Among the experimental higher educational institutions that Ethiopia identified to its development endeavors is found Bahir Dar University (BDU). As part of this agenda, BDU undertakes various research and innovation works to solve problems and improve people’s life. It has been also organizing various programs including conferences to demonstrate prototypes and present papers.
The university had recently celebrated the 9th International Science and Technology Conference. The conference entertained various programs including about 100 research papers and innovative works. Bahir Dar Technology Institute Research and Community Service Deputy Scientific Director Mekuanent Agegnehu (PhD) said on the conference that the university has been conducting various problem solving and scientific researches, which it got published on international journals as per the agreement of the university with an internal publisher named Springer.
Bahir Dar Technology Institute Scientific Director Seifu Admassu (PhD) noted that the conference was a successful platform to share experience among stakeholders in demonstrating experimental innovations and studies with regard to science and technology.
The innovative works and research papers were presented on seven subjects including energy options, water management and engineering activities. The conference involved students, teachers and partners. Such programs are important platforms to share experience on knowledge and technology transfer.
BDU President Firew Tegegne (PhD) for his part said the university is the leading higher educational institutions, which the country envisioned experimental universities. Therefore, it is developing science and technology utilizing its wealth of experience as an input. Such experimental universities play a crucial role in advancing the development of the country through solving problems with knowledge-based researches. “We are also working to compete internationally by conducting and publishing such comprehensive studies.”
The conference was significant to upgrade the knowledge of teachers and students as it helps them introduced to international innovators in their field of studies, University Technology Institute Inspection Board Chairman Berhan Hailu said. Therefore, they will get the chance to decide on upgrading or directly using latest innovations. In addition, they have also got the chance to choose research topics from the issues raised on the program. Therefore, it helps to move in line with the global development in the sphere as such idea-sharing events widen the view of the researchers. It is crucial to undertake development activity or see to knowledge transfer, he noted.
Among the innovative works demonstrated in the conference are sanitation materials of COVID-19 such as handwashing system, chemical sanitizers, and outdoor disinfection tunnel, monitoring and awareness creation systems. In addition, prototypes of various machines including pedal driven boat were displayed.
According to Mekuanent, BDU is known for its innovative works by teachers and students. He said among the innovations is found Student Management System, a mobile application that is serving students to have smooth communication with regard to academic affairs. And this system is installed in 20 public universities. The university also provided a system helpful for advanced transportation and digital driver licensing. These innovations are followed by various innovative works in which promising extra experimental fruits.
For Seifu, it is important to work together with partners in identifying problems than merely researching on creating technologies without setting priority. “For instance, we have worked together with private owners engaged in providing technology for small irrigation expansion projects. So we have done our level best by providing technology to these partners after undertaking the needed research. In this regard, we had worked with our partners giving training to our students about how to figure out problems and the way they should be solved.”
BDU is among the first generation universities that brought various successful individuals in supporting country’s development like Berhane Mewa, Eng. Daniel Mebratu, and so on. “We have planned to document and attribute these profiles and showcase to the audience during the 60th years of anniversary of the university,” the president said.
The university need to ensure educational quality to meet the national and international standard so as to provide additional skilled generation that help prompt the development of the country. “We have to improve the skill of students in identifying problems and designing technology as possible solutions. The university is also expected to create awareness to partners and stakeholders to understand these standards to get proficient support,” according to Seifu.
Experimental universities are world-class universities. They achieve this standard by publishing researches on journals and providing innovative works. Such conferences are vital in this regard to evaluate researches and submit to journals. It was 10 years back BDU set a plan to be an experimental university even before the initiation of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education. The plan includes boosting the volume and variety of researches to assist the country to join middle income nations by solving its problems. Not only this, Firew recalled that the plan also incorporates research conferences in each academic sector.
Attending the occasion, Minister of Defense Abreham Belay (PhD) who is the then Minister of Innovation and Technology said that interconnecting knowledge and capital is crucial to accomplish the development of the country. Therefore, the government is working at national level to approve legal frameworks to achieve the progress to this end. The basic objective of universities is to solve country’s problems by conducting meticulous researches. They are also expected to support researches undertaken by partners, bolstering interlinkage with industries and private owners.
Currently, BDU is working with various universities. It is also partnering with industries at regional and national level. “We have worked several works in the area of information communication technology in public institutions through digitalizing their operation system,” Seifu said.
Currently, the university is advancing in terms of improving quality of education through creating technology-friendly environment. Therefore, it has built a capacity to do more in assisting the academic endeavor with latest technologies in the area. “I believe that BDU is a progressive and promising university which can help smoothing the national effort for development,” Berhan noted.
BDU’s Business Incubation and Techno’ Entrepreneurship Center equipped with the state-of-the-art technologies including 3D printers helps to create and promote more knowledge and technologies that are important to integrate and speed up productivity either for existing, emerging or new businesses, it was learnt.
Recently, BDU in collaboration with Debre Markos University has recognized about 40 startups after giving training on business entrepreneurship. The trainees received a finance and certificate award. They had displayed their innovative works including prototypes of advanced wheelchairs, a software, intended to replace the regular billboard, plastic grinding machine, and cutting-edge Tej (traditional wine made up of honey) brewing method. The university promised to help startups to get additional trainings and linkage with business partners.
BY YOHANES JEMANEH
ETHIOPIAN HERALD NOVEMBER 26/2021
