The U.S. China Center for Animal Health operates in conjunction with the Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine.

The history and landscape of academic veterinary medicine in these regions varies a great deal. Records indicate early references to veterinary medicine were made thousands of years ago in regions of what is now India. Most recently, the City University of Hong Kong has introduced a Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine program working in collaboration with the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine. Within that range of time, more than 100 schools or colleges of veterinary medicine have been established and are now operating throughout China, India and Southeast Asia.

As is the case in many areas of the world, there is some variance in the quality and sophistication of many of these programs. But many have embraced the One Health concept and, considering the critical role veterinary medicine is playing in the world today, are looking at ways to elevate the quality of their programs and improve academic veterinary medicine, thereby strengthening the foundation of the profession it serves. One way that's being done is through the development of partnerships and increased collaboration with European and U.S. institutions.

	China's Nanjing Agricultural University (NAU) collaborates with the University of California - Davis School of Veterinary Medicine.

Examples of these include the U.S. China Center for Animal Health (USCCAH), which is operated in conjunction with the Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine, and various "Twinning Projects" operated by the OIE that involve U.S. universities like the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University and the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine. China's Nanjing Agricultural University (NAU) is collaborating with the University of California - Davis School of Veterinary Medicine on a recently developed initiative called the NAU-UC Davis One Health Joint Center.

To read a comprehensive overview of academic veterinary medicine in this region of the world, please click here.

The annual VetEd conference was held at the University of Liverpool in the United Kingdom from July 5-7, 2017. The meeting was hosted by Kieron Salmon and his team, with over 150 delegates representing veterinary schools from across the globe attending the event.  

VetEd was established in 2009 by a group of enthusiastic educators working in veterinary schools in the UK. The annual conference aims to showcase the work of those involved in all aspects of veterinary education and allows delegates (faculty, students and practitioners) to share ideas, innovations and best practices in an open and friendly atmosphere.

Particular highlights at VetEd 2017 were the varied schedule of interactive posters, with the number reaching nearly a hundred this year. Of particular note was the quality of the posters, particularly those presented by students. A whole theme was dedicated to presentations on wellbeing and the workshop sessions included motivational interviewing, compassion fatigue and compassion resilience, and educational research techniques. A new feature this year was a debate 'Transition into the workplace - is it the job of the vet schools or the profession?' And delegates also enjoyed the Beatles Magical Mystery Tour!

VetEd has rotated around all of the veterinary schools in the United Kingdom and Ireland and will be presented at Utrecht in The Netherlands in July 2018 (the VetEd team hope to see some of you there). Additionally, 'VetEd Down Under' is starting up soon in Australasia.

The fifth veterinary epidemiology for executives was held in 2017 in Hangzhou China.

This workshop aims to help the head of epidemiology investigation in provincial veterinary authorities promote international animal disease prevention and control, to strengthen veterinary epidemiology in animal disease prevention and control in the practical application, and to make the current animal policy more scientific.

The meeting was sponsored by Veterinary Bureau, the Ministry of Agriculture of China, and by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, supported by China's animal health and epidemiology center and the FAO ECTAD (emergency center of transboundary animal disease) China office.