Gmunden loses bid for veterinary university branch

Gmunden will not host a planned branch of the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, according to ORF Upper Austria. Information from people close to the project indicates that the future location will instead be in Upper Austria’s central region. The decision is expected to be officially announced soon.

Gmunden had applied to host the new branch, citing the region’s strong agricultural character and Schloss Cumberland, a castle that is due to become vacant next year. Mayor Stefan Krapf of the Austrian People’s Party said the area’s many dairy farms, cattle holdings, pig farms and poultry operations made Gmunden a suitable location for livestock medicine training.

The branch is being planned by the province of Upper Austria and the veterinary university, together with the Agriculture Ministry, in response to the growing shortage of livestock veterinarians. It will focus on ruminant, pig and poultry medicine.

The facility is intended to provide practical training in one of Austria’s key agricultural regions. Plans include clinical training modules with regional veterinary practices, applied research, and further training. According to the province, between 10 and 20 students would be trained there each semester, alongside academic staff and practising veterinarians. Upper Austria also plans to contribute financially.

Governor Thomas Stelzer described the branch in late June as an important step towards securing veterinary care in rural areas. The future of Schloss Cumberland remains undecided. The province, which owns the building, says it has not yet decided how it will be used, while a sale remains possible.