AgroVet-Strickhof, a cooperation in education and research
The AgroVet-Strickhof vision is the intensive cooperation of Strickhof, the Vetsuisse Faculty (UZH) and the ETH Zurich, in order to tackle the challenges in livestock keeping. The goal is to develop a national and international competence centre which combines agricultural education with veterinary and agricultural sciences education at higher education level, as well as dealing with research focal points in these areas.
The development of the four AgroVet-Strickhof sites Lindau, Wülflingen, Früebüel and Alp Weissenstein with specific infrastructure allows the above mentioned vision and goals to be achieved. The research facilities at the main site Lindau, which include the Metabolic Centre, dairy barn and youngstock barn and their measuring equipment, make it possible to approach new research elements. Together with Früebüel (1000 metres above sea level) and Alp Weissenstein (1900 - 2600 metres above sea level), these facilities are unique in the world. The office and laboratory building supports the cooperation between researchers of both universities, and is equipped modern laboratories to fulfill the complex requirements of the analytics. The forum and its demonstration hall permit the transfer of knowledge in education and training and allows the centre to become the heart of knowledge transfer. The horizontal integration (vets, agricultural scientists, agricultural education and training) and vertical integration (practice, vocational education and training, teaching and research) give added value. The cooperation allows for content and economic synergies, which are demonstrated in research efficiency and transfer of knowledge.
Principles
The following principles regulate the collaboration:
- The institutions are owner of the infrastructure and the animals. So the ownership is clear and the responsability is assigned to the persons in charge.
- Within the cooporation contract (Koorperationsvereinbarung) and the standing orders (Geschäftsordnung) the collaboration ist ruled.
- The funcionl specification describes the duty, the responsability and the competences of the persons of the management.
- The four year finance plan together with the annually budget controls the finance.
Benefit
The flexible research facilities of the four sites allow research to be carried out on all kinds of agricultural livestock to explore complex questions. The focal research points look at the questions of our time: How do we treat land resources? How do we feed a constantly growing world population? What does this mean for our environment? What is needed to ensure that our food is healthy and that production methods are sustainable? What effects does climate change have on our food production? Throught the cooperation between veterinary medicine and agricultural sciences (research into plants and livestock), new research points improve goal achievement.
The cooperation between the three institutions is guaranteed by a clear organisation, allowing resources to be used efficiently and for operations to be coordinated by the three institutions. Cooperation with third parties and international integration is also intended in the concept.