25 Jun 2025
Officials say details of meeting with veterinary and student leaders restated previous commitments, while union officials claimed the unity of staff and students had prevented even more drastic action.
Allister Webb
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University of Cambridge School of Veterinary Medicine © Mr Ignavy. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 (edited with AI)
Veterinary sector leaders say they have been reassured about the future of a major UK training programme following talks with education chiefs.
Student representatives have also welcomed the discussions between University of Cambridge bosses and senior figures from both the BVA and Association of Veterinary Students (AVS), which were made public at the weekend.
But while they also expressed optimism at the current direction, union officials warned they are “prepared to step in” if the situation deteriorates again.
The future of the Cambridge programme has been under scrutiny for several months due to both financial concerns and the conditional accreditation granted by the RCVS last November.
In the spring, the BVA also demanded “urgent” talks with university bosses amid fears that future admissions could be halted altogether.
While that idea was subsequently rejected by the university, the vet school still faces a fresh accreditation assessment this autumn.
But the BVA has now told members that it and the AVS “secured reassurances from the university that it remains committed to the long-term future of the vet school” during a recent meeting.
The update, from its newsletter, said the university was also “working to address” the college’s recommendations ahead of the new inspection.
It added: “We know the ongoing uncertainty is difficult for Cambridge students, alumni and staff, as well as the wider profession; however, the undergraduate course remains accredited and it’s clear the university is taking steps to ensure its future.”
The BVA declined to add anything to the update, which was made public through a post on the AVS Facebook page, when approached by Vet Times, while the University of Cambridge said the meeting had reiterated previous statements on the issue.
But the AVS called the development “excellent news”, while the British Veterinary Union (BVU) said it hoped the comments were a signal that the school was “here to stay”.
It argued that the collective stance of unions, staff and students on the admissions issue had “managed to change plans that sought to close the vet school”.
Its statement added: “Cambridge University Unite and the BVU are prepared to step in whenever necessary and will continue to offer support to students and staff in our branches.”
