OIE standards and recommendations
for Veterinary Education and VSB’s and their
role in good governance
Dr Dietrich Rassow
Advisor Scientific and Technical Department
World Organisation for Animal Health
Agenda
I. Introduction
II. OIE Standards on Veterinary Education
III. OIE Recommendations on Veterinary Education
IV. OIE Standards on Veterinary Statutory Bodies
V. Summary
I. Introduction
 Performance of Veterinary Services >>> ability, skill and
qualification of human resources.
 Level of Veterinary Education >>> often not acceptable and
no or little control of the quality of the profession.
 OIE has been mandated by Members >>> global leadership
role in establishing the basic Veterinary Education
requirements for effective National Veterinary Services.
 Mandate >>> for educational requirements, rules and
obligations for the veterinary profession and their
implementation
3
II. OIE Standards on VE
•Chapter 3.1. on Veterinary services 
General organisation
- Article 3.1.2. (point 7)  descriptions of each
position within the Veterinary Services to include the
requirements for education, training, technical
knowledge and experience.
•Chapter 3.4 on Veterinary Legislation
- Article 3.4.6 (point 1.b)  definition of the
minimum initial and continuous educational
requirements for veterinarians and
veterinary para-professionals.
4
III. OIE Recommendations on VE (1)
• Developed by an Ad Hoc Group of
Deans, academicians and experts from
all regions between 2009 and 2011
• Commented by OIE member countries
and reviewed by OIE Terrestrial Code
Commission
• “Day 1 Competencies”= competencies
that new veterinary graduates need to
have to fulfil National Veterinary
Services tasks as defined by the OIE
• Comprises both public and private
sectors
III. OIE Recommendations on VE (2)
• Developed by the Ad Hoc group
between 2011 and 2012
• Available since Sep 2013
• Companion document to “Day 1
competencies”
• A model serving as a tool for developing
curricula
• Allows every flexibility to accommodate
vast differences
IV. OIE Standards on VSB (1)
Article 3.4.6: Veterinarians and veterinary paraprofessionals
Veterinary legislation should provide a definition of
veterinary medicine/science to address
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Prerogatives of veterinarians and of the various
categories of veterinary para-professionals
Minimum initial and continuous educational
requirements and competencies for veterinarians and
veterinary para-professionals
Conditions for recognition of the qualification for
veterinarians and veterinary para-professionals
Conditions to perform the activities of veterinary
medicine/science
Exceptional situations under which nonprofessionals may undertake professional activities.
IV. OIE Standards on VSB (2)
Article 3.4.6: Control of veterinarians and veterinary
para-professionals
Veterinary legislation should provide a regulatory basis
and therefor should
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
describe the general system of control
describe the various categories of veterinary paraprofessionals with their respective training,
qualification, tasks and extent of supervision.
prescribe the powers to deal with conduct and
competence issues including licensing requirements
Provide for the possibility of delegation of powers to
the VSB
Where powers have been so delegated, describe the
prerogatives, the functioning and responsibilities of
the mandated body.
IV. OIE Standards on VSB (3)
Article 3.2.12 deals with the Evaluation of a VSB and
provides an overview of the different elements of a VSB. An
evaluation would in particular consider the
1.
2.
legislative basis, autonomy and functional capacity
membership representation
3.
accountability and transparency of decision-making
4.
financial sources and financial management
5.
programmes for training and for continuous
professional development for veterinarians and
veterinary para-professionals
V. Summary (1)
10

OIE respects national and regional specifics in Veterinary
Education.

OIE provides recommendations to support improvement in
the training of veterinary competency.

OIE provides standards to ensure a regulatory basis for
the control of veterinarians.
V. Summary (2)
Applying OIE Standards and Recommendations on Veterinary
Education and VSB’s
 ensures quality in the delivery of professional services.
 increases credibility of the Veterinary Service.
 contributes to the development of good governance.
11/Item5
Thank you for your attention
Organisation mondiale
de la santé animale
World Organisation
for Animal Health
Organización Mundial
de Sanidad Animal
12
12 rue de Prony, 75017 Paris, France - www.oie.int – oie@oie.int
12