The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) popular online leadership programme is now accepting sign-ups for the next round of the course which begins in November.

The Edward Jenner Leadership Course for Veterinary Professionals, which was developed in conjunction with the NHS Leadership Academy and is hosted by the FutureLearn online learning platform, starts on Monday 18 November but those who are interested can register now.

The course is open to all members of the veterinary team, including veterinary and veterinary nursing students, with the first two courses comprising the programme, which are free to access, can be worth up to 48 hours of continuing professional development. The full programme costs £77 and includes an assessment leading to an NHS Leadership Academy Award in Leadership Foundations.

Since its launch last year, when the first iteration of the programme was run, there have been almost 7,000 enrolments across the programme’s modules, with participants drawn from over 130 countries and reflecting the full scope of the veterinary professions with veterinary surgeons, veterinary nurses and other practice staff taking part.

Earlier this year the programme was also a finalist in the EFMD (European Foundation for Management Development) Excellence in Practice Awards, which recognises collaborative management and leadership programmes across the world.

Anthony Roberts, RCVS Director of Leadership and Innovation, said: “Since we launched the programme last year we have seen some very positive feedback on the course and we are hearing many instances of people putting into practice the everyday leadership skills they have learned.

“The programme, which is open to everyone in the veterinary team whatever their role or position, emphasises the art of good leadership through the use of everyday scenarios that will be familiar to anyone working in a clinical veterinary setting.

“In line with the College’s new CPD policy, the course then encourages participants to reflect on their learning and use this to gain confidence and develop their leadership skills in practice.”

To sign up to the next iteration of the programme visit www.rcvs.org.uk/edwardjenner. Please note that you will need to sign up to FutureLearn in order to access the course.