Priority 2

Develop a One Health block week course

Lead: David Hall

Progress: Successful launch of the University of Calgary One Health block week course in January 2018

The course ran again in August 2018 and 2019 and is a collaborative and intensive course involving faculty and students from across campus. It will run again online in January 2021.

Increase student attendance at One Health conferences

Progress: Hosted a series of workshops focused on growing self-awareness through the "Enneagram" that were attended by about 50 of our faculty and staff

Continue to contribute to the One Health literature

Progress: Plan to contribute to a special One Health issue in Frontiers in Veterinary Science, which builds on the One Health Case studies Book published in 2016.

Broaden One Health awareness

Lead: Sylvia Checkley

Progress: Re-launched the One Health/Global Health seminar series hosted by Ecosystem and Public Health department at UCVM with the aim to reach a broader target audience.

Develop a One Health Research Group

Lead: Sylvia Checkley

Progress: One Health Research Group formed. Group holds monthly journal club meetings and group meetings every other month. A One Health Journal Club for graduate students also meets monthly.

Submit One Health Research theme application

Lead: Herman Barkema

Progress: Application for funding submitted in November was successful, One Health has been selected by the University as a cross-cutting theme. UCVM has formed an Office of One Health that will bring researchers together from across the University of Calgary.

Highlight UCVM One Health activities online

Lead: 

Progress: Build public awareness of One Health in veterinary medicine through the creation of short educational videos that will be available on UCVM's website. Additional webpage content under construction.

Establish an advisory council with Stoney Nakoda First Nation

Lead: Susan Kutz, Cathy Wagg

Progress: Advisory council established with Stoney Nakoda First Nation to build relationships and advise on areas of collaboration and partnerships with UCVM. Partnership ceremony (through a sweat) with Stoney Nakoda First Nations in May 2018.

Establish a UCVM working group

Lead: Susan Kutz, Cathy Wagg

Progress: Open to all faculty, staff, graduate & undergraduate students who are interested. Have had three meetings so far.

Establish a policy for how UCVM works with Indigenous people with respect to animals

Lead: Tessa Baker and Cathy Wagg

Progress: Similar programs at other institutions have been examined for templates and ideas. Will be developed in tandem with a faculty-wide Indigenous Strategy. Progress on this item continues.

Developing relationships with Tsuut'ina and Siksika First Nations

Lead: Jean-Yin Tan

Progress: Equine General Practice Outreach Lab sessions have occurred with second year DVM students. A fourth year Equine rotation was developed and occurred in summer 2019. While the rotation with DVM students was not able to run in June 2020, Dr. Tan and a UCVM technician were still able to visit both locations to provide vaccinations and deworming to ensure there was no interruption in services.

Kairos Blanket Exercise

Lead: Tessa Baker and Cathy Wagg

Progress: Students and other participants of the Northern Community Health Rotation participated in the Kairos Blanket Exercise in January 2019 and February 2020. Additional participants from UCVM participated as well. Additional events will be planned once in person meetings are possible again.

Land Based Learning event

Lead: Cathy Wagg

Progress: Plan to set up a day in spring or summer 2020 when faculty and staff from UCVM can participate in a hands-on learning event with Stoney Nakoda. This is on hold for now.

Bring awareness to UCVM about seminars presented through the Office of Indigenous Engagement and other UCalgary events 

Lead: Tessa Baker and Cathy Wagg

Progress: The seminar “Connecting to the Indigenous Strategy: ii'taa'poh't'op” was presented by main campus Indigenous Engagement members at UCVM in May 2019. UCalgary seminars, workshops, and events, as well as other events off campus have been advertised through the UCVM Weekly Notices under "Indigenous Space" since June 2020.

Develop an Indigenous Strategy for UCVM

Lead: Tessa Baker, Susan Kutz, Cathy Wagg

Progress: Reached out to contacts in the Indigenous Strategy group at main campus for guidance on how to begin in winter 2019. Plans to move this forward are ongoing.

