Unprecedented $100m gift to transform veterinary research and education

First published by Murdoch University

Murdoch University’s iconic veterinary school will undergo a complete redevelopment thanks to an unprecedented $100 million gift.

The existing School will be replaced by a 9,600sqm state-of-the-art facility large enough to support a 50% increase in the number of vet students who can be trained in Western Australia. It will sit alongside Boola Katitjin – Murdoch’s academic building voted the world’s best in 2023.

The gift – by Perth businessman and philanthropist Ted Powell – is the largest ever received by a WA university – and one of the largest received by any Australian university.

Mr Powell is a long-term supporter of the University through The Ragdoll Foundation – created with his late wife Dee - which provides financial support to students through the Ragdoll Scholarship program. Since its inception, more than 140 Murdoch students have earned their degrees with financial support from the foundation.

“There are many good causes in the medical field, in the educational field and I would encourage anyone who is financially well-off to consider giving to worthy causes,” Mr Powell said.

I am absolutely delighted that this gift will support the redevelopment of the Veterinary School. Dee was an animal lover, and I think she’d be really, really proud of this project.

Vice Chancellor Professor Andrew Deeks said Mr Powell’s extraordinary act of generosity would help ensure WA continued its role as a leading hub for animal research, teaching and training.

The new facility will:

• Support next generation world-class teaching and research at WA’s only veterinary school and animal teaching hospital.​
• Upgrade and expand the ageing veterinary school to continue to meet modern standards and best serve the WA and Australian community. ​
• Train more veterinarians, addressing critical workforce shortages in WA and nationally.​
• Build on Murdoch University’s demonstrated strengths in livestock, equine, wildlife and conservation, animal care and welfare. ​
• Support more cutting-edge research into animal health, welfare and disease. ​

Since its foundation in 1975, Murdoch’s School of Veterinary Medicine has graduated 4000 veterinarians and consolidated its ranking in the world’s top 50. The School trains approximately 100 new veterinarians each year.

In addition to the School, The Animal Hospital at Murdoch University (TAHMU) provides services directly to the WA public and offers an important referral service for local veterinarians, along with a range of specialist services - including to the agricultural and racing industries. It is the facility of choice for dealing with the most complex animal health issues and treats everything from birds, dogs and cats to horses and exotic zoo animals such as giraffes.​ 

Professor Deeks said the new School was part one of a staged project to upgrade TAHMU and refurbish the current veterinary school buildings to create a new Conservation and Life Sciences precinct at the University.

“Veterinary Medicine was one of 10 Foundation courses offered by Murdoch when we opened 50 years ago and a commitment to the environment and conservation are part of the University’s DNA,” he said.

“The discipline has advanced significantly over that time, as have the safety requirements for biological laboratories and animal facilities. 

The new facility will improve the safety and wellbeing of staff, students and animals alike – as well as providing a higher quality service for the agricultural and scientific community and the broader WA community.

“The development also strengthens research in animal health and the University’s One Health agenda – recognising the links between human, animal and environmental health; expand biomedical research collaborations and attract high calibre academics, students and other animal specialists.

“On behalf of Murdoch University, I cannot thank Ted Powell enough for his generosity, support and foresight. He will leave a legacy for the Western Australian veterinary profession, animal research - and for animals great and small - which will resonate for generations to come.”