Graduate of a first Master in Veterinary Medicine at the Veterinary Academy of Kiev (Ukraine) in 1993 and of a second Master in Veterinary Epidemiology at the Institute of Tropical Medicine "Prince Leopold" in Antwerp (Belgium) in 2007, Vincent Michel began his professional career in the sale and distribution of veterinary drugs in Madagascar. 

In 1998, he joined the veterinary public health services and worked on the monitoring of animal diseases and zoonoses. He started with a position of animator of the epidemiological surveillance network of the porcine diseases in Madagascar, then became Head of Division of surveillance of the animal diseases in Madagascar and Head of Services against animal diseases at the Veterinary Services Department in 2006. 

His collaboration with CIRAD began in 2008 within the framework of the Partnership Competence Center - Animal Health (PCP-SA) which involved the Zootechnics and Veterinary Research Department (DRZV) and the Veterinary Services Department (DSV), of which he is the representative. Since then, the links with CIRAD kept on strengthening thanks to the participation of Vincent Michel in several research networks and cooperation projects in the Indian Ocean carried by CIRAD as:

• Malagasy Focal Point for the QualiREG network
• Member of the "Monitoring and Innovation" working group of the DP One Health OI  
• Member of the Malagasy focus group of the "Inter-Crost" network as part of PréRAD platform

As a Malagasy Focal Point and representative of the Veterinary Services Department within the QualiREG network, Vincent Michel’s main mission is to be a relay between the network and Malagasy stakeholders involved in the agri-food sector and to identify and provide feedback on existing opportunities and needs in his country. His involvement in QualiREG also enables him to provide the DSV with relevant information (from studies, research projects, etc.) in order to evaluate - and adapt if necessary - their strategy of monitoring the quality of foodstuffs of animal origin.