UCVM involvement in the Verna J. Kirkness Science and Engineering Program at University of Calgary

Lead: Hermann Schaetzl 

Progress: May 2018 was the first time the program had come to the University of Calgary. That year, UCVM engaged 10 high school students in veterinary medical research. The program returned in May 2019 and UCVM again took 10 students and involved them in various research experiences. The program for 2020 has been cancelled.

Stoney Nakoda elementary and high School outreach

Lead: Tessa Baker, Aylin Atilla, and Cathy Wagg

Progress: In the fall of 2018, a group from UCVM led an interactive day about veterinary medicine and animal health for school students at each of the elementary and high schools. Additional sessions occurred in May and November 2019 with great success. There are agreements with the schools to continue these outreach days twice a year (once in the fall and once in the spring), involving any UCVM faculty, staff, and students that are interested in participating. The spring 2020 session was cancelled, but the fall 2020 session will be done online.

Participation of Indigenous youth in UCVM Summer Camps

Lead: Cathy Wagg

Progress: One student participated in summer 2018. We hope to have increased participation in future summers through further engagement with local First Nation bands and schools. UCVM Vet Camp was held online in summer 2020. Because of the online platform, two students from the Sahtu Settlement Area were able to participate in 2020.

Development an Indigenous Student Admissions Policy for UCVM Admissions

Lead: Cathy Wagg, Susan Kutz, Aylin Atilla, and Tessa Baker

Progress: An admissions policy document was developed and presented to the UCVM Admissions Committee. The goals are to increase Indigenous representation in the veterinary profession and decrease barriers that Indigenous applicants face when applying to UCVM. Initial changes to the admissions process have been made for the 2021 admissions cycle, with additional changes to be implemented the following year.

Develop opportunities for parallel/shared educational experiences with Stoney Nakoda community

Lead: Cathy Wagg

Progress: Plan to organize knowledge exchange seminars around wildlife diseases and equine health at Morley in the summer of 2020. These will be moved online in the fall of 2020 instead.

Develop opportunities for shared learning more broadly

Lead: Susan Kutz

Progress: Community-Based Wildlife Health Monitoring 2018 and 2020 Field Investigation and Health Sampling workshops lead by the Kutz Lab brought participants from northern Canada to UCVM.

Development of 4th year Equine Community Outreach rotation

Lead: Jean-Yin Tan

Progress: Occurred for the first time in spring 2019 in collaboration with Siksika and Tsuu T'ina First Nations. Will occur again in spring 2020.

Continuation of existing community outreach rotations

Lead: Tessa Baker and Susan Kutz

Progress: Northern Community Health Rotation in the Sahtu Settlement Area ran for the 13th year in winter 2020 and will run again, with some modifications, in winter 2021. Additional community outreach opportunities are being sought and developed.

Gather information on current and future international activities at the University of Calgary

Lead: Jacob Thundathil

Progress:

• Brazil (Sao Paulo State University): Collaborative research projects on heat stress and bull fertility with potential for graduate and undergraduate exchange.
• India (Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University; KVASU): Memorandum of Understanding between KVASU and Academics without Borders (AWB) is under development for capacity development in Wildlife Anesthesia and Conservation Biology.
• India (Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University): An Memorandum of Understanding has been signed between GADVASU and UCVM to advance veterinary education and capacity development (supported by a donor and an OIE grant). UCVM faculty conducted a Teaching Academy workshop at GADVASU in Feb 2020. A 4th year Clinical Enrichment rotation has been developed with the plan to send students to GADVASU in April 2021.
• Bhutan: A research, graduate education, and capacity building collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Khesar Gyalpo University of Medical Sciences of Bhutan
• Vietnam (Hanoi University of Public Health): Collaborative research projects on water quality with graduate research and the potential for student exchanges.
• China: Baljit Singh has visited China Agricultural University; John Kastelic has done a scientific writing course; Special issue of Journal of Dairy Science; College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) is eager to expand the collaboration with a Linkage application between CVM-UCVM approved and a Memorandum of Understanding under review by the International Office on main campus; Developing a plan for joint graduate education; CVM is also interested in getting assistance with teaching and accreditation for the veterinary school program; Plan to establish a Joint virtual institute in One Health

