Murdoch University Receives Unprecedented $100M to Transform Veterinary Research and Education
Murdoch University’s iconic veterinary school will undergo a complete redevelopment thanks to an unprecedented $100-million gift.
The existing school will be replaced by a 9,600sqm state-of-the-art facility large enough to support a 50% increase in the number of vet students who can be trained in Western Australia. It will sit alongside Boola Katitjin—Murdoch’s academic building voted the world’s best in 2023.
The gift—from Perth businessman and philanthropist Ted Powell—is the largest ever received by a WA university and one of the largest received by any Australian university.
Mr. Powell is a long-term supporter of the university through The Ragdoll Foundation, which was created with his late wife Dee and provides financial support to students through the Ragdoll Scholarship program. Since its inception, more than 140 Murdoch students have earned their degrees with financial support from the foundation.
Vice Chancellor Professor Andrew Deeks said Mr. Powell’s extraordinary act of generosity would help ensure WA continued its role as a leading hub for animal research, teaching, and training.
The new facility will
- support next generation world-class teaching and research at WA’s only veterinary school and animal teaching hospital;
- upgrade and expand the veterinary school to continue to meet modern standards and best serve the WA and Australian community;
- train more veterinarians, addressing critical workforce shortages in WA and nationally;
- build on Murdoch University’s demonstrated strengths in livestock, equine, wildlife and conservation, animal care and welfare; and
- support more cutting-edge research into animal health, welfare, and disease.
Since its foundation in 1975, the Murdoch School of Veterinary Medicine has graduated 4000 veterinarians and consolidated its ranking in the world’s top 50. The school trains approximately 100 new veterinarians each year.
In addition to the school, The Animal Hospital at Murdoch University (TAHMU) provides services directly to the WA public and offers an important referral service for local veterinarians, along with a range of specialist services including to the agricultural and racing industries. It is the facility of choice for dealing with the most complex animal health issues and treats everything from birds, dogs, and cats to horses and exotic zoo animals such as giraffes.
Professor Deeks said the new school was part one of a staged project to upgrade TAHMU and refurbish the current veterinary school buildings to create a new Conservation and Life Sciences precinct at the university.
The new facility will improve the safety and well-being of staff, students, and animals alike, as well as provide a higher-quality service for the agricultural and scientific community and the broader WA community.
About the Murdoch Veterinary Program
Murdoch’s integrated Bachelor of Science (Veterinary Biology) and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) program has established a reputation for excellence since the first class graduated in 1979.
As a Murdoch veterinary student, you’ll learn real-world skills in state-of-the-art facilities that include veterinary teaching hospitals, clinics, and a working farm—all located on the Perth campus. You’ll extend your experience with all species of animals by completing placements with animal shelters, the Perth Zoo, and a wide range of farms and veterinary practices, both in Australia and internationally, including training in wildlife, exotic pet and conservation medicine.
Murdoch BSc/DVM Fast Facts
Program: Bachelor of Science / Doctor of Veterinary Medicine
Location: Perth, Western Australia
Semester intake: February
Duration: 4 – 5 years*
Application deadline: Candidates are encouraged to submit their applications as soon as possible.
*Applicants with prior university study in a relevant field may be eligible for advanced standing, with up to 1 year of credit toward entry into second year. This pathway allows completion of the veterinary degree in 4 – 4.5 years. Please reach out to vet@oztrekk.com to learn more about this option.
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