University of Veterinary & Pharmaceutical Sciences, Brno

6 Year Programme - Faculty of Veterinary Hygiene and Ecology (FVHE)

The Faculty of Veterinary Hygiene and Ecology (FVHE) was established in 1991. FVHE focuses on education and research in the field of veterinary hygiene and ecology and the safety and quality of food.

The courses taught at the Faculty of Veterinary Hygiene and Ecology are fully accredited and adhere to strict EU standards in animal protection, food safety and drug usage.  With the first international evaluation in 1995 by the European Association of Establishment for Veterinary Education (EAEVE), the veterinary education was recognized as one of the best in the field of veterinary hygiene that are offered to students at any European veterinary school. In 2004, the faculty underwent a second international evaluation, which stated that the faculty fulfils the EU requirements for veterinary education and that the programme, especially the education for food hygiene represents an application of the “from stable to table“concept. The Faculty of Veterinary Hygiene and Ecology is enlisted on the prestigious List of positively assessed veterinary faculties of Europe (List of Evaluated and Approved Institutions by EAEVE).

A wide variety of scientific research projects are undertaken at the Faculty of Veterinary Hygiene and Ecology. This helps attract and nurture both the students and teaching staff.

History of the Faculty

The history of the Faculty of Veterinary Hygiene and Ecology arises from the department of hygiene of food and raw materials of animal origin. A separate department of meat, milk and food hygiene was founded and prof. MVDr. Jan Lenfeld was appointed to manage this department in 1920. The field consisted especially of the inspection of slaughtered animals and meat, as well as methods of assurance of hygienic levels of food. The field also included food technology as a basic principle of providing hygiene of the processing procedures and protection of consumer’s health as well as the biological value of food. Prof. MVDr. Jan Lenfeld created the concept of Czechoslovak veterinary hygiene, which was later developed by his successors. Since the academic year 1975/1976, the Veterinary University was divided into two study fields: “Veterinary Medicine – Food Hygiene“and "General Veterinary Medicine” due to the increasing significance of veterinary hygiene and the necessity of highly qualified experts for the assurance of health harmfulness of food and ecologic aspects of food production where in 1991 The Faculty of Veterinary Hygiene and Ecology (FVHE) was officially established.

The educational activities at FVHE are carried out in the following accredited study programmes: masters, bachelors, continuing masters and doctoral degree programme sand within the lifetime education. Study programmes at the pre-graduate level consist of a set of compulsory and restricted elective study subjects. Basic forms of teaching are lectures, practical trainings, seminars, consultations, tuitions in agricultural and food-processing companies and institutions, individual stays and practice of students, individual expert work at the departments, Special-purpose facilities of the faculty and university (the slaughterhouse, School agricultural company), practical education in the technological workrooms (meat workroom and workroom for fish and fish products and milk workroom) and also the individual study. The emphasis is placed on the practical training leading to acquiring practical skills of the student.

The main difference between the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (FVM) and the Faculty of Veterinary Hygiene and Ecology (FVHE) is that graduates from FVHE acquire more extended knowledge in the field of farm animal veterinary medicine as well as in public health protection.

FVHE focuses on:

• Food safety and quality
• Safety of food and animal-origin raw materials as far as health and hygiene
• Veterinary ecology, infectious diseases and epizootology connected to food and animal-origin raw materials

The program also explores both methodical and theoretical principles of possible food dangers (biological, chemical and physical) and their diagnosis and hygienic principles.

Graduates acquire more extensive knowledge in the field of food hygiene and technology, and therefore more career options are available for them in managing positions in the food industry and trade activity. 

Main career options available for graduates of the FVHE:

• Private veterinary practitioners
• State veterinary administration (supervision of raw materials and food of animal origin during their manufacturing, distribution and retail sale)
• Agricultural and food inspection, environmental protection inspection, retail sale supervision
• Veterinary institutes, laboratories, research institutes
• Positions at Universities and secondary schools

For a detailed curriculum of the master’s program in English, click here.