The RCVS International Award

The award celebrates excellence in global veterinary leadership - whether through groundbreaking research, education, policy development, or direct animal welfare improvements.

We present up to two awards each year, ensuring each recipient receives proper recognition for their exceptional achievements.

Who can be nominated?

If you know someone who has made an outstanding contribution to the veterinary profession beyond the UK, you can nominate them for the RCVS International Award.

Nominees don't need to be RCVS members or even veterinary professionals. What matters is their outstanding contribution to veterinary medicine or animal welfare on an international scale.

How to make a nomination

Only RCVS Members (MRCVS) and Registered Veterinary Nurses (RVNs) can submit nominations.

This award is also open to self-nomination. If you are self-nominating, please be sure to complete the form in the third person using your own name and preferred pronouns in place of 'I' to avoid bias.

When do nominations open?

Nominations for the 2027 awards open in autumn 2026 - keep an eye out for updates.

Previous recipients

Since 2017, we've recognised remarkable people whose work spans continents and transforms lives. Their achievements demonstrate the global impact of veterinary excellence.

2025

Dr Paweł Beczkowski FRCVS
Pawel is a Clinical Associate Professor at City University of Hong Kong’s Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences. He was honoured for his involvement in international bodies, and for carrying out research with internationally recognised benefits for animal health and welfare and veterinary professionalism.

Dr Luke Gamble FRCVS
Luke was recognised for his work as the founder of Worldwide Veterinary Services (WVS) and its sister charity, Mission Rabies. These organisations improve animal and human health in the developing world through ‘trap-neuter-vaccinate-return’ (TNVR) programmes for stray and feral animals in Cambodia, India, Malawi, Morocco, and Thailand. They have also trained thousands of local vets in TNVR techniques.

2024

Dr Nancy de Briyne
Nancy was honoured for her work as Executive Director of the Federation of Veterinarians of Europe (FVE) since 2021 and for her international advocacy for responsible drug use. She has worked at FVE - the representative body for veterinary organisations from 38 European countries, including the United Kingdom - since 2000. FVE acts as a coordinating body, enabling veterinarians across the continent to share best practice and knowledge.

Professor Susan Mbuga
Professor Mbuga is a founding member of the Kenya Small and Companion Animal Veterinary Association (KESCAVA), and previously of the Kenya Women Veterinary Association (KWVA). Under her leadership, the KWVA developed outreach programmes educating women - especially in rural areas - on good animal husbandry. Her guidance of KESCAVA has helped it become a member of the World Small Animal Veterinary Association.

2023

Dr Denis Novak MRCVS
Denis was recognised for improving standards in veterinary education in Serbia through his role as the President of the Federation of European Companion Animal Veterinary Associations (FECAVA). He also founded the Eastern European Regional Veterinary Conference (EERVC), which has provided affordable continuing professional development (CPD) and networking opportunities to veterinary professionals across the region.

2022

Miranda Luck RVN
Miranda was recognised for her international animal welfare consultancy work, which focuses on improving conditions for animals in shelters worldwide. Her contributions include supporting legislation and developing shelter standards in the United Arab Emirates and South Korea. As an international volunteer, she is also involved in a variety of animal welfare initiatives, including feline trap-neuter-return projects, street dog population management, and disaster relief operations.

Professor Holger Volk MRCVS
Professor Volk received the award for the impact of his veterinary neurology research on society, animal welfare, and clinical practice. His research group was the first to publish peer-reviewed evidence showing that medical scent detection dogs can discriminate between samples from people with COVID‑19 and those from uninfected individuals.

2021

Emeritus Professor Michael Day FRCVS
Professor Day was nominated posthumously by Dr Frances Barr FRCVS, a veterinary surgeon who worked with him at the University of Bristol and during his tenure as Chair of the British Small Animal Veterinary Association’s Education Committee.

Professor Day was praised as a prolific researcher and writer, with a focus on companion animal immune-mediated and infectious diseases. His contributions were recognised with numerous awards, including the BSAVA Amoroso Award (1999), the RCVS Trust G. Norman Hall Medal (2003), and the Pet Plan Charitable Trust Scientific Award (2009).

2019

Dr Abdul-Jalil Mohammadzai
Abdul-Jalil was recognised for his exceptional achievements in improving animal health and welfare in one of the most challenging regions of the world, Kabul, Afghanistan.

Dr Samuel Thevasagayam
Samuel was honoured for his work improving the health of livestock, optimising livestock productivity and enabling economic growth of people who depend on livestock, particularly in the developing world.

2018

Dr Alemayehu Hailemariam
Alemayehu was recognised for carrying out much of the Brooke equine charity’s clinical and education fieldwork in Ethiopia. He appeared on our RCVS Podcast talking about his work for the Brooke.

Rachel Wright
Rachel was recognised for founding the Tree of Life for Animals (TOLFA) animal hospital in Rajasthan, India. Rachel appeared on our RCVS Podcast to discuss her experiences working in the animal charity sector in India.

2017

Christophe Buhot
Christophe received the award for his contribution to the veterinary profession across the continent and for championing Vet Futures Europe and Vet Futures France.