RCVS sets date to end automatic accreditation of EU vet degrees
RCVS Council members are concerned about divergence between RCVS standards and those of the EAEVE.
Members of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) Council have voted to set a date for ending the temporary accreditation of EU veterinary degrees.
Following an amendment by council member Will Wilkinson, the policy will come to an end after a maximum of five more years, with no further extension beyond this time. The council will review the policy annually to decide whether to end it before then.
In place of the blanket accreditation, the RCVS will look at directly accrediting degrees from individual veterinary schools in Europe. A proposal for funding to start the process was submitted to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in February 2023, but has yet to receive a response.
Before Brexit, all veterinary degrees recognised by the European Association of Establishments for Veterinary Education (EAEVE) were automatically recognised by the RCVS as part of the Mutual Recognition of Professional Qualifications Directive.
In response to the UK voting to leave the EU, the RCVS adopted a policy in 2019 of temporarily recognising EAEVE-accredited degrees, with the policy reviewed annually at each January meeting of the RCVS Council.
However, concerns have started to rise among council members about divergences between accreditation standards for veterinary education. New RCVS standards and methodology were introduced in 2023, including standards not to be found in those of the EAEVE.
With the veterinary sector facing recuitment issues, overseas recruitment has been important for many practices. After the UK left the EU, the number of EU registrations fell at first, with 365 veterinary surgeons registering in 2021, although the coronavirus pandemic may well have been a factor. The number increased to 480 in 2022 and to 527 in 2023.
Kate Richards, chair of the Education Committee, said: “The decision made at RCVS Council sets a firm deadline for the end of this temporary policy, while giving sufficient time to work up proposals for alternative approaches, such as direct accreditation of individual European vet schools.
“Furthermore, the amended policy would allow any students currently enrolled in an EAEVE-accredited vet school who may be expecting to be able to register in the UK, to prepare accordingly.”
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