Germany Keen to Make Adama University Country's Best

22 February 2008

Addis Ababa — German government on Thursday reaffirmed commitment to assist Adama University in the Oromia regional state in its bid to become a model university in the country and East Africa.

In line with govewrnment policy of prioritizing the enhancement of capacity of technical vocational institution, the Adama University recently introduced a change management to place the ambitious process of renovating the University to meet international standards.

Speaking during his visit to the university, German Ambassador to Ethiopia, Dr. Claas Dieter Knoop, made clear that his country was committed to continue to support the university both financially and technically-in providing the expertise required.

As part of that support, and inline with the new paradigm recently launched at the university, a German-national president was put in place.

During the visit and a panel discussion organized thereafter, the new University president, Professor Herbert Eichele briefed visitors and reporters on the educational institution including what it intends to do in the future to attain its goal of becoming the best in the country and the region at large.

"Since the new paradigm kicked off, the university has been able to equipped itself with what was essential and has upgraded its facility enabling it to render service in all its schools and institutes," he said.

He added that the university was building cooperation and networking with Germany Universities where academic and administrative staff are being made to acquire experience from similar institutions abroad.

Impressed by the expositions about the university, ambassador Knoop remarked that he agreed with the view that capacity building was a priority as insisted by Ethiopian government officials.

Despite the financial shortage, the school has achieved in improving infrastructures including in IT, laboratories, and library facilities.

"When I met Prime Minister Meles Zenawin and the Minister of Capacity Building Tefera Walwa, at the first, I got the massages from both, that education and capacity building was the number one here in Ethiopia," Knoop said.

He said that he recognized Adama University was demonstrating significant progress in spite of the financial shortages it faces to execute its ambition.

"We believe the century-old Ethio-German relation as the inspirational achievement demonstrated by Adam University so far will convince the German Embassy to take an active role in alleviating some of the problems by facilitating communication between Adama University and the German Government as well as by activating and intensifying the flourishing relations between Adama University and German universities -for the benefit of both," the ambassador said.

He indicated that his government had already allocated over 90 million Euro in Ethiopia to execute its capacity program for three years.

However, some of academic official of the university, told the Ambassador that they are skeptical on the program despite they are witnessed on the progress they have seen.

"Our university is in very fast change. But it can not be sure to say it exists long. There is shortage of local experts. The existing foreign experts may not exist tomorrow. Unless there are truly Ethiopian experts, we will face again problem of human resources. We need, therefore, to have Ethiopian experts to take over the task of their foreign counter parts," one of the members of the university, by the name Dr.Sime suggested.

"It is exactly what our objective is" Ambassador Knoop reacted in an immediate response to the suggestion.

He reiterated that his government was striving to ensure better capacity building and sustainable management in the country's education sector.

Founded in 1993, Adama University, the then Nazreth Technical College, is one of the eleven state universities in the country.

It is composed of six schools and runs a commercial business farm.

Further more, the university manages two major centers in Adama and Asella. It also operates a satellite campus in Bishoftu and one of the four referral hospitals in Oromia, Asella Hospital is run medical school supposedly giving service for 3.5 million people.

Currently the university has admitted over17, 000 students in various fields of engineering and technology.