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A partnership between the veterinary colleges at Iowa State, Kansas State and University College Dublin will foster collaboration vital to addressing global health issues.
The presidents of Iowa State University, Kansas State University and University College Dublin signed a memorandum of cooperation and understanding Aug. 22 to establish an academic exchange program and foster research collaboration between the three colleges of veterinary medicine.
The agreement follows a two-day One Health and Ag Tech Summit held in conjunction with the Aer Lingus College Football Classic in Dublin, Ireland. University leaders, industry partners and government officials met to discuss innovations in precision farming, the One Health initiative and global response to antimicrobial resistance, as well as economic development opportunities between universities and industry.
Iowa State has a long history of engagement with One Health. Dr. Dan Grooms, the Dr. Stephen G. Juelsgaard Dean of Veterinary Medicine at Iowa State, says the opportunity for collaboration on a global level is vital for addressing issues such as antimicrobial resistance.
"Antimicrobial resistance impacts animals, humans, the environment and plants. There are valuable perspectives that come from conversations with people around the world to understand how we combat antimicrobial resistance," Grooms said. "The practicalities of what can and cannot be done are different in other countries, which is why we must think of this at a global level."
Grooms says the agreement will build on the relationship the university has with University College Dublin. Iowa State's Qijing Zhang, the Clarence Hartley Covault Distinguished Professor and the Dr. Roger and Marilyn Mahr Chair in One Health, is currently working on a research initiative with faculty in Dublin. The two universities also have an established exchange program for students in agriculture and related fields.
