The National Chung Hsing University (NCHU) College of Veterinary Medicine announced the signing of a five-year "NCHU–Hill's Clinical Nutrition Talent Development Collaboration Program" with Hill’s Pet Nutrition, a global leader in science-led nutrition. This pioneering partnership marks Hill’s first program of this kind in Asia and jointly establishes Taiwan’s first in-depth doctoral-level specialist training system for canine and feline clinical nutrition.

It comprehensively combines the clinical and research capabilities of academia and industry, covering fellowship funding, clinical course integration and the establishment of a nutrition clinic. This initiative will significantly advance the development of canine and feline clinical nutrition in teaching, research and clinical application, thereby leading the launch of the  doctoral-level clinical nutrition specialist program and marking a major milestone for Taiwan’s veterinary community.

In recent years, the demand for small animal healthcare has increased, making topics like obesity management, nutritional care for chronic diseases and nutritional support for hospitalized animals key focuses in veterinary practice.

Therefore, Hill’s and NCHU identified a need for comprehensive veterinary clinical nutrition training and specialists training programs in the region.

This collaboration will reference the clinical nutrition training model of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) to establish a training pathway that meets both international standards and regional needs, addressing the long-term need in canine and feline clinical nutrition in Asia.

"With the demand for small animal healthcare increasing, this initiative directly addresses the region's urgent need for comprehensive clinical nutrition training," said Dr. Iveta Becvarova (DVM, MS, ACVIM (Nutrition), Sr Director of Global Academic and

Professional Affairs for Hill’s Pet Nutrition. "This collaboration with National Chung Hsing University underscores Hill's unwavering dedication to the veterinary profession in Asia. As a leader in science-led nutrition, Hill’s understands that supporting the profession means investing in the next generation of specialized expertise."

Dr. Becvarova is an internationally-renowned board certified veterinary nutritionist and holds adjunct faculty position in the Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University, USA.

NCHU College of Veterinary Medicine stated that, upon implementation, the program will establish clinical nutrition consultation and teaching services,” said Dr. Wen-Ying Chen, Chair, Department of Veterinary Medicine NCHU. “Furthermore, it will promote clinical nutrition courses, continuing education and pet owner outreach to strengthen the applied capabilities of veterinarians and students in nutritional medicine.

Additionally, the collaboration program aims to forge connections with clinical nutrition experts and the European College of Veterinary and Comparative Nutrition (ECVCN) and American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM certified institutions in Europe and the Americas, respectively, assisting NCHU in establishing a multinational training and exchange platform to cultivate globally competitive canine and feline clinical nutrition professionals.

NCHU College of Veterinary Medicine pointed out that this collaboration not only fills a domestic training need but also demonstrates NCHU's continued deepening in veterinary education and international cooperation.

The "NCHU–Hill’s Clinical Nutrition Talent Development Collaboration Program" is expected to bring a positive impact to small animal medicine in Taiwan and Asia.

Both parties will continue to advance the development of clinical nutrition in education, research, and clinical care through industry-academia collaboration and the introduction of international resources, thereby enhancing the quality of veterinary clinical practice and striving toward international standards.

Source: National Chung Hsing University College of Veterinary Medicine

From left: Dr. Hsia-Ling Chen (Ph.D. student, Dept. of Veterinary Medicine), Dr. Pin-Chen Liu (Faculty, Dept. of Veterinary Medicine), Dr. Wen-Ying Chen (Chair, Dept. of Veterinary Medicine), Dr. Iveta Becvarova (ACVIM - Nutrition, Sr.Director of Global Academic and Professional Affairs, Hill’s), Dr. Julie Chen (Academic Relationship Lead, Hill’s Asia), Dr. Shawn Han (Professional Veterinary Affairs Manager, Hill’s Taiwan), Dr. Vivian Wang (Professional Consulting Veterinarian, Hill’s Taiwan)