Our LINKS scheme is an international outreach initiative encouraging engagement with animal welfare science at a global network of participating universities and colleges.
The aim of the scheme is two-fold. Firstly, it ensures that students and staff at participating institutions remain up-to-date with UFAW’s ongoing activities, grants and other opportunities. For example, at Makerere University, Uganda:
- An increasing number of students are undertaking their final-year research projects in animal welfare, supporting our mission to discover what matters to animals and develop scientific solutions to animal welfare problems.
- Some of the previous final year students have benefited from UFAW and HSA research grants, which aim to facilitate advancements in the understanding and improvement of animal welfare.
- Finally, students have been able to take advantage of the UFAW Mentoring Partnership, which pairs students with a more experienced mentor, who can then guide and support the student in the early stages of project planning to ensure that the project has a solid scientific foundation. Both students and mentors benefit from the scheme through forging international connections and developing and refining skills relevant to their future career trajectories.
The scheme also provides support for activities and events organised by the LINK institutions themselves, such as those summarised below:
Ekiti State Polytechnic, Nigeria
The Animal Welfare Club at Ekiti State Polytechnic, Nigeria was launched in June 2023 where interested staff and students listened to a number of presentations including from Professor Olufemi Alabi (Bowen University, Nigeria) and Dr Oluwaseun Iyasere (Humboldt University, Germany).
The LINKS scheme also supported a trip to an abattoir for first- and second-year students of the Agricultural Technology Department. This trip would not have been possible without the support of the LINKS scheme as it was outside of the current curriculum.
Makerere University, Uganda
The Animal Welfare Club, Makerere University carried out inauguration of the sixth cabinet and officially launched the Animal Welfare Competence Centre for Africa (AWeCCA) in September 2023. Attendees at the event heard from a number of speakers who each aimed to increase knowledge of and interest in animal welfare science in Uganda.
For more information about the UFAW LINKS scheme, including updates from all our members, visit: https://www.ufaw.org.uk/university-links-scheme/university-links-scheme
