The School of Veterinary Medicine (SVMT) was founded at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in 1950 and the first students were enrolled in the academic year 1950-51.
The SVMT comprises the administrative bodies, and the teaching and research sections and units. The administrative bodies are the General Assembly of the School, the Administrative Council, the Curriculum Committee and the President with the deputy-President. The teaching and research sections are the Departments, which comprise work units, the Laboratories and the Clinics.
The General Assembly of the School is the supreme administrative body of the School. It decides on the curriculum, the policy and the organisation of the School and the teaching and examination schedule. It consists of the President (or the deputy-President), the Heads of the Departments (5), representatives of the academic staff from all the Departments (30) and representatives of the undergraduate students (18), as well as of the technical staff (2). Under the General Assembly, the special electorates decide on the election or the promotion of members of the academic staff and on any proposal or demand of the Departments or of members of the School.
The Administrative Council consists of the President and the deputy-President, the Heads of the Departments (5) and the representatives of the undergraduate students (2). The Council makes proposals to the Rectorial Council and to the General Assembly of the School, and decides mainly on individual matters of the technical staff, of the students and of the graduate students.
The Curriculum Committee consists of five representatives of the academic staff from each of the five Departments and two representatives of the undergraduate students. The academic staff is appointed by the General Assembly of each other Department. This committee evaluates the curriculum and proposes to the General Assembly of the School the necessary changes in the academic programme of the School.
The academic staff and representatives of the undergraduate students and technical staff elect the President and the deputy-President of the School for a two-year term. The President chairs the General Assembly of the School and the Administrative Council and is responsible for the administration of the School.
The SVMT comprises the following five Departments:
- The Department of Animal Structure and Function. It includes the disciplines of chemistry, anatomy, histology and embryology, biochemistry, physiology, pharmacology and toxicology.
- The Department of Animal Production, Ichthyology, Ecology and Protection of the Environment. It includes the disciplines of animal nutrition, animal production, ichthyology-fish cultures-ichtyopathology, ecology and protection of the environment, and economics of animal production.
- The Department of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Avian Medicine and Pathology. It includes the disciplines of microbiology and infectious diseases, parasitology and parasitic diseases, pathology, avian medicine, apiculture and bee diseases.
- The Department of Food Hygiene and Technology. It includes the disciplines of food hygiene, food technology and milk hygiene and technology.
- The Department of Clinics. It includes the disciplines of medicine, surgery (including anaesthesiology and diagnostic imaging) and obstetrics (including physiopathology of reproduction, reproductive diseases, artificial insemination and embryo transfer).
The Head and the General Assembly of the Department comprising all the members of the academic staff, representatives of the undergraduate students of the Department and representatives of the technical staff, administer each Department. The General Assembly of the Department coordinates teaching and research and allocates the funds among the Departments. It also makes proposals to the General Assembly of the School and assigns to the members of the academic staff the responsibilities of the Director of the Laboratories or the Clinics of the Department.
The Head of the Department is elected for a one year term by the General Assembly of the Department. The Head chairs the General Assembly and coordinates the function of the Department. The Directors of the Laboratories or the Clinics are elected for a three-year term by the teaching staff of the Department.
Location
The Labs and the Secretary are located at the Universty Campus, and the Clinics Headquarters are located at 11, Stavrou Voutyra Street, near the OSE Train Station, west of the city center.
The new building of the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University Campus has been adorned with artwork and scultputes by Stavros Panagiotakis, since 2009.