University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy in Košice commemorated the 75th anniversary of its foundation
On Wednesday, 30 October 2024, the University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy in Košice commemorated the 75th anniversary of its foundation with a festive meeting of the academic community. On this occasion, representatives of Slovak and Czech universities, representatives of the academic community, as well as representatives of local government, state administration and social life met in the UVLF auditorium.
The festive assembly of the academic community was chaired by the Rector of the University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy in Košice Jozef Nagy, Vice-Rector for Education Martin Tomko, Vice-Rector for Science, Research, Doctoral Studies and Internationalisation Jana Koščová, Vice-Rector for School Development and Quality Assessment Zuzana Kostecká, Vice-Rector for Clinical Activities and Liaison with Practice Boris Vojtek and the President of the Academic Senate Slavomír Marcinčák. It was also attended by the chairman of the Board of Trustees Miroslav Martinček, the bursar of the university Róbert Schréter and the chairman of the basic organisation of the Trade Union of Education and Science Workers at the university Štefan Fedorčák.
"The general objective in the long-term plan of our university is to maintain the level of research, development and creative activity to match the university of European standard. To ensure continuity of development in developing the One World - One Health concept by linking veterinary and human medicine, food hygiene, environment and pharmacy. And to strengthen excellent research, development and innovation and their use in the teaching process," emphasised Jozef Nagy, Rector of the UVMP, in his speech.
He recalled the historical context that led to the establishment of the only university of its kind in our country. Slovakia was an agricultural country before World War II, but there was a lack of adequate veterinary care. Slovak students received their education at Czech universities. When they were closed with the onset of fascism in November 1938, they were unable to complete their studies. The proposal to create a Slovak veterinary college failed at that time. The war years shifted our agriculture out of its optimum position. The situation in livestock production was very complicated. Significant troop movements meant that livestock farms were threatened by several diseases. Especially in the east of the country, there was a lack of industry and the population was dependent on agriculture. Later on, the establishment of unified peasant cooperatives complicated the situation, as it brought uncontrolled movements and the chaotic concentration of animals in communal farms, making the disease situation even more complicated. The numbers of veterinarians stagnated during the war, but the tasks for the profession grew.
The University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy (UVMP) is the only university in Slovakia that provides veterinary education and one of two that provide pharmacy studies. For three quarters of a century, it has been co-creating the image of Eastern Slovakia as a region with high quality professional, scientific and pedagogical background, but at the same time it closely and firmly connects it with the European educational and research area. It has a stable place in our higher education system and has managed to achieve significant success at European level.
"We consider membership of the European Association of Veterinary Training Institutions to be a significant milestone. We were one of the first schools in the former Eastern Bloc to volunteer for the evaluation. We thus became a pioneer in engaging in the process of international accreditation, which we have already undergone several times. We obtained the status of approval and accreditation, which until then only 11 European universities out of a total of 96 had. We have joined the elite club of schools from Austria, Denmark, the Netherlands, Finland, Switzerland, Great Britain, Norway, Belgium and Hungary," said Jozef Nagy, Rector of UVLF. "The beginning of teaching foreign students in English shortly after the Velvet Revolution and already in the academic year 1991/1992 significantly influenced the creation of the international reputation and image of our university abroad. These facts also led the Norwegian Nord University in Bodø to establish a joint study programme in animal science. However, we also look beyond Europe and in 2018 our university became a provisional member of the American Association of Veterinary Faculties, thus beginning to raise its profile within the American continent. If we want to break through abroad, we need to succeed at home. This year, the Slovak Accreditation Agency for Higher Education decided that our internal quality system and its implementation is in line with the standards."
On the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the founding of the University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy in Košice, the Rector of the University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy in Košice honoured his closest collaborators. He awarded commemorative plaques to organizations that have significantly contributed to the development of the University - selected universities and faculties, professionally close organizations and partners from the external environment as an expression of appreciation and recognition for fruitful cooperation and significant contribution to the development of higher education and science.