Historical Background
The College of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences (CVMAS) is one of the well organized colleges in the University of Gondar. It was inaugurated in 2003 as the first Faculty of Veterinary Medicine in the Amhara region where livestock is an integral part of the major agricultural practice. It was established to produce competent graduates to fulfill the national gap for skilled veterinarians, pharmacists and animal science experts. The college comprises five undergraduate and 18 postgraduate programs (13 MSc and 5 PhD). Among the undergraduate programs, the Veterinary Pharmacy program is the first in its kind in the country launched to produce competent Veterinary Pharmacists.
Partnership and internationalization is the strategy of the college and as a result implements veterinary education twinning, online digital platform and summer one health certificate programs in partnership with the US Universities (Ohio and Iowa State Universities) in order to produce day-one competent veterinarians that may realize the global standard set by the World Animal Health Organization to support the National Veterinary Services, which is critical for the well-being of the country’s human and animal populations.
The college strives for quality education, research and community engagement and works to address issues of globalization and changes in scenarios such as food security, one health, biosecurity, transboundary animal diseases, exotic animal, disease control, breed improvement, economic, entrepreneurship, information technology and food safety. The community services activities of the college includes treatment animals brought to the veterinary clinic, vaccination of dogs, minor and complicated surgery, vaccination of dogs in campaign with CDC-US project. Treatment and welfare management of equines in Gondar and surrounding districts with SPANA-UK project. Dairy development project supported by ministry of Innovation and Technology and Amhara regional government in East and West Dembia districts. Provision of milk , egg and poultry meat to the university of gondar staffs and hospital patients from the teachin and research animal farm run by the college.
The college has six departments, one teaching veterinary hospital, one animal farm and developing research and community based centers in different agroecological zones of the University of Gondar geographical areas
After four years of the DVM program another new undergraduate program in animal production and extension was launched in 2007. The college in addition to the training program animal farm was established with support of DIF project fundrd by the World Bank which is used as teaching laboratory, community services and research purposes. Since academic staffs were increased in number and qualifications post graduate program was started in 2008 in MPH-VPH program in collaboration with GCMHS and the OSU, USA. The postgraduate programs further expanded based on the need assessment survey about five programs at MSc level. The research and postgraduate interest was increased further and a PhD program was launched in 2019 in two programs and further increased into 4 programs in 2021. Still the demand is increased and the university was categorized as a research university the one PhD program launched in 2022. Accordingly, considerable numbers of staff are well equipped and the teaching and research laboratories are going well in fulfilling the facilities for the target of interest expected.
Vision
The vision of the college is to become among the top 10 African research universities in Veterinary and Animal Science in research and quality education by 2030.
Mission
The mission of the College of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences is to provide effective veterinary and animal science manpower and expertise, take part in the improvement and upholding of animal and human health and wellbeing through veterinary and animal science education, undertaking applied research, and rendering community service in the field of veterinary medicine, pharmacy and animal sciences. Consequently cohesive in job creation and entrepreneurship confidence graduates of international standards in quality education, problem solving research and highly motivated community service engagement.