New Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery course to be launched at ATU

ATU is to launch a new Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery (BVMS) programme.

The program will primarily take place at ATU Donegal, in collaboration with ATU Mountbellew, Galway. Students enrolled in the BVMS program are expected to spend up to two semesters on the Mountbellew farm, where they will engage with local veterinary practices. Meanwhile, other teaching and clinical facilities will be based at the Donegal campus.

ATU is working towards meeting regulatory and validation requirements for an initial intake of 30 students in September 2025, with plans to increase this to 40 students in subsequent years. Additionally, SETU anticipates welcoming its first cohort of 40 students in 2026.

Speaking at the National Ploughing Championships in Ratheniska, Co Laois, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue, announced the plans.

“€25 million of the €50 million to establish the Letterkenny-Mountbellew school and the school at SETU Waterford is coming from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine,” he commented.

“I have worked closely with the Atlantic Technological University in Letterkenny over the last two years, and I congratulate all involved in the process. It is a significant development for third-level education in the North West, and for agriculture in the region as well.

“The clinical part of the veterinary course will be provided in Letterkenny, while the practical side will be delivered in collaboration with Mountbellew Agricultural College in Galway. There will be 40 places available on the course each year for five years, so when the programme is fully developed, 200 students will be taking part. I look forward to ATU working towards the commencement of the courses in 2025.

“Farmers and food producers rely on world-class expertise to ensure the health and welfare of our livestock, which underpins the quality and sustainability of our agri-food sector. These new veterinary schools will provide the skilled professionals we need to support our rural communities and address the evolving challenges facing agriculture, from animal health to food safety and climate change.

“The establishment of these schools will also help promote a better regional spread of educational and professional opportunities. Both new schools will be in strategic areas in the country which will foster collaboration with regional agricultural industries, ensuring that the benefits of this initiative extend across the country.

President of ATU, Dr Orla Flynn, welcomed the announcement: "We are immensely proud that Atlantic Technological University has been chosen as a second institution in Ireland to offer Veterinary Medicine. The new veterinary school will play a pivotal role in ensuring that Ireland has the veterinary workforce it needs to support its vibrant farming, food and animal health sectors. On behalf of ATU, I would like to thank Minister O'Donovan, Minister McConalogue, and the Higher Education Authority for their unwavering support in making this vision a reality. This announcement is not only a testament to the confidence placed in ATU but also a significant boost for the West and Northwest, creating new educational and economic opportunities. The impact of this new veterinary school will be far-reaching, benefiting both the veterinary profession and the agricultural and food industries for generations to come."

The new BVMS programme will be delivered through a dual-campus model, primarily based at ATU Donegal in conjunction with Mountbellew Agricultural College. This innovative approach will allow students to benefit from ATU’s cutting-edge facilities, practical experience in rural environments, and a strong focus on large-animal care, an area in which Ireland faces particular shortages. Subject to programme validation and other required approvals, ATU aims to commence this programme in September 2025 with an initial intake of 30 students.

Dr Joanne Gallagher, Head of the Faculty of Science and Health at ATU Donegal, who led the bid, highlighted the programme's potential to transform education provision in the region and support the veterinary profession nationally: “The provision, by ATU, of new opportunities to study Veterinary Medicine in Ireland will enhance the accessibility of veterinary education, allowing students from all over Ireland to study here and make an immediate impact across all areas of veterinary medicine. We are confident that the graduates of this programme will help alleviate the challenges currently facing the profession."

The veterinary profession in Ireland is currently facing several challenges, including an aging workforce in rural areas and difficulties in retaining veterinarians in clinical practice. The introduction of ATU’s Veterinary Medicine programme will directly address these issues by offering more local training opportunities and increasing the supply of skilled veterinarians. Graduates will be work-ready, with a strong understanding of rural veterinary practice, ensuring that the veterinary industry can continue to meet the growing demands of Ireland’s agricultural and farming sectors.

Senator Nikki Bradley, Fine Gael’s General Election candidate in Donegal said that the new course will help address shortages of vets in rural Ireland.

“I am absolutely delighted to see ATU and Donegal chosen for a new veterinary programme,” she said. "ATU is a fantastic third-level provider that has contributed so much to the local community. ATU's new veterinary programme will be a dual-campus programme delivered primarily at ATU Donegal in collaboration with ATU Mountbellew, where two semesters will be taught.

“Other teaching and learning activities, including the programme's clinical facilities, will be located on the Donegal campus.

“For years, students who did not get accepted into the programme in UCD were forced to travel abroad. The addition of this new programme will allow more students who wish to study veterinary medicine to stay in Ireland to get their degree.

“We know farmers and vets in rural Ireland are under severe pressure, and having a new programme in Donegal will help ease some of that stress. The introduction of this programme is a major milestone for rural Ireland and particularly the Northwest.

“We will hopefully see students beginning the veterinary course in Donegal in September 2025. Fine Gael are listening to farmers and vets across rural Ireland, and we hope this new veterinary programme will go a long way in helping rural communities.”

Her running partner John McNulty, Fine Gael candidate for Donegal, praised the initiative, stating: “This new programme is a fantastic development for our region.

"I recently met with members of Donegal IFA, and a shortage of support for veterinary practices was a real concern discussed. This programme will provide valuable educational opportunities, support local veterinary practices, and shows a real commitment to creating pathways for future professionals in Donegal.”