News

On October 24–25, leading representatives of veterinary education from the Nordic and Baltic countries gathered in Helsinki to discuss the increase in student numbers and its impact on teaching. Representing the Estonian University of Life Sciences’ Institute of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, curriculum manager Kristel Peetsalu, senior specialist Külli Kõrgesaar, and director Toomas Tiirats participated in the meeting. Delegates from Finland, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Lithuania, and Latvia were also present.

Student numbers in the Nordic countries are on the rise – in Finland, places will increase from 70 to 90, and in Norway from 70 to 110–120. In light of this development, the need to innovate teaching methods and group management was highlighted. In her presentation, Nina Katajavuori emphasized that ready-made solutions are still lacking, but students could be more engaged by giving them responsibility for their learning and the opportunity to evaluate peer work. The use of AI for feedback, virtual labs, simulations, and group supervision for thesis writing were also discussed.

Sweden has introduced a student-led clinic model, allowing students to manage simpler cases from start to finish. A grant of SEK 30 million was allocated to SLU’s veterinary clinic to support this innovative approach.

The meeting also covered topics such as sustainability and AI ethics. Additionally, it was suggested that more pedagogical training could be provided for support staff to enhance the quality of teaching.