New £40m veterinary school champions diversity to support a resilien

The University of Central Lancashire has officially opened the UK’s eleventh school of veterinary medicine with a mission to create confident, skilled and compassionate professionals from a wide range of backgrounds.

The University of Central Lancashire is confident its prestigious new development will strengthen its position nationally and reinforce its position as one of Lancashire’s anchor institutions and a with an annual contribution to the local economy of more than £300m Gross Value Added (GVA).

Designed to be world-class, with state-of-the-art facilities, the school emphasises practical, hands-on learning and incorporates immersive and simulated clinical learning environments.

Prof Graham Baldwin, vice-chancellor of the University of Central Lancashire, said: “This is another very special moment in our story and the start of an exciting new chapter.

"By establishing the first school of veterinary medicine in our county, and the second in our region, the University of Central Lancashire is proud that its new £40m investment can start making a real difference to help such an important profession.

“I’m proud that from day one our new school will have a special focus on the emotional well-being and professional skills of students, supporting them to navigate complex challenges throughout a demanding but rewarding career caring for and treating animals.

“Widening participation is something our university is renowned for. Via our School of Veterinary Medicine’s new admissions policy and our own position as a top 20 institute for social mobility, we’ll be better positioned to select and train future veterinary professionals who understand the challenges of the communities they serve whether that be in urban, rural or farming communities.“

The veterinary profession isn’t nearly as diverse as it could be with only around four per cent of vets being Black or people of colour, compared to 18 per cent of people in the UK population overall. Additionally, Veterinary medicine scores in the lowest three subject areas for social mobility with a majority of veterinary students coming from fee paying or selective school backgrounds.

Prof Baldwin added: "It’s well known that if people can see representation of themselves within a profession, they’ll be inspired to follow a similar pathway. We want to break down barriers and make education accessible to all."

Students who choose Lancashire’s first vet school will be taught in a purpose built 50,000 square feet building which will act as the base for students and staff.

High-specification facilities within the new building include simulated consultation rooms, operating theatres, diagnostic suites, dental rooms, a physiotherapy suite and a dedicated area for kennels.

Additionally, x-ray, ultrasound and diagnostic facilities have been provided, along with a hydrotherapy treadmill and physiotherapy suite for the rehabilitation of dogs and a microscopy laboratory.

The University of Central Lancashire’s new vet school also boasts an 'Immersive Room' in the building which is equipped with interactive/projected walls and smells.

It’s the only university vet school in the country to have this facility, and potentially one of only two in the world. This commitment to authentic real-world learning is carried throughout the design of the teaching facilities.

Dr Heather Bacon OBE, dean of veterinary medicine at the University of Central Lancashire, is passionate that the new school will support success in veterinary education and practice by working to support access to education for students from communities that are under-represented in veterinary education.

She said: "We want to open the doors to a fulfilling career in veterinary medicine and allied animal health sciences.

“We believe the work of veterinary professionals is important in all communities, and veterinary surgeons are better able to work with people when they truly understand the challenges faced by them.

“Recruiting and supporting a diversity of veterinary students is important to ensuring success of the role of the vet in a wide range of workplaces, providing a contextualised spectrum of care to veterinary patients and clients, and hopefully addressing some of the retention challenges the profession faces.

“Our unique curriculum focusses on embedding wellbeing strategies and supporting students to develop the skills they need to deal with the ethical, financial and communication challenges that are reported to be significant stressors in the veterinary workforce.”

The University of Central Lancashire School of Veterinary Medicine’s admissions process considers challenges including:

If you are from an area of relative disadvantage
If you are from an area with lower rates of participation in higher education
If you have spent time in the care system or as a young carer
If you are first in family to attend higher education or received free school meals
If you are from a military background
If you are from the travelling community
If you hold refugee status

The launch event on Monday 23 June 2025 is kindly being sponsored by MediVet and IVC Evidensia.