The University of Liverpool has signed an agreement with the University of Al Dhaid to provide the teaching curriculum at a new College of Veterinary Medicine.
Liverpool’s world leading teaching will be delivered at new state of the art facilities, located at the University of Al Dhaid, based in Sharjah, one of the United Arab Emirates. Together the two institutions will support and deliver a new Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree.
At an official ceremony hosted at the University of Al Dhaid on 18 December 2024, the agreement between the two institutions was formally signed by His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member, Ruler of Sharjah, and President of University of Al Dhaid and Professor Tim Jones, Vice Chancellor of the University of Liverpool. Under the agreement, the curriculum of the School of Veterinary Sciences at the University of Liverpool will act as a template for the new curriculum at Al Dhaid.
Work will soon start on the construction of facilities for the new College of Veterinary Medicine, including teaching spaces, anatomy and pathology laboratories in addition to teaching hospitals and facilities for all domestic and agricultural species. The first intake of students will start in September of this year, 2025, where they will begin their Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree, accredited by the UAE Commission for Academic Accreditation, Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research.
University of Liverpool Vice-Chancellor Professor Tim Jones said: “The University of Liverpool’s School of Veterinary Science is an innovative teaching and research centre which, over the past 120 years, has built a reputation as one of the best Veterinary Schools in the world.
“The agreement we’ve signed today continues our work to develop our outward looking, globally connected community that shares our aspiration for positive worldwide impact. Significantly it supports one of the key pillars of the University’s strategy which focusses on global engagement and partnerships. We’re delighted to establish this relationship with the University of Al Dhaid and bring our academic excellence to Sharjah.
“I’d like to extend our gratitude to His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi and his colleagues for their hospitality during our visit, we look forward to a long and successful collaboration.”
During the signing ceremony, His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi said: “During the drought period, we need dry grasses, and during the period of diseases, we need treatment. Therefore, there is a small veterinary clinic in every pasture we have. However, now with the presence of the College of Agriculture and the College of Veterinary Medicine at this university, all fields, whether in the field of crop cultivation or vegetable cultivation, as well as for livestock and sheep, include what protects them. We have a prestigious university with which we have signed a contract, and it will undertake the teaching, curriculum and guidance process, in addition to cooperation with the prestigious University of Liverpool in the field of veterinary medicine.”
Also attending the signing were:
- Professor Tim Jones, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Liverpool
- Professor Louise Kenny, Executive Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences at the University of Liverpool
- Professor Paul Lunn, Dean, School of Veterinary Science at the University of Liverpool
- Her Excellency Dr. Amna bint Abdullah Al Dahak, Minister of Climate Change and Environment for the United Arab Emirates.
- Her Excellency Dr. Muhadditha Al-Hashimi Chairperson of the Sharjah Private Education Authority (SPEA), President of Sharjah Education Academy (SEA)
- Her Excellency Prof. Aisha AbuShlaibi, Chancellor, University of Al Dhaid
- Rabiha Seboussi, inaugural Dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine
- Alison Hall, acting British Consul General
Find out more about the Liverpool 2031 strategic ambitions here.
Earlier this year the University of Liverpool’s School of Veterinary Science celebrated its 120th year. Read more about its history here.