Cambridge reverses course and keeps veterinary school open

The University of Cambridge has backed away from a proposal that would have ended veterinary education after the final cohort graduated in 2032, and will keep admitting students to its VetMB course. In a February 24, 2026 statement, Cambridge’s General Board said the university will continue admissions, begin a leadership transition at the vet school, and commission further analysis with external experts to evaluate alternative long-term models for veterinary education. The Department of Veterinary Medicine said the board had rejected the School of the Biological Sciences’ recommendation to close the undergraduate course. The reversal followed months of pressure from the British Veterinary Association, the National Farmers’ Union, student and staff campaigners, and 19 other veterinary organizations. (admin.cam.ac.uk)

Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, this preserves one of the UK’s established training pipelines at a time when workforce capacity, farm animal coverage, public health, and One Health expertise remain live concerns. It also avoids adding more uncertainty for applicants and employers while Cambridge works through a separate accreditation challenge: the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons extended the program’s conditional accreditation in November 2025 and said Cambridge must address remaining standards by an October 2026 visit. (nfuonline.com)

What to watch: The next key milestone is Cambridge’s restructuring work and the RCVS accreditation review due in October 2026. (admin.cam.ac.uk)