Poultry Education
Programs
The concept of the WVEPAH programs is to provide complete training modules, consisting of residentials and distance learning. They are designed for professionals in the poultry field who wish to broaden their knowledge in the sectors of health, biosecurity and production, and who also want to obtain official recognition of their skills.
The course requirements are: a university degree in veterinary medicine or agronomy and at least three years’ experience working in poultry. At the end of the course, participants will receive a certificate of participation. However, only those with a degree in veterinary medicine are eligible for the ‘Certificate in Animal Health: Poultry Production’ (CAHPP), for which the regulatory part taught by the OIE is validated worldwide.
The intensive training is provided at an advanced level and its approach is based on case studies and solving real problems through exchanging information between Course Masters and participants. Very little time is spent on foundational subjects (anatomy, physiology etc.) which, for those who need it, will be covered by online information before the course.
The WVEPAH course consists of lectures, discussions, demonstrations, case presentations, and laboratory work. Emphasis is given to the methods of obtaining specific information and how it is used for self-learning purposes and clinical work. Seminars and daily review sessions help to develop a critical evaluation of the presented case material.
The core training program consists of two modules (each lasting 10 days and one of which is residential), distance learning between the modules, and discussions in the private WVEPAH Facebook group which is reserved for Course Masters, CAHPP and MAHPP graduates and current participants. Refresher courses on specific subjects allow participants to bring their knowledge up to date.
Course efficiency is obtained through limiting the number of participants and theoretical training not exceeding four hours a day. The remaining time is reserved for practical problem-solving exercises.
At the end of the course, participants will have acquired a level of competence that will allow them to solve the majority of problems in the specialized areas on the ground.
Each course is taught by Course Masters, who are internationally recognized specialists in their field with didactic skills. In the period between the modules, course participants will receive online material and tasks from their Course Masters, who are responsible for the scientific content as well as for teaching the courses.
The host partner universities are chosen for their reputation and the quality of their technical platform. The WVEPAH takes care of the general course organization and of the technical aspects on location, as well as providing assistance to participants.
The ‘Certificate in Animal Health: Poultry’ and the ‘Master in Production Animal health: Polutry Production’ professional diplomas are awarded after the successful completion of the exams.
Briefly, the program requirements are as follows:
The minimum length of the Certificate program is one year, and must not exceed 5 years. It consists of: online and residential modules, written work, and the guided acquisition of practical experience during the participant’s professional activities between modules. The average length of the Certificate program is 2 years and the Master’s is 4 years.
For the Certificate, a minimum of 160 course hours and 40 ECTS credits are required. For the Master’s, a minimum of 240 course hours and 120 ECTS credits are required. The details of the hours and credits required for work outside of the course hours are specified in the Certificate and Master sections.
Each session is validated by an exam, and, at the end, a participation certificate is issued.
Participants also complete clinical cases from their field work in a provided format, and, for the Professional Master’s, a thesis. These reports are very important – they represent half of the marks required for certification. A thesis is required in order to obtain the Professional Master’s.
