The Veterinary Educational Excellence Center was established within the framework of the 2019-2022 Innovations Competitive Fund grant projects, the main goal of which is to create a base in accordance with modern requirements at the Armenian National Agrarian University (ANAU), which will be an incentive for the reform and modernization of educational and scientific processes in this field, will contribute to the training of competitive specialists in the field and strengthening of the university-labor market connection.

The establishment of the Center has introduced a new method of veterinary education into the ANAU educational system: simulation training and a new approach – bioethical education.

VEEC has three main departments.

1. Modern veterinary simulation department,
2. Modern veterinary clinic,
3. Educational auditoriums.

Having such a center of excellence will provide an opportunity to train competitive staff, implement scientific projects, provide educational services to farmers and practicing veterinarians. It gives an opportunity to develop students’ practical skills and, at the most, prepare them for future professional activities.

Agriculture is one of the leading branches of RA and one of the most important issues of this sector is the training of highly qualified specialists in accordance with modern requirements. The role and importance of the training of the required personnel in the scientifically based strategy of the agricultural development policy is obvious, and both the higher and secondary professional education, the science and the consulting of the agricultural system are important for the present and future of Armenia, as they have a great contribution to the sustainable economic growth and overcoming poverty.

ANAU is the only educational institution in the country that provides higher professional education in the fields of veterinary medicine and animal husbandry (secondary professional, bachelor’s, master’s, postgraduate).

The field of veterinary medicine is of great importance in the sustainable development of the RA economy. Organization of the fight against the infectious animal diseases, including common (zoonoses) diseases in animals and humans, is a universal problem for all states. Veterinary medicine is a branch of science that is engaged in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of animal diseases, studies the structure of the organism of animals and birds, the normal and pathological processes taking place in it, the causes of the occurrence of diseases, signs, methods of diagnosis, treatment and prevention.Prevention of zoonoses diseases and ensuring security of food expertise and food safety are also among the most important problems of veterinary medicine. That is, veterinary medicine is also responsible for the examination of food of animal origin and for its safety certification, as a result of which consumers will receive safe food, as well as the possibility of the fact of infection from animals and food to humans will be prevented. Therefore, the problem of providing the sector with qualified personnel becomes one of the priority directions for the society and the nation.

During the analysis of the needs removed as a result of the studies, some problems were recorded and revealed in the University, two of which are related to the implementation of veterinary education and the presented project:

1. Mismatch between professional training of university graduates and labor-market demand
2. Physical and moral wear of the material and technical base, necessary for strengthening capacities and skills, and in some cases – its complete absence.

Currently, during the training of veterinarians, the opportunity to develop practical skills is very important, which will be provided through the center.

The activities of the Veterinary Educational Excellence Center are aimed at the following target groups:

1. Students, teaching staff, master’s students, postgraduate students, researchers of relevant specialties of ANAU faculty and college.
2. Armenia’s farmers, veterinarians, food safety specialists, representatives of local structures engaged in research and prevention of animal diseases.
3. Other Beneficiaries.

The ANAU Veterinary Educational Excellence Center was established within the framework of the Innovations Competitive Fund grant projects with the financial support of the World Bank. The project of 2.6-years duration started on 01.08.2019 and was over on 20.03.2022. The project was implemented in 7 phases. For the implementation of the project, in accordance with the plan of predeveloped actions, the following works have been done:

The VEEC center will be the only center of excellence in the field of veterinary medicine operating in our republic, which will provide an opportunity for the students and employees of various branches of the University to carry out activities (experiments, practice, etc.) in a center equipped with the necessary professional equipment, thereby increasing the level of competitiveness of specialists in the inner and foreign labor market.

The innovative nature of the project:

• Theoretical and hands-on trainings will be held in the veterinary clinic, the student’s training will be carried out without being separated from the practical environment and conditions.
• The veterinary clinic will also provide services to the population, which will be a source of additional income for the University.
• The newly created simulation education department will be the only one of its kind in the field, where the training will form bioethical behavior in students, as well as will prepare them from the point of view of working with animals. It should be noted that, from the point of view of bioethical education at the university, no action has been taken and one of the most important conditions of modern education is the implementation of education on bioethical bases and the application of the principle of <<Heal without killing>>
• The veterinary clinic will serve not only for educational, but also for research purposes, where internal stakeholders will do their research.
• VEEC will be a unique uniting structure between the University and the structures, which are interested in veterinary medicine, animal infectious diseases and are involved in the study and prevention of biological risks, due to which the activities of the above-mentioned target groups will become closer, and as a result, finding and solving the problems of this field will be more systematic.

The expected outcomes are:

• To contribute to the provision of bioethical norms of education implemented at the University and its further promotion.
• To produce specialists with skills and abilities corresponding to the requirements of the labor market.
• To implement research works, to restore and expend the education-science connection.
• To strengthen the University and labor-market connection through unified scientific works, aimed at increasing the professionals’ trainings and qualifications.

During the implementation of the project, the following professional books were acquired, and you can contact the ANAU library to use them.