ADDIS ABABA-The Ethiopian Academy of Science (EAS) and the U.S. Embassy have signed a cooperative agreement to assist in the transition of public universities to autonomous governance.
The agreement will support the country’s 10 leading public universities as they move toward greater independence, with a focus on providing technical assistance in developing policy documents, including strategic plans, and conducting capacity-building activities.
The Ethiopian Academy of Science President Prof. Belay Kassa expressed gratitude for the U.S. Embassy’s continued support, noting that the academy has received nearly half a million USD for this important project. “The support from the U.S. Embassy has been instrumental in helping Addis Ababa University transition to an autonomous status, and we will now apply a similar approach to support nine other universities in developing the necessary policies for autonomy,” he said.
The agreement builds on previous efforts that saw the U.S. Embassy fund the development of key policy documents for Addis Ababa University, including a strategic plan, student admission policy, internationalization strategy, and resource mobilization framework. The same model will now be used to help other universities in Ethiopia achieve autonomous status.
Ambassador Ervin Massinga emphasized that this initiative is part of the broader U.S. commitment to supporting higher education in Ethiopia, marking 120 years of U.S.- Ethiopia diplomatic relations. “This new phase of U.S. government support, with an allocation of 522,000 USD, is an extension of our longstanding partnership and reflects our commitment to improving the quality of Ethiopian higher education,” Ambassador Massinga said.
As Ethiopia continues to strengthen its higher education sector, this partnership aims to foster a more sustainable, independent, and globally competitive university system, setting a strong foundation for future growth and collaboration.
Ethiopia’s public university privatization goal aims to enhance the efficiency and sustainability of higher education by gradually transitioning select institutions toward more autonomous and market-driven governance models.
BY ESSEYE MENGISTE
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD TUESDAY 19 NOVEMBER 2024
