VSAAC accreditation
Update - 15 September 2006
Associate Professor Max Zuber, Chair of the VSAAC Site Visit Team reported to Professor Glyn Davis at the completion of the five-day visit to Melbourne that a recommendation that the BVSc (Melb) meets the requirements for accreditation would be made to the May 2007 AVBC meeting.
Professor Ivan Caple
Dean, Faculty of Veterinary Science,
The University of Melbourne
The Faculty of Veterinary Science at the University of Melbourne is seeking renewal of accreditation of its Bachelor of Veterinary Science by the Australian Veterinary Board Council Inc (AVBC). Students, staff and members of the Veterinary profession all play an important role in the accreditation process. This site is designed to provide information about the process.
Australasian Veterinary Boards Council Inc. (AVBC)
AVBC Inc. has an advisory function to make recommendations to the Veterinary Surgeons Boards in Australia and New Zealand in relation to:
- the accreditation of veterinary schools and courses leading to a degree in veterinary science or medicine;
- assessment of suitability for practice in Australia and New Zealand of persons with foreign qualifications; and
- uniform criteria for recognition of qualifications for registration
- to provide advice on matters concerning the occupational regulation of veterinarians, including general and specialist registration
- to encourage harmonisation of the standards, regulations and quality assurance of veterinary services provided to the community in all jurisdictions.
Accreditation of veterinary schools is an integral part of quality assurance procedures for veterinary undergraduate education in most of the major regional economies. In general, the process operates regionally and includes a number of countries in each system. In Australia and New Zealand the system is managed by the Veterinary Schools Accreditation Advisory Committee (VSAAC) which reports to the Australasian Veterinary Boards Council.
The membership of VSAAC includes an independent Chair, a Dean of an Australasian Veterinary School, two representatives of the Australian Veterinary Association and a representative of a Veterinary Surgeons Board. The AVBC has an agreement with the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) and an RCVS observer participates in the site visit.
Accreditation of Veterinary Schools in Australia and New Zealand is carried out by the AVBC in six yearly cycles. This will be the fourth visit to Melbourne by an AVBC accreditation team.
The Faculty has undergone major re-developments since the previous VSAAC visitation (31 July and 4 August 2000). Similar to the process recently undertaken with the AVMA, the visitors will spend the week meeting with staff and students and viewing the facilities available at both campuses.
Accreditation procedure
1. Initial contact
Twelve months before the accreditation of a veterinary school is due to lapse VSAAC writes to the Dean of the veterinary school and the Vice-Chancellor of the university concerned to advise of the process for re-accreditation. After the school confirms its participation, the Chair sets out general guidelines for the Vice-Chancellor and more specific procedures for the Dean.
2. Initial Documentation
A self evaluation report is prepared, which is an honest evaluation of the strengths and
weaknesses of the institution containing concise and meaningful information.
3. Assessment visit
A site visit, the aim of which is to verify and supplement information presented in the self-evaluation report. The visit is scheduled for between Monday 11th and Friday 15th September 2006.
4. Oral Report
At the end of the visitation and before the final meeting with the head and senior officers of the school and the head of the parent university, the visitation group prepares a preliminary statement of its views which will summarise how the school appears to comply with the main requirements and indicators. It identifies what it perceives to be the strengths and weaknesses in the school, problem areas requiring attention, and distinctive activities to be encouraged.
5. Formal Report
A final report with recommendations is submitted to the AVBC which decides on the accreditation status of the school.
The Faculty plans to engage students and staff as much as possible in the accreditation process.
Professor Ivan Caple
Dean, Faculty of Veterinary Science,
The University of Melbourne