Cornell and the City University of Hong Kong have signed a memorandum of understanding to establish the terms of a collaboration for the creation of the first veterinary medicine academic program in Hong Kong.

Under the prospective collaboration agreement, Cornell's College of Veterinary Medicine would provide in-depth and ongoing advice and guidance to City University in the planning, establishment, operation and evaluation of the new school of veterinary medicine, with the goal of securing international accreditation in the future.

The school will offer a six-year, post high school bachelor of veterinary medicine (B.V.M.) degree, granted by the City University of Hong Kong. Cornell and City University expect this school to serve as an international center of excellence in veterinary medicine in Asia. The international collaboration is motivated by a growing awareness of the need to develop strong programs in veterinary public health as a response to the increasing global threats of zoonotic diseases and of outbreaks of food and water-borne diseases.

The school of veterinary medicine will be housed at new and renovated academic and small-animal clinical facilities on the City University of Hong Kong campus as well as leveraging other supporting farm and large-animal clinical facilities in Hong Kong. Plans are under way to develop in mainland China a food animal and regulatory medicine clinic, which would serve as a satellite teaching facility. When appropriate and possible, City University's B.V.M. students may also participate in specialty training at the veterinary college in Ithaca.

"Cornell has a long history of innovation in veterinary medicine," said Michael I. Kotlikoff, Cornell's Austin O. Hooey Dean of Veterinary Medicine, noting that Cornell granted the first doctor of veterinary medicine degree in the United States in 1876 to Daniel E. Salmon, who became the first U.S. chief veterinary officer at the U.S. Department of Agriculture and who identified salmonella, which bears his name.

"We are proud to have the opportunity to assist an international partner in the development of a model program that will meet ever-increasing societal needs to protect animal health, relieve animal suffering, conserve livestock resources, promote public health and advance modern medical knowledge," Kotlikoff said.

The proposed project, already endorsed by City University's Management Board and Faculty Senate, will provide veterinary education in English and will include the full breadth and depth of veterinary education adopted at the world's leading institutions of veterinary education.

The plan is to accept 30 students in 2012, increasing the student class size to 50 by the time the first graduation takes place in 2018.