Training solutions tailored by the region, for the region

To ensure essential training for animal health professionals is available where and when it is needed most, the EuFMD has partnered with FAO decentralized offices in Southern Africa, Asia-Pacific and East Africa to establish three regional Virtual Learning Centers (VLCs). The idea behind Virtual Learning Centers was a way to transfer the competences required to develop and deliver online training from EuFMD to FAO regional offices. This approach aims to increase regional capacity to train professionals and to ensure courses offered are in line with the training needs of the countries in the target regions.

VLCs allow large and geographically disparate audiences to be trained at a low cost without having to travel from their duty stations. This enhances regional capacity, keeping the training needs of countries in the target regions. The end result is to strengthen the specific capacities that public and private veterinary services and frontline animal health professionals need to prepare for, detect and respond to outbreaks of foot-and-mouth and similar transboundary animal diseases (FAST).

VLCs also provide a platform to promote and organize regional virtual events and strengthen networks by assisting in the planning and coordination of regional activities against FAST diseases, such as surveillance, early warning systems, reporting and notification, and response to disease emergencies and progressive control.

The digital engagement and networking aims to allow improved capacity of veterinary and other animal health professionals to deliver better quality services.

Digital Engagement

The VLCs base their course delivery on an open source platform, a Learning Management System that enables educators to create personalized learning environments filled with dynamic courses that facilitate learning, anytime, anywhere and on any device.

Following EuFMD’s virtual learning settings, VLCs provide a combination of self-learning materials, live training sessions and online tutored discussion forums that enable the creation of a network among students and teachers.