The VLC programme aims to create the competences and know-how required to organize and deliver online training in FAO regional and sub-regional offices. It supports the development of virtual training programmes including courses, modules, webinars, online workshops and discussion fora, where participants can discuss and share experiences with their colleagues, FAO staff and international experts.

What type of courses will be available?

Five training programmes are currently being established, each of them comprising one or several courses and covering a set of competences. The training programmes belong to one of these topic areas:

One Health capacity development

The training delivery approach will aim to break professional silos, providing interaction and collaboration opportunities between trainees from different regions and backgrounds (animal health, food safety, aquaculture biosecurity, environmental health and wildlife management). The cross-sectoral One Health training will specifically:

• focus on engagement of the wildlife and forestry sectors as well as medics and veterinarians in One Health issues;
• Strengthen One Health networking, collaboration, and capacity to manage health risks at the human-livestock-wildlife-environment interfaces.

Courses include:

• One Health interdisciplinary national workshops for the Pacific region;

Livestock, wild meat and aquaculture value chains

Trainings under this area will aim at supporting countries to be able to make evidence-based decisions to ensure livestock supply chains continue to function and adapt to crisis of different nature.

Courses include:

Emergency preparedness and disease outbreaks management

Training under this area will build on the virtual capacity of the Emergency Management Centre for Animal Health (EMC-AH) and other emergency structures within the Organization to deliver virtual simulation exercises and online courses on disease outbreak investigations and management in emergencies. Courses include:

• African Swine Fever Investigation Training course;
• Avian Influenza Preparedness course

How do we develop courses?

The development of any course requires an initial scoping phase to assess the training needs and regional priorities; map available resources; define the target audiences and understand the best modality for delivery, always taking into consideration students’ environment.

The courses developed and delivered under the VLC project belong to one of these categories:

• Existing FAO courses that can be tailored to the specific needs and context of a given region;
• Existing face-to-face courses that will be adapted to an online format;
• New online courses will developed.

What do our courses involve?

Most of the VLC courses follow a tutored approach and are structured in a way that includes online live interaction with trainers and experts, self-study modules, surveys, assignments, additional resources and discussion forums.

How can you take part?

Please click here to find out more, or contact us at VLC-Global@fao.org.

Each VLCs homepage gives more information about courses that have recently taken place, or that will be offered shortly.