Veterinary Faculty in Skopje is founded in academic year 1991/1992, as a department of Agriculture Faculty in Skopje, with Decision of Ministry for Education and Sport from 1.11.1991. According thi Decision, the Agriculture Faculty was compulsoryd to start with teaching on 6.11.1991 with study on first and second year, with students returned from the other veterinary faculties from the former Yugoslavia.
On 30.01.1993, the Education-science Council of the Agriculture Faculty in Skopje adopted decision for separation of the veterinary department in particular Veterinary Faculty. After making contracts between Veterinary Faculty, Veterinary Institute, Main Veterinary Hospital and Agriculture Faculty for obtaining premises and equipment which would be used for doing study of veterinary medicine, the parent committee confirmed that the all necessary conditions for starting the work of Veterinary Faculty are acomplished. According this, the Ministry of Education and Sport adopted decision on 20.4.1994, which verified founding and working of the Veterinary Faculty in Republic of Macedonia.
On the request of the Veterinary Faculty, the Main Court – Skopje 1, on 26.04.2000 adopted decision for changing the name of the Veterinary Faculty in Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (FVM).
The Goverment of Republic of Macedonia, within its rights and obligations, on sugestion of Ministry for Education and Science, adopted Decision for embedding of the Veterinary Institute to the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, on 20.10.2003.
Previous education activity
With founding of the Faculty in 1991, a study curriculum was adopted, which greatly resembled to other curricula from the faculties of former Yugoslavia, but adapted to local possibilities and staff and facilities capacities.
With separation from the Agriculture Faculty a revision of the curriculum was made, some courses were dropped out, and some new were introduced. This study curriculum had 5 years (10 semesters) with total number of 4710 lessons (2580 lessons theoretical and 2130 lessons practical teaching), and now is defunct.
In the academic year 2003/2004 a working group on FVM-S was formed, with task of making new study curriculum and reorganization of the teaching process in FVM-S. As basis for its work, the group used proposal-curriculum which was made within activities of the Tempus project “Improvement of the veterinary education in Republic of Macedonia” (JointEuropean Project No CD-JEP-15017-2000). The working group made fundamental analysis of many curricula of accredited European faculties, as well as much new knowledge in the field of biomedicine, which were not included in the old curriculum. Additionally, during the process of evaluation, the Faculty was visited by the previsitation committee of The European Association of Establishments for Veterinary Education (EAEVE), where FVM-S is full member. The committee gave useful and worthful advices about the deficiencies of the education process, which should be corrected. The most of suggestions which concerned the curriculum were reviewed and implemented in the new curriculum which was in force from academic year 2006/2007.
Taking into account acquired experiences and suggestions received, but also specificities of the veterinary profession in Macedonia, the Faculty prepared contemporary study curriculum according the principles and requirements of the Bologna Declaration with introducing the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) which obtained easily recognition of the diploma and wide mobility of the professors/students within European education area.
With adopting of the Law on High Education (LHE, Of. Gaz. of RM 35/2008 from 14.03.2008) and its changing and additions (Of. Gaz. of RM 103/2008 and 26/2009) and the need of implementation of its regulations, especially the transitional and final regulations (art. 180), some harmonization of educational and science activity of Faculty of Veterinary Medicine in Skopje with legal requirements has to be made, especially in the study curriculum. According the article mentioned above, high education institutions are compulsory to harmonize their study programs with the legal requirements until academic year 2009/2010.
According this, there was need for changing, adding and harmonizing the existing curriculum, and for that purpose a Committee was formed.
After the consultations with course professors the Committee made the project for changes and additions of the study curriculum harmonized with the requirements of the LHE.
Taking into account the exceptions which concern study curricula of the regulated professions, in which veterinary profession also belongs (Directive 2005/36/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7th September 2005; The European Communities [Recognition of Professional Qualifications] Regulations 2007 No. 2781 from 19th October 2007) with the changes and additions of the study curriculum of Faculty of Veterinary Medicine in Skopje since academic year 2009/2010 in force are integrated studies of first and second cycle.
The study on FVM-S with adopted changes and additions of the study curriculum still has duration of 5.5 years (11 semesters), and all made changes are reflection of following the actual conditions in theveterinary profession in the country and in European Union, in the world veterinary science, and also in the social conditions, especially in the agriculture and in economy in total.