The objectives of the Collaborating Centre are the following:

• Quality livelihoods
• Optimal animal health and production
• Rural development
• Ecosystem health
• Biodiversity
• Food security
• Sustainability.

These objectives have been realised by training programmes in the health, management and production and of livestock and wildlife with special emphasis on sub-Saharan Africa. The training follows an integrated approach linking animal and human health, zoonoses, emerging and re-emerging diseases, marketing and trade of animal commodities and their products, conservation and environmental health, disease vectors, food safety and welfare.

The information used for the training is partly based on the material used in the web-based Masters programme in Animal/Human/Ecosystem Health, that is organized jointly by the Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases (DVTD) and the Institute of Tropical Medicine (ITM), Antwerp, Belgium. This training material has been re-packaged in appropriate formats to support –undergraduate and postgraduate training as well as Continuing Professional Development (CPD).

To improve access to important veterinary information, the training material is presented online, on the African Veterinary Information Portal (AfriVIP) - an information portal for veterinary and para-veterinary professionals and students.