UCD School of Veterinary Medicine Celebrates the Conferring of over 170 Graduates

Virtual Conferring Ceremony Takes Place for New Graduates

The UCD School of Veterinary Medicine was delighted to confer over 170 graduates on 15th June 2021 with undergraduate and graduate qualifications from a range of programmes: Bioveterinary Science, Veterinary Medicine, Veterinary Nursing, Graduate Certificate in Small Animal Medicine, Masters and Doctorates. We were also joined by graduates from Veterinary Public Health and Food Regulatory Affairs programmes, which are jointly run with the University of Ulster.  As Ireland’s ‘global university,’ UCD is proud to have many nationalities represented in the ceremony - graduands in the Class of 2021 come from countries across Europe, North America and Asia.  The annual conferring ceremony is always one of the highlights of the School’s calendar, but due to the current COVID-19 related restrictions, it took place as a virtual event this year.

Professor Michael Doherty, Dean & Head of the School of Veterinary Medicine, opened the ceremony by welcoming the graduates and their families and friends to today’s event.  He noted that graduation day is normally ‘a celebration of your academic achievements and recognition of your clinical training. It is normally a wonderful class occasion - when you and your families can embrace one another and share a very special day. However, we are all together in spirit, the length and breadth of Ireland, in mainland Europe, Great Britain or across the wild Atlantic in the US and Canada. Never before has our school maxim - Comhsláinte – Comhleas-  ‘One Health-One Welfare’ / - been more appropriate.  We salute the extraordinary resilience that you - the class of 2021 has shown in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic and we are very proud of you.’

Addressing the Class of 2021, Mr Charlie McConalogue, TD, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, noted that despite being a virtual ceremony, ‘you can and must celebrate your success wherever you are in the world, and hopefully where you are, joined by your families and friends.’  and ‘The opportunities that arise out of your education are endless and I know you are going to use your learnings and experiences from your time in UCD to make a huge benefit to the veterinary world and to our society’. Minister McConalogue also highlighted that this group of graduates ‘will be remembered as the year that overcame such a huge uncertainty and dealt with all the adversities that were thrown at you.’ In relation to the ‘overarching principle of One Health’, the Minister stressed ‘a greater coming together of the World Health Organisation, the OIE and the FAO’, and also emphasised that ‘one of the strategic themes of the UCD’s strategic plan is building a healthy world, which acknowledges the multi-dimensional nature of this challenge, which as a university, you are well-equipped to bring together the necessary disciplines to advance this theme.’

Also speaking at the virtual conferring ceremony, Dr Martin Blake, Chief Veterinary Officer, Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and UCD alumnus noted that this year’s graduation was ‘a day to pause and reflect on a job well done’, and ‘a day to celebrate your success, with your colleagues and families’. Dr Blake highlighted that ‘veterinary graduates are dependent upon to ensure that animals, as sentient beings are appropriately treated within our societies - but also much more - to use your expertise to assist society as a whole in the context of One World, One Health and One Welfare.’ Dr Blake also emphasised that as graduates, ‘you have been equipped with expertise and a multitude of skills, by which you can add very significant value to society by casting your influence widely across the One Health, One Welfare landscape.’

Dr Joe Moffitt, President of the Veterinary Council of Ireland, congratulated the graduating class of 2021. Speaking of the vital roles of the veterinary professional, Dr Moffitt remarked ‘as veterinary professionals, you have a crucially important and unique role to play as custodians of animal welfare, and translators of the animal’s condition to the outside world. A personal sense of integrity and  commitment  to  ensuring that high professional and clinical standards are upheld is paramount. In signing the Veterinary Council of Ireland Oath, you undertake to uphold the integrity of the profession and promote the welfare of animals. We, in the Council, look forward to welcoming many of you into the veterinary professions.’

Other speakers include:

• Professor Andrew Deeks, UCD President
• Professor Cecily Kelleher, College Principal, UCD College of Health and Agricultural Sciences
• Sarah Barry, UCD School of Veterinary Medicine Class of 2021, MVB (Veterinary Medicine) Student Representative
• Laura Keogh, UCD School of Veterinary Medicine Class of 2021, MVB (Veterinary Medicine) Student Representative
• David Penny, UCD School of Veterinary Medicine Class of 2021, Veterinary Nursing Student Representative
• Tharsciaa Vimalarajah, UCD School of Veterinary Medicine Class of 2021, MVB (Veterinary Medicine) Student Representative

The UCD School of Veterinary Medicine is the only school of Veterinary Medicine on the island of Ireland.   Accredited by the European Association of Establishments for Veterinary Education (EAEVE), the Veterinary Council of Ireland (VCI) and most recently by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, the School’s MVB degree programme is one of a small number in Europe fully accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA).  Its track record in education is second to none and its excellence in teaching & learning, clinical and research work is widely recognised - Veterinary Science in UCD is currently ranked at 23rd in the world, according to the QS World University Subject Ranking.

Enquiries to Xuefang Alterman, Communications Manager, UCD School of Veterinary Medicine: xuefang.alterman@ucd.ie