Veterinary Medicine and NVWA collaboration results in popular elective course
Over the past three years, considerable work has gone into education to strengthen the cooperation between the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and the Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA). These efforts are bearing fruit. The elective course Toezichthouderschap (Supervision), developed by the NVWA, receives more applications than there are places available, and the number of master鈥檚 internships is also rising significantly. 鈥楳any people are unaware that the NVWA is the largest employer of veterinarians.鈥

One of the most visible results of the improved cooperation is the elective course Toezichthouderschap (Supervision), specially developed and delivered by the NVWA. The course is part of the elective component of the master鈥檚 program and offers three students at a time a unique opportunity to gain behind-the-scenes insight into the work of supervisory veterinarians. Interest is high: the number of applications now exceeds the available places.
I believe there is no other job where one can have as much impact on animal welfare as a supervisory veterinarian in a slaughterhouse
Opbouw van de cursus
Over the course of five weeks, students gain a broad overview of the work of the NVWA. The program combines theory, delivered through ten e-learning modules, with practical experience. Students visit abattoirs, trade inspection sites, refrigerated and frozen storage facilities, and take part in export inspections.
Monica Kumps, senior inspector at the NVWA, explains how the course is structured: 鈥楧uring the first three weeks, students spend one day in the office, two days at a pig abattoir, and one day at a poultry abattoir. The final two weeks are more varied, with students traveling extensively, for example to export sites for pigs, horses, or cattle. They also get to see some of the less everyday aspects of NVWA work, such as flying drones during inspections or attending a court case related to animal welfare.鈥
Almost all students return for an additional internship after completing the elective course
Working to improve animal welfare
"Many people don鈥檛 realize that the NVWA is the largest employer of veterinarians in the Netherlands,鈥 says Linsey van de Reep, veterinarian and senior policy advisor at the NVWA. 鈥淭his is because certain statutory tasks, such as inspecting animals in abattoirs, must only be performed by veterinarians."
Van de Reep notes that her work often prompts questions: 鈥淲hen I tell people that I鈥檓 a veterinarian at the NVWA, they often ask what I do in an abattoir. Here, I can put my love for animals to work. As a practicing veterinarian, you help one animal at a time; here, you have an impact on the welfare of thousands or even millions of animals.鈥
According to her, much of the work involves seemingly small actions. These include checking whether animals are fit for transport or ensuring that stunning is carried out correctly. Taken together, however, these actions make a huge difference. "I believe there is no other job where you can have as much impact on animal welfare as that of a supervisory veterinarian in an abattoir."
The work goes beyond supervision. Veterinarians at the NVWA build relationships with companies. Van de Reep explains: "We want to stand alongside a company, not above it. When you have a healthy working relationship, you achieve more. Students notice this after just a few weeks: bringing about change works best when you maintain an ongoing dialogue."
From a student鈥檚 perspective
Master鈥檚 student Carmen van der Wal took the course earlier this year. 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 expect the NVWA to be so diverse. I anticipated visits to abattoirs, but a visit to Artis was a surprise. When I mentioned that I wanted to observe an export certification of live animals, they immediately called to arrange it.鈥
Van der Wal explains that the course broadened her perspective on veterinary medicine. 鈥淲ithout veterinarians at the NVWA, food safety wouldn鈥檛 be guaranteed. Now I understand how much inspection and expertise goes into it. I view a piece of meat differently. It doesn鈥檛 just appear on the shelf; there is an entire process behind it.鈥
I now see a piece of meat in a different way. It doesn鈥檛 simply appear on the shelf; there is a whole process behind it
Groeiende belangstelling
Since its launch in 2023, the elective course has become increasingly popular. Whereas initially only one student participated per round, there are now three. According to Kumps, the rising popularity of the course is due to word-of-mouth among students. Carmen confirms this: 鈥淚 heard from a fellow student that this elective takes you to unique places; opportunities like this don鈥檛 come around often.鈥
Kumps adds, 鈥淎lmost all students return for an additional internship after completing the elective.鈥 Carmen is also planning a ten-week internship. 鈥淭he environment at the NVWA was very welcoming. They are open to questions and genuinely interested in you. I would recommend it to anyone.鈥 Van de Reep adds, 鈥淲e show students that working at the NVWA is a specialization that requires training, and that it is also incredibly rewarding work.鈥