In 1997, the Istituto G. Caporale was acknowledged as OIE Collaborating Centre for Research and Training in Epidemiology and Management of Veterinary Services. In 2004 its mandate was enlarged becoming OIE Collaborating Centre for Veterinary Training, Epidemiology, Food Safety and Animal Welfare.

The OIE has a worldwide network of Collaborating Centres located in all continents and engaged in specific areas of expertise. They are excellence centres committed to providing their technical and management competence on animal health and related issues, to all OIE Member Countries.

Collaborating Centres of the OIE shall have as their mandate:

• to operate as a centre of research, expertise, standardisation and dissemination of techniques within their sphere of competence;
• to propose or develop any procedure which will facilitate harmonisation of international regulations applicable to the surveillance and control of animal diseases;
• to place expert consultants at the disposal of the OIE.

In addition they may:

• within their sphere of competence, provide scientific and technical training to personnel from Member Countries of the OIE;
• organise scientific meetings on behalf of the OIE;
• coordinate scientific and technical studies in collaboration with other laboratories or organisations;
• publish and disseminate any information in their sphere of competence which may be useful to Member Countries of the OIE.

Head: Dr. Antonio Petrini