Universities unite for One Health research and teaching exchange in Ireland
Kansas State University Iowa State University and University College Dublin have formed a new partnership to advance veterinary medicine and global research. Leaders from all three universities signed a Memorandum of Cooperation and Understanding on August 22 during the One Health Ag Tech Summit in Ireland. The collaboration links the colleges of veterinary medicine and promotes academic exchange teaching and research across borders.
"This partnership will provide tremendous value to our College of Veterinary Medicine," said Beth Davis, interim dean of the K-State College of Veterinary Medicine. "As a next-generation land-grant university, forging important partnerships like this helps our K-State veterinary medicine students, researchers and faculty members to do good in Kansas and across the world. We look forward to working with our collaborators at Iowa State University and University College Dublin."
The agreement supports faculty and staff exchanges joint teaching activities and shared professional development. It opens pathways for undergraduate and graduate students to study or conduct research across the three campuses. The partners will organize symposia conferences short courses and other meetings that focus on timely academic and industry topics. They also plan joint research projects continuing education programs and regular information sharing about student development teaching and research.
University leaders emphasized how the partnership will benefit students and communities. K State leaders noted that global experience strengthens learning and service at home. Iowa State highlighted the importance of international cooperation to address antimicrobial resistance which affects animals people plants and the environment. University College Dublin called the signing the culmination of valued collaboration to improve student learning.
"Today's agreement signing is the culmination of highly valued collaborative efforts from all institutions involved to further enhance the educational experience for our students," said University College Dublin President Orla Feely.
The One Health Ag Tech Summit hosted by Enterprise Ireland connected nearly 90 researchers faculty members industry leaders and entrepreneurs from the United States and Ireland from August 20 to 23. The summit spotlighted shared strengths in animal health digital agriculture and the One Health approach which recognizes the linked health of people animals plants and ecosystems. Sessions included roundtables industry panels site visits and best practice exchanges to encourage long term partnerships.
K State participants included senior leaders and researchers in veterinary medicine engineering and agronomy underscoring the universitys work in animal health and digital agriculture. Together the three universities aim to translate classroom and laboratory discoveries into real world impact while giving students valuable international experience.