Hong Kong-trained vets 1 step closer to being allowed to practise in city as university seeks international recognition for course
- Representatives from international bodies will make separate trips to Hong Kong to undertake final assessment of City University vet school
- First batch of 11 students expected to graduate this year
Hong Kong’s first locally trained veterinary surgeons are expected to start practising this year provided the city’s sole veterinary school receives accreditation from international bodies.
The veterinary school was founded by City University in 2017. The first batch of 11 students expected to graduate this year must register with the statutory veterinary surgeon’s board before they can practise.
But to obtain the registration, the school’s programme must be accredited by international bodies such as the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) in the United Kingdom or the Australasian Veterinary Boards Council (AVBC) in Australia.
“CityU knows that it needs to seek international recognition to ensure the veterinary degree is in line with international standards,” chairman of Veterinary Surgeons Board of Hong Kong Ching Pak-chung said, adding he was confident the programme would be accredited.
Ching said representatives from RCVS and AVBC would make separate trips to Hong Kong to undertake the final assessment of the CityU vet school.
“If the programme is accredited, we will consider the programme to have met the highest standard that will allow the graduates to practise in Hong Kong,” he added.
Ching said the accreditation, if granted, would further align Hong Kong higher education with international standards, and the board would be happy to consider adding the school to its qualification list.