Prepared By : Natasha Low Pei Ning

Program : 72nd IVSA Congress themed “Assembling the Future of Veterinary  Medicine” in Copenhagen, Denmark

The beauty of Copenhagen University was immediately apparent to us when we stepped into
the campus. Once ranked as the top 8 vet school according to the QS World ranking 2022, the
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at the university is a gem within this educational treasure trove.
We’ve got the chance to visit the mobile veterinary clinic, the modern lecture halls, laboratories,
the anatomy museum, and the university hospital. We experienced a combination of practical
exercises and lectures ranging from production animals, equine to companion animals from the
best veterinary professionals! Besides, we were very impressed with the university’s
commitment to maintain the university garden. With their manicured lawns, vibrant flower beds,
and leafy trees, the beautiful university garden provides a serene backdrop for moments of quiet
contemplation, leisurely strolls, and even outdoor study sessions for the students!

During cultural evening, the campus came alive with an array of sights, sounds, and flavours
from around the world. The aroma of international cuisines wafted through the air as friends
from 34 different countries, such as the United States, Taiwan, Korea, Netherlands, Peru,
Switzerland and Denmark proudly shared their culinary heritage while we were engaging in
cultural exchanges. During the General Assembly, we all were given the golden opportunity to
represent Malaysia to voice out our opinions about the future of IVSA in front of everyone!

During the third day, we had a truly incredible experience immersing ourselves in the history and
culture of the beautiful country. We visited the stunning Roskilde Cathedral, a true masterpiece
of architecture that left us in awe. And then there was the Viking Ship Museum, a step back in
time to the days of fierce warriors and seafaring adventurers. The museum's exhibits were a
treasure trove of artifacts and insights into the Viking way of life. From weaponry to everyday
items, we felt like we were getting a glimpse into the past that's usually reserved for stories and
legends. Besides, we went to Amager, which is popular with sports enthusiasts and nature lovers. While we were surrounded by the enchanting landscape of Amager, we also had so much fun with all the station games prepared by OC!

Day 4 to Day 8 were the days when we put our butts in the seat and enjoyed a good session of
some beautifully curated lectures and workshops, such as lectures about being a veterinarian in
the army, the debate-style lecture on the topic of euthanasia, One-Health and
sustainability-oriented with both a view from a parasitologist about new threats, series of
lectures made by the Danish Veterinary Rapid Response team and Veterinarians of the Future
& Animal Welfare. We found the lectures truly engaging and enlightening! We were particularly
fond of Stamos Tahas’ Introduction to Non-infectious Diseases of Reptiles and also the
ultrasound-guided IV access practical workshop. These insightful sharing sessions certainly
inspired us to delve into fields of interest that then seemed novel to us.

On Day 9, vet schools in each country introduced chances of exchange programmes, outbound
mobility and internship opportunities during the international stand. The final activity of the day
was the beautiful Formal Dinner! In the evening of the final day we prepared ourselves for some
emotions as everyone donned their white T-shirts and then we went around and wrote cute
messages on the shirts of our friends from all over the world!

On Day 10 until Day 15, we attended the post-congress event at Tisvilde, Denmark. These were
the days filled with fun activities, such as mountain-biking around the beautiful island, kayaking
and standing board-paddling in the blue sea, singing the Viking hymns during sunset at one of
the private beaches, cooking Danish dishes with our housemates and many more! From beach
days to bonfires, hikes to sightseeing, this event was the perfect opportunity to unwind, relax
and made unforgettable memories with our newly made veterinary friends,
Thank you everyone, this is indeed an eye-opening event that brought lifelong benefits to us.
Thank you so much I-Putra for the financial aid as well, this truly was the best experience we
had as a student in UPM.

Date of Input: 29/07/2024 | Updated: 31/08/2024 | sh_najiyah