Suffolk vet warns of “huge disappointment” as concerns grow over veterinary course's future
A Suffolk-based veterinary graduate says the potential loss of Cambridge’s veterinary course could have far-reaching consequences for research, farming and future training opportunities.
A Suffolk veterinary graduate has described the possible ending of the University of Cambridge’s vet school as a “huge disappointment”, warning it could have a significant impact on the profession and rural communities.
It comes as strikes are being held today at Great St Mary's Church by students who are opposing the closure; more strikes are expected on the 23rd of February 2026
The full report on the closure can be read here.
Katharine Salisbury, a vet, cheesemaker and farmer based in Creting St Mary, said the institution plays a vital role in veterinary medicine.
“My initial reaction was huge disappointment because I feel very strongly as a Cambridge graduate that Cambridge has given me so many opportunities, and it is an incredible part of veterinary medicine, a vet school that we really need,” she said.
Concerns about the school’s future come as students campaign to protect the course, with supporters arguing it is critical for training vets and supporting research.
‘Knock-on effect is huge’
Ms Salisbury said the implications of losing the school would extend well beyond current students.
“I believe the knock-on effect is huge. It isn't simply just about the vet school, the vet students. It's so much more than that, the local links, the history behind the vet school, it's been going for a long, long time,” she said.
She added that the university’s strengths in areas such as research, vaccine development and zoonotic diseases bring valuable expertise to the sector.
“There is so much more to it and there is a big knock-on effect,” she said.
Fewer training places feared
Ms Salisbury also warned that closing the school could reduce the number of training places available nationally.
“There'll be more demand for fewer places, which is a very, very competitive course… it's very hard to get into,” she said.
“I believe Cambridge has 65 graduates a year… so that's quite a significant number of the veterinary student population per year in the country.”
She said farms often rely on nearby universities for work experience placements, which help encourage students into large-animal and agricultural practice.
“Farmers are looking for and trying to encourage vets to go into animal farming practice. it's going to make it harder because obviously it's one less vet school in our area that we can have students from,” she said.
“So yes, it's a challenge.”
Calls to consider the “big picture”
Ms Salisbury urged decision-makers to look beyond finances when assessing the school’s future.
“It's quite clear to me that some other investment is needed, something is needed in order to make the vet school viable,” she said.
“The referral centre, the RSPCA link, the obviously the wealth of experience that the students come out with and the other links to academia, research… the big picture really needs to be considered and it should not be closing because of financial reasons, in my opinion.”
She also stressed the importance of raising awareness about the situation.
“I think the more people that know about it, the better, because I think once the decision is made, if it's the wrong decision… there'll be no going back and it will be a massive loss to the veterinary world, history, the university, everything.”
Students' thoughts: "hasty, unjustified and flawed process"
A statement from the Cambridge University, Department of Veterinary Medicine was made on December 12th, 2025, it reads.
"Staff, students and supporters of the Queen’s Veterinary School Hospital and Department of Veterinary Medicine at Cambridge University are calling on the University authorities to pause and reconsider a hasty, unjustified and flawed process.
"As well as lacking transparency and proper consultation about such a serious and irreversible move, closing the veterinary medicine course also has much wider implications which are not being taken into account.
"If and when the UK and the world face another pandemic, as so many scientists believe we will, those with world-class knowledge of animal to human disease transmission, both vets and researchers, will be of vital importance.
"We know already that there is a shortage of vets in the UK. The majority of students who qualify as vets at Cambridge University are from the UK and go on to work here as practising vets or scientific experts.
"When questioned by us, the University body which made the recommendation was unable to provide a clear and compelling justification for it.
"They would not or could not explain if this rush to judgment is based on concerns about the financial sustainability of the School, about the quality of teaching or about criticisms of the veterinary department raised by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) in 2024*.
"The British Veterinary Association (BVA) has stated that "this is deeply worrying news" and has committed to making the case for the University to continue the course, highlighting the crucial role that Cambridge plays in creating a resilient veterinary workforce.
"We believe the School of Biological Sciences is acting precipitately based on a misunderstanding of our finances. They can have no doubt about the world-class ranking of our course.
"As to the criticisms in 2024, which we took extremely seriously, we have made huge improvements and worked in conjunction with the RCVS to develop an action plan for us to continue on our trajectory to achieve full accreditation by October 2026, as the RCVS itself said in a statement yesterday (December 11th).
"We were not expecting – and were not even given an opportunity to consider how we would react to - a recommendation of closure. We would and will oppose it with all the means at our disposal, in the interests of our students, of veterinary science and of the animals treated by our outstanding experts.
"Unless the University pauses this flawed process, a great and irreparable injustice will be done to hundreds of staff and students, present and future, as well as to the reputation of Cambridge as a world leader in sciences of every type.
"At a time when the world is under continual threat of animal-sourced pandemics, to undermine the education of the next generations of world-class vets and researchers is surely a risk that is not worth taking, particularly if the decision is about money."
(Issued on behalf of staff and students of the Department of Veterinary Medicine at Cambridge University)
Cambridge's response
Statement on veterinary education at the University of Cambridge
"The recommendation comes after the University’s General Board asked the School Council to consider various options for the sustainable delivery of clinical services. All options were explored in-depth and weighed up carefully against the School's strategic vision and plan, their implications for teaching and research, financial impact, and achievable implementation, either within the University or through external partnerships. After careful consideration, it was concluded that there was no viable long-term solution.
"We understand that this is a difficult time for colleagues and students in the Veterinary School and are putting in place support structures for both staff and students who may be affected."
"The Council of the School of Biological Sciences met in December 2025 and, following careful consideration, recommended that the University cease veterinary education at Cambridge once the final cohort of students is expected to graduate in 2032.
"We would like to begin by acknowledging the significant concern this recommendation has caused among Vet School staff and students, colleagues in other Departments who contribute to the course, and many other people, organisations and supporters of the University. We sincerely regret that it has not been possible to identify a viable alternative solution to the profound challenges facing the Vet School."
The full statement can be read here.