• Play:
• Song Name: An online remedy for Africa's vets
• Artist: WRENmedia
• Album: AGFAX radio
• Year: 2006

Suggested introduction
Veterinary schools in sub-Saharan Africa have joined forces to create an online training programme that will allow vets to study for postgraduate degrees while continuing to work. Postgraduate training for vets in Africa is currently limited to traditional full-time, residential courses. Concern over the lack of flexible, accessible courses and the need for veterinary training to cover a broader range of skills was the focus of recent meetings held in Naivasha, Kenya and in Entebbe, Uganda. The meetings were funded by the DFID Animal Health Programme, and brought together the deans of African veterinary schools.

The outcome of the meetings has been to launch the African Universities Veterinary E-learning Consortium, known as AUVEC (pron. Ovek). Key partners to the Consortium are the African Virtual University, based in Nairobi and the University of Edinburgh, which has recognised and award-winning e-learning expertise, particularly in the medical and veterinary sectors.

At the launch of the Consortium in Entebbe, Susanna Thorp spoke to several of the members to learn more about the objectives of the group. Paul Kanyari, Dean of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Nairobi began by outlining the Consortium’s vision.

TAPE IN "The vision that we came up with is to have a ...
TAPE OUT ... benefits of this getting together in due course."
DURATION 6'59"

Closing announcement: Paul Kanyari of the University of Nairobi ending that report on a new consortium which is working to develop a computer-based veterinary training curriculum in Africa.