Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine (RUSVM) announced a partnership with Clarence Fitzroy Bryant College (CFBC), the leading post-secondary education provider on the island of St. Kitts. This agreement will establish a program of collaborative research to promote the advancement of science, technology and learning through student and fellowship research opportunities.
The agreement was signed February 26, 2019 at the CFBC campus. An initial area of research focus will be aquaponics, a system that combines aquaculture, or raising aquatic animals with hydroponics, cultivating plants in water. RUSVM and CFBC will conduct this research in collaboration with the Department of Marine Resources, with a goal of making St. Kitts and Nevis more food secure as a result of improvements in producing vegetables and fish for consumption.
“This is an excellent opportunity for Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine to invest in local students with a passion for research. Our collaborative approach will foster projects from which RUSVM, Clarence Fitzroy Bryant College and the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis will benefit,” said Sean Callanan, PhD, MVB, MRCVS, CertVR, DECVP, FRCPath, dean at RUSVM.
RUSVM prides itself on a learning environment that can prepare students to be practice-ready veterinarians in addition to becoming leaders in public and professional healthcare teams supported by a research-informed educational experience. Research is focused on advancing human and animal health through a One Health transdisciplinary approach. In 2018 RUSVM opened a 19,000 square-foot Research and Pathology Building to further enhance its research capabilities on St. Kitts, in the Caribbean, and globally, to facilitate multidisciplinary research collaborations and provide an academic platform for students and faculty to address pressing One Health issues — the interconnectivity of animal, human and environmental health.
“The CFBC values this partnership that will enhance our research capacity to strengthen our programs and student performance, as well as promote community outreach, which has been an important practice of CFBC,” said Leighton Naraine, PhD, MURP, MA, BA, Edu Cert, Director of Employee and Program Development at CFBC.
RUSVM and its parent company, Adtalem Global Education, continue their commitment to St. Kitts through their presence and community partnerships, which are intended to contribute to the overall well-being of the island nation.
