Abstract:

The WOAH Platform for the Training of Veterinary Services created in 2018, is an innovative mechanism that brings together providers of technical and educational expertise, primarily the WOAH Collaborating Centres (CCs).
Thanks to the open dialogue approach promoted by that Platform, four CCs - Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e del Molise "G. Caporale"(IZS-Teramo) in the role of leading organisation, National Center of Zoo Sanitary Vigilance(CNVZ), National School of Veterinary Services - France Vétérinaire International (ENSV-FVI) and Veterinary Public Health and Food Safety Centre for Asia Pacific (VPHCAP) - have agreed to participate in a WOAH Call for proposals as a consortium, which proposal was awarded in 2021.
The WOAH Call responded to the need to increase and strengthen competencies on Leadership in Veterinary Services (VS), globally, through multi-language eLearning training modules.
The general architecture of this project, based on the IZS – Teramo corporate eLearning training engineering model, foresees the development of an eLearning course series customised for the WOAH in the framework of the Competency Package 2 - Quality and management of Veterinary Services – of the WOAH catalogue for e-Training.
The learning objects have been accurately designed in single concept papers by a multidisciplinary and international team of Subject Matter Experts belonging to the consortium members, and duly described by soft skills required to leaders in VS to manage the complex situations they are called to manage at each organisational level.
The series is composed by four modules:
- e-Module one, addressed to the VS staff positioned at an intermediate level (e.g. work at team level).
- e-Module two, addressed to the VS staff positioned at an advanced level (e.g. Head of Unit/Department).
- e-Module three, WOAH Delegate/Chief Veterinary Officer.
- An overarching introductive module, called “Learning Essentials” (LE), serving as deep background pathway that introduces and supports each of the other ones. After completion of the LE (compulsory) and the relevant module, learners are expected to act as effective leaders in the relevant internal and external professional contexts.
The 3 e-Modules are made of:
- Texts, pictures, infographics, voiceover resources, interactive resources all produced in Articulate360 suite.
- Original case scenarios storyboarded and shot in virtual sets (similarly to the movie industry) for simulating typical situations that leaders could face in Veterinary Services at the three levels.
- Interviews to opinion leaders in the 5 WOAH Regions.
- Entry, intermediate and final tests.
The innovation of this project is mainly represented by nine serious games, built around the case scenarios to offer immersive experiences to the trainees who – in a scene-by-scene sequence –are invited to impersonate one of the actors, and make decisions on his/her behalf before looking at the actual evolution of the story. Each case scenario, characterised by the multiculturalist approach, emphasises a specific competency that a good leader should express – respectively -to win trust, build and manage teams, negotiate, manage crisis and conflicts, and create (according to the Neuro-Linguistic-Programming) stable and effective rapport, the key-for successful communication that drives behavioural changes towards the expected outcomes of the interpersonal relationships.

Keywords:

e-learning, Leadership, Communication, Risk Management, Team Building, Coaching, Neuro-Linguistic-Programming, Adult distance learning, Veterinary Science.