Myerscough and UCLan sign partnership to educate future vets

UCLan Vice-Chancellor Professor Graham Baldwin, UCLan Head of the Vet School Dr Heather Bacon and Alison Robinson, Principal of Myerscough College

The two institutions have signed a partnership to allow UCLan’s new veterinary medicine students to access academic expertise and OFSTED approved animal facilities.

UCLan’s undergraduate and postgraduate students will travel to Myerscough to undertake practical, hands-on animal handling skills across a range of species, including farm, equine and exotic animals. They will also have access to the quality-assured Myerscough farms.

The two education providers will also collaborate on wider animal-based teaching, with veterinary nursing, farriery, and animal behaviour and welfare courses being delivered by Myerscough.

Academics from UCLan and Myerscough will also work together to undertake a number of research projects.

Students in the first cohort of BVMS Veterinary Medicine & Surgery, BSc (Hons) Bioveterinary Sciences and MSc Veterinary Physiotherapy & Clinical Rehabilitation courses will have timetabled sessions at the Bilsborrow Campus.

Dr Heather Bacon OBE, Head of UCLan’s School of Veterinary Medicine, said: “I’m delighted we have been able to partner with such a well-established educational provider.

“Our relationship with Myerscough College is integral to supporting the development of our new Vet School and this partnership is a key step forward in establishing our distributed teaching network.

“I’m really pleased the partnership will also ensure our BVMS, undergraduate and postgraduate students will benefit from excellent ‘real-world’ teaching facilities at Myerscough’s fantastic campus.”

Alison Robinson, Chief Executive & Principal of Myerscough College and University Centre Myerscough, commented: “Myerscough has a proud 129-year heritage of training the next generation to work with animals.

“We are therefore delighted to further strengthen our relationship with the University of Central Lancashire through supporting the delivery of veterinary education, training and research.

“The University will be able to take full advantage of Myerscough’s two commercial farms, specialist veterinary nursing training facilities, International Equine Arena and associated facilities and our Animal Studies centre. The outstanding facilities and staff at Myerscough will provide UCLan’s veterinary medicine students with the latest training and skills.”

Planning permission has been granted to build a state-of-the-art School of Veterinary Medicine, on UCLan’s Preston Campus, and work will start later in summer.