The veterinary degree offered by Harper and Keele Veterinary School was approved by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) Council at its meeting last week.
The approval of the vet school’s BVetMS degree means that, pending its final recognition by the Privy Council, those who complete the degree at Harper and Keele will automatically be eligible to join the RCVS Register of Veterinary Surgeons and practise in the UK.
The veterinary school is a collaboration between Harper Adams University in Shropshire and Keele University in Staffordshire, and the BVetMS is the first UK veterinary degree to receive RCVS accreditation since the University of Surrey’s in 2019, as well as the first based in the West Midlands region.
The final accreditation visitation for the degree took place in May 2025 and was undertaken as the first cohort of students was preparing to graduate. During the visitation the degree and the veterinary school were assessed against the six domains that encompass the RCVS accreditation standards, which came into effect in January 2023.
The accreditation panel’s report of this final visitation was considered by the Primary Qualifications Subcommittee, which recommended approval of the veterinary degree. This recommendation was agreed by the Education Committee in September 2025, and finally by RCVS Council. The report of the final accreditation visit is available to view here.
Commenting on the approval of the degree by the RCVS, Professor Tim Parkin, FRCVS, RCVS president and chair of the education committee, said: “We would like to congratulate the staff at Harper and Keele Veterinary School for their hard work in ensuring that the school’s veterinary degree met our stringent accreditation standards, and welcome Harper and Keele graduates to their membership of the Royal College.
“Our accreditation panel found some very commendable aspects to the school, such as a commitment to inclusion and widening participation, how it supports students in finding non-clinical and clinical placements, and its use of innovation to support learning. We look forward to continuing to work with Harper and Keele over the coming months and years to ensure that high standards continue to be met.”
Professor Matt Jones, MRCVS, an RCVS Council member and head of school at Harper and Keele (Figure 1), said: “We are delighted to receive the accreditation decision, which recognises our innovative approach to veterinary education and the huge commitment from our colleagues and partners that underpins it.
“I was particularly pleased that the accreditation acknowledged our commitment to widening participation and inclusivity, and our efforts to create the right culture for everyone to thrive. We look forward to seeing the contribution of Harper and Keele Vet School graduates to the profession over the coming years.”
A Recognition Order to recognise the university’s degree will now be put before the Privy Council and, if it approves the Order, this will then be laid before Parliament. If the Order is approved by both the Privy Council and Parliament, Harper and Keele’s degree will enter the cyclical RCVS accreditation process and be subject to annual monitoring
