AVBC and the Veterinary Council of Ireland sign mutual recognition agreement

The AVA congratulates the Australasian Veterinary Boards Council (AVBC) on signing a mutual recognition agreement (MRA) with the Veterinary Council of Ireland (VCI). The MRA formalises current arrangements that allow reciprocal recognition of registration between veterinary graduates overseen by the two organisations.

This means graduates from all eight Australasian veterinary schools are eligible for registration by the VCI. Likewise, graduates holding a degree from University College Dublin (UCD) are recognised by AVBC member boards for purposes of registration.

The agreement provides the opportunity for the AVBC and VCI to take part in regular accreditation visitations to each other’s veterinary schools to ensure that they meet their respective accreditation criteria for veterinary education. These visitations may be carried out in conjunction with other international accreditation bodies such as the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA).

The AVBC ensures the quality of the Australian and New Zealand veterinary profession and oversees registration of veterinary graduates across these regions. In Ireland, VCI is the statutory body responsible for the regulation of the practise of veterinary medicine and veterinary nursing. The MRA will solidify the international relationship between the two bodies and support the international mobility of the veterinary profession.

Peter Gibbs, AVBC Chair, said, “We value the expertise of UCD graduates greatly and look forward to strengthening our bonds with the Veterinary Council of Ireland and the wider Irish veterinary profession in the years ahead.” Vivienne Duggan, VCI President and UCD Associate Professor said, “I am delighted to sign this Mutual Recognition Agreement with our AVBC Colleagues on behalf of the Veterinary Council of Ireland, enabling eligibility of veterinary medicine graduates from Australasia to come and work here In Ireland and creating routes of eligibility and access for our UCD veterinary medicine graduates to practise in Australasia.”