LIVE (Lifelong Independent Veterinary Education) is the only veterinary-themed Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning in the UK.  The Centre was established in 2005 with a £4.5 million grant from the Higher Education Funding Council for England.

LIVE is a department of the Royal Veterinary College, London, specifically focused on identifying, developing and expanding best practice in veterinary education both nationally and internationally through interprofessional collaboration.

What do we do?

LIVE is the hub of a community of practitioners.  Our work is extremely varied, including:

• Running the RVC's unique MSc in Veterinary Education, and component parts including the Postgraduate Certificate and Postgraduate Diploma
• Providing staff development and training at all levels; from our introductory Teaching and Learning in Higher Education course for PhD students and postdocs at the start of their teaching careers, through CPD and the CertAVP to professional doctorates in all aspects of veterinary and allied education and training
• Supporting the integration of theory and practice in teaching, and developing best practice in work-based learning
• Advising teachers and practitioners in supporting innovation and effective delivery of contemporary veterinary education
• Developing an evidence base of robust pedagogical research in the veterinary and allied fields
• Disseminating best practice from our work and contributing to wider discourses of professional education
• Encouraging the development of professional, reflective practice in our students
• Tutoring, supervising and mentoring students at all levels and within all courses at the RVC
• Developing high-quality technology-enhanced teaching, learning and assessment innovations for use within the RVC and around the world
• Providing unparalleled practical learning opportunities via the fully-equipped Clinical Skills Centre and expert staff

What's inside?

The LIVE centre is based at the RVC's Hawkshead campus near Potters Bar, Hertfordshire. It provides a bright, spacious and modern teaching and learning environment for a wide range of users:

• A total of 644m² of teaching and learning space
• The Clinical Skills Centre, two large laboratories run by staff with differing specialist backgrounds and experience
• The Educational Development team, who support students in key areas of their academic studies
• Break-out spaces to support the development of communication skills by, for example, setting up a mock consultation room
• A wide range of print journals and books

Who are we?

LIVE is headed by Professor Stephen May, RVC Senior Vice Principal and Professor of Veterinary Education.  The LIVE team is interdisciplinary; comprising academic, practice and support specialists who work in tandem with clinical, scientific and advisory staff both within the RVC and with networks of professionals around the world.

Professor Stephen May	Professor Ayona Silva-Fletcher	Dr Elizabeth Armitage-Chan
Ms Ruth Serlin	Dr Claire Vinten	Dr Tierney Kinnison
Mrs Kirsty Fox	Mrs Maureen Taylor

Clinical Skills Centre staff:

Mrs Nicki Coombes	Ms Alison Langridge	Mrs Fiona Handyside-Brown
Dr Larissa Campos Aquino	Lyndsay Wade