Dundalk Institute of Technology (DkIT) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Veterinary Specialists Ireland.
Established in 2019 by Laura Cuddy and Turlough McNally, Veterinary Specialists Ireland provides advanced specialist care to small animals on the island of Ireland.
The state-of-the-art small animal hospital is based in Summerhill, Co. Meath.
Veterinary Specialists Ireland staff participate in residency training, research programmes and continued professional development workshops for referring veterinary professionals.
Partnership
The three year partnership, which is part of DkIT’s corporate partnership programme, will involve Veterinary Specialists Ireland engaging with the college’s careers and employability centre, including student work placements.
The MOU will explore the development of a Veterinary Specialists Ireland graduate programme at DkIT and using the expertise of the company to support course and curriculum development at the college.
The partnership will consider the potential for scholarship opportunities for students in the Department of Agriculture, Food (DAFM) and at DkIT.
Staff from Veterinary Specialists Ireland will also have guest lecturing opportunities.
DkIT
Commenting on the partnership, Dr. Siobhán N. Jordan, head of the Department of Agriculture, Food and Animal Health at DkIT said:
“I’m delighted to cement this three-year partnership with Veterinary Specialists Ireland, and I know it will be extremely beneficial to DkIT’s Veterinary Nurse Students and graduates.
“We continuously strive to engage with innovative and specialist industries to ensure our students are exposed to highly advanced animal care knowledge and practices and this partnership will further strengthen our current animal health educational programmes,” she said.
Laura Cuddy and Turlough Mc Nally founders of Veterinary Specialist Ireland said that they are pleased to collaborate with DkIT.
“We place engagement with education, research and innovation at the core of our strategy and see a key role for its support for the strategic development of the organisation in Ireland,” they said.