Prioritize countries of interest

Lead: 

Progress: Identified countries of interest (Tanzania, India, Brazil, USA, Germany, Bhutan, Vietnam)

Prepare an international activities plan

Lead: 

Progress: Submitted an international activities plan to University of Calgary International

Engage with existing University of Calgary based programs and services which focus on international activities

Lead: 

Progress: Currently, Dr. Thundathil is participating in the Associate Deans Council on Internationalization and other internationalization meetings (within and external to UofC) to advance UCVM internationalization activities. In early 2020, on a trip organized by University of Calgary International, Dr. Thundathil visited the Head Office of the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities (APLU) in Washington DC, and discussed UCVM's internationalization activities with Eddie G. Gouge (Senior Director – Food and Agricultural Sciences) and Burrola Bernard (Director of APLU). 

Identify ongoing international activities at UCVM

Lead: 

Progress:

• Bhutan: Study in Canada Scholarship program (Cork and Hall)
• India: Chibbar family support for GADVASU student visits
• India: Academics Without Borders support for Kerala activities (Thundathil and Caulkett)
• China: Supported by China Agricultural University (Barkema)
• India: Twinning Veterinary Education (UCVM and GADVASU) with support from OIE

Identify internal funding opportunities

Lead: 

Progress: Confirmed funding for activities in India, and Germany

Other opportunities to be sought

Develop website and brochure type outreach materials to showcase UCVM international activities

Lead: Steering Committee

Progress: Website under construction

Engage with Foreign Affairs, International Trade, and other important government agencies

Lead: Dean's Office

Progress: Dr. Thundathil visited Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) office in Washington, DC and discussed UCVM's internationalization activities. Offices at the FAO office are happy to assist in linking us with FAO offices in our countries of interest.

Develop an administrative structure to coordinate international activities for the faculty in collaboration with University of Calgary International

Lead: Jacob Thundathil

Progress: The Associate Dean Internationalization (Jacob Thundathil) is supported by staff who provide administrative support for internationalization activities, support for international graduate student recruitment and visiting students, and HR support for visitors. This office is also supported by University of Calgary International on main campus.

Assess needs for Tier 1 and Tier 2 priority countries

Lead: Jacob Thundathil

Progress: We have discontinued the emphasis on specific countries within the identified "countries of interest" and are moving forward on the basis of opportunities. 

Complete linkage applications for Tier 1 priority countries and collaborate with University of Calgary International to develop country-specific agreements 

Lead: Jacob Thundathil

Progress:

• Memorandum of Understanding established with GADVASU in India
• A linkage application has been signed with the China Agricultural University College of Veterinary Medicine and a Memorandum of Understanding is under review with the International Office on main campus
• A linkage application is under development with the Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University in India 

Implement country-specific activities involving undergraduates, graduate students and faculties for promoting the diversity of our campus, cross-cultural competence, collaboration in research and education, and international development

Lead: Steering Committee

Progress:

• Activities involving undergraduate students (DVMs) are occurring in Ludhiana, India
• Research activities involving graduate students and faculty are occurring in Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brazil, China, Ethiopia, Germany, Japan, UK, USA, and Vietnam

Develop general, as well as country specific, metrics to monitor success of international activities for each Tier 1 and Tier 2 priority country

Lead: Steering Committee

Progress: To be determined

Review activities in priority countries and countries of interest annually

Lead: Steering Committee

Progress: On going

Identify countries of interest for one-on-one collaboration

Lead:

Identified countries of interest (Tanzania, India, Brazil, USA, Germany, Bhutan, Vietnam)

Developed a Memorandum of Understanding for partners in Tanzania and India

Assess needs for one-on-one collaborations

Lead:

In progress in a number of countries

Develop a plan to provide support for identified needs

Lead: Jacob Thundathil

In progress