculum development at Sokoine University, the partnership will allow faculty and students from the two universities to gain a global perspective with exposure to veterinary medicine and farming systems in a new country,” Hamilton said. “The next generation of veterinarians will need a global perspective to address global health challenges and to ensure that the veterinary profession remains relevant.”
