South East Technological University (SETU) brought together stakeholders from pharmacy, veterinary medicine, academia, and industry for a major showcase event highlighting the University’s growing role as a regional enabler for One Health.
Hosted by SETU President, Professor Veronica Campbell, the event on Wednesday, June 17 celebrated the rollout of the University’s new Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine (MVB) and Master of Pharmacy (MPharm) programmes. Both five-year programmes will welcome their inaugural cohorts of 40 students this September.
It also marked the launch of INNOVISION, SETU’s first Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) COFUND postdoctoral training programme, making SETU the first technological university in Ireland to coordinate a programme of its kind.
Welcoming attendees to SETU’s Cork Road Campus, Professor Campbell said the event reflected a shared commitment to collaboration, innovation, and addressing some of the most pressing health challenges of our time.
This is an important moment for the South East as we have the opportunity to define what One Health means for our region - not simply as a concept, but as a practical, collaborative approach that delivers real impact. At SETU, we are uniquely positioned to help lead this ambition by building on our strengths to develop a transdisciplinary One Health research and education ecosystem that is sustainable, regionally connected, and aligned with national and global priorities.
Professor Veronica Campbell SETU President
Professor Campbell emphasised that partnership is central to SETU’s mission and the success of its One Health vision.
“The South East has a strong and growing reputation in life sciences, healthcare, and pharmaceutical innovation. By bringing together SETU’s academic expertise with the knowledge, capability, and ambition of our regional partners, we can create something truly distinctive - addressing global challenges while driving educational, economic, and social development locally.”
Professor Campbell was proud to welcome Professor Tony Holohan, Director of the UCD One Health Centre, to deliver a keynote address entitled: ‘One Health in Practice: From Concepts to Implementation’.
A public health leader and former Chief Medical Officer, Professor Holohan leads Europe’s first and only World Health Organisation Collaborating Centre on One Health and plays a key role in the all Ireland One Health Collaborative Network.
In his keynote address, Prof. Holohan highlighted both the opportunities and responsibilities associated with adopting a One Health approach.
One Health is concerned with the connections between human, animal, plant and environmental health, but its real test is implementation. It asks how universities, professions, public services, industry and communities can create a better future by working together on issues and challenges like climate change, biodiversity loss, antibiotic resistance and food security that no single sector can solve alone.
Professor Tony Holohan Director of the UCD One Health Centre
“SETU has an exciting opportunity to bring that approach to life for the people of the South East by connecting its new programmes in veterinary medicine and pharmacy with other regional activities and organisations in healthcare, food systems, sustainability, enterprise and community engagement,” he added.
The launch of these programmes is a significant development for the region, and it creates an opportunity to build education, research and practical local collaboration on the health and wellbeing of people, animals, plants and the environment.
Professor Tony Holohan Director of the UCD One Health Centre
A panel discussion, ‘SETU as a Regional Enabler for One Health’, chaired by Paul Nolan of Dawn Meats, explored how third-level, industry, healthcare professionals, and policymakers can work together to develop innovative solutions and sustainable systems for the future.
The panel featured experts from across the veterinary, healthcare, academic, and industry sectors, including Louise Grubb, Founder and CEO of Trivium Vet; Catherine Mannion, Senior Antimicrobial Pharmacist; Dr Eoin Ryan, Deputy Chief Veterinary Officer; Dr Laurence Fitzhenry, Head (Waterford) Faculty of Science and Computing; and Dr Niamh Ní Bhroin, Chairperson of the Veterinary Sustainability Network of Ireland. The panellists discussed issues central to the One Health agenda, including antimicrobial resistance, sustainability, workforce development, innovation, and the importance of interdisciplinary education and research.
The event also recognised the valuable contributions of stakeholders, industry partners, and community organisations whose ongoing support is helping to shape SETU’s education and research ambitions.
Closing the event, MC Mary O’Neill thanked attendees for their engagement and support of SETU’s new programmes and initiatives, noting that the collaborative spirit demonstrated throughout the evening reflected the values that underpin both the University’s and region’s approach to One Health.
