20 Nov 2013

Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong and The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, The University of Edinburgh sign a memorandum today (November 20, 2013) to launch a one-year student attachment programme which enables Bachelor of Biomedical Sciences (BBiomedSc) students of HKU to take the Year 1 courses of the Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine & Surgery (BVM&S) degree of The University of Edinburgh on an elective mode, and to articulate into the BVM&S of The University of Edinburgh upon completion of BBiomedSc at HKU. Graduates will be conferred two degrees awarded by the two universities respectively with a total duration of seven years of studies. This programme is an innovative collaboration between the two universities in offering a new pathway to young people who aspire to be veterinary surgeons.

Professor Gabriel M Leung, Dean of Medicine in HKU, welcomes this collaboration. He says, “The Bachelor of Biomedical Science programme was launched in 2012 at HKU, which is the first undergraduate programme of biomedical sciences in Hong Kong aiming to train experts with rich biomedical knowledge. Our collaboration with The University of Edinburgh in launching this programme provides students an opportunity to develop a career in a healthcare profession on the basis of a solid foundation in biomedical sciences. We are proactively exploring collaboration with other professional programmes to offer students diverse articulation pathways for further study.”

About the Programme

The student attachment programmeenables HKU students, upon successful completion of the second year of the BBiomedSc curriculum, to study the first-year courses of the BVM&S curriculum at The University of Edinburgh as their BiomedSc electives. Credits obtained during the year of study at Edinburgh can be transferred, subject to the relevant HKU regulations, for the purpose of fulfilling the credit requirements of the BBiomedSc programme. Upon completion of one-year attachment in Edinburgh, students will return to finish the 4th year of study of BiomedSc at HKU. Students, after satisfactory completion of the BiomedSc curriculum at HKU, can opt to continue studying the remaining three years (2nd, 3rd and 4th) of the BVM&S curriculum at The University of Edinburgh. Upon successful completion students can obtain two degrees from the two universities in seven years.

A maximum of ten places will be provided annually to accommodate third year Biomedical Sciences students of HKU in the attachment programme Students have to demonstrate good academic achievements in order to be nominated for participation. The tuition fee for the one year attachment at The University of Edinburgh is about £26,000. Scholarships will be provided by the Medical Faculty of HKU to students successfully admitted to the programme. Students who are awarded the highest amount of scholarship will only need to pay for an amount equivalent to the tuition fee of HKU, that is, HK$42,100.

About the Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery (BVM&S) programme and The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, The University of Edinburgh

The Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery (BVM&S) programme offered by The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies is a Graduate Entry Programme (GEP) for bachelor degree holders. Under the attachment programme, second year Biomedical Sciences students of HKU can study the first-year foundation courses of the BVM&S programme, including integrated anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, pathobiology of animal, basic animal health welfare and food safety, professional and clinical skills. The second and third years of curriculum offer a full range of clinical courses. Practical experience is emphasized in the last year and students have to participate in clinical rotations.

The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies is a top-ranking veterinary school recognised by The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons. The BVM&S programme of the School has passed the academic evaluation of The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and graduates can practise in the UK, Europe, US, Canada and Australia.

According to Hong Kong Veterinary Surgeons Registration Ordinance, the veterinary degree granted by The University of Edinburgh is recognised by the Veterinary Surgeons Board of Hong Kong, and holders of the degree are qualified to register and practise as veterinary surgeons in Hong Kong. In other words, students who have successfully completed the BBiomedSc degree at HKU and the BVM&S degree at The University of Edinburgh can obtain an internationally and locally recognised qualification as veterinary surgeons, and are allowed to practise in Hong Kong.

To use the press release photo(s) for any publishing, publicity and related purpose, photo courtesy should be given to “Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong”