FAITH Project Ethiopia

EU-funded Project F.A.I.T.H successfully conducted its first International Conference entitled “Global Insights, Local Impact: Advancing Sustainable Universities of Applied Sciences in Ethiopia”, held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from January 15–16, 2026.
The conference opened with a welcoming address by Dr. Seid Mohammed, President of Jigjiga University and organizer of the conference. In his remarks, Dr. Seid emphasized that such international platforms are essential for strengthening Universities of Applied Sciences (UASs) in Ethiopia through the adoption and localization of international best practices. He further highlighted Jigjiga University’s critical role as a partner institution in organizing project-related workshops and in disseminating project activities and deliverables through the project website and social media platforms.
In his keynote address, Honorable Dr. Eba Mijana, CEO of the Ministry of Education and key partner in the project, underscored the importance of strong collaboration among all stakeholders to successfully realize the mission and vision of Universities of Applied Sciences (UASs) in Ethiopia.
Dr. Teshome Nekatibebe, President of Kotebe University of Education and the coordinating university of Project F.A.I.T.H, highlighted the significance of such initiatives in supporting national development. Similarly, Dr. Guchi Gulie, President of Wolaita S**o University and a partner institution in the project, emphasized the project’s quality dimension, noting that maintaining high standards is essential to ensure that project outcomes generate meaningful and sustainable impact for the community.
The conference continued with a series of high-level presentations by distinguished international and national experts. Prof. Kai Handel from Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences (Germany) delivered a presentation titled “From Policy to Implementation: Ethiopia’s Transition toward Universities of Applied Sciences.” This was followed by Prof. Hans Vossensteyn from Saxion Graduate School (The Netherlands), who presented on “Applied Sciences in the Netherlands: Current Perspectives and Future Trends.”
Dr. Ephrem Tekle from Kotebe University of Education (KUE), the FAITH Project Manager, presented key highlights of Project F.A.I.T.H, TANDEM, including the establishment of the Center for Universities of Applied Sciences (CUAS). Prof. Frank Ziegele also delivered a presentation entitled “Authentic Universities: Effective University Identities in Times of Transition.” In addition, Mr. Behailu Korma presented the Status Quo and Implementation progress of UASs Transformation in Ethiopia.
A dedicated panel discussion on TANDEM Activities, moderated by Caroline Friedhoff from CHE Center for Higher Education (Germany), provided practical recommendations for all Universities of Applied Sciences in Ethiopia. Furthermore, various research papers were presented by scholars from different institutions.
The presentations were followed by insightful and constructive discussions involving participants from international partner institutions, representatives of the 15 Universities of Applied Sciences in Ethiopia, and other key stakeholders.
The conference concluded with a certification and recognition ceremony for paper presenters, reviewers, TANDEM experts, and the organizers of the conference.

EU-funded Project F.A.I.T.H. International Conference, themed “Global Insights, Local Impact: Advancing Sustainable Universities of Applied Sciences in Ethiopia,” Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from January 15–16, 2026.

Project FAITH Delivered Training for Leaders of UASs
The Center for UAS, established through Project FAITH, delivered a comprehensive training program focused on curriculum development, industry engagement, and leadership for Universities of Applied Sciences (UASs). The training brought together experts from both local institutions and international partner organizations.
Participants showed strong engagement throughout the sessions, contributing actively to discussions and collaborative activities.
Going forward, the Center will continue to offer training and capacity-building programs for members of UASs, based on the following toolboxes developed through Project FAITH:
1. Implementing high quality internships as part of practically oriented, application based degree programs.
2. Establishing partnerships and networking with industry and SMEs, and contributing to regional development, including citizen education and community services.
3. Focusing on demand driven applied research and strengthening technology and knowledge transfer.
4. Creating career paths for professors (teachers and researchers) with experience in applied research and professional practice.
5. Integrating part time lecturers from industry into the teaching and learning process, while upskilling existing academic staff.
6. Engaging with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in teaching, research, and campus management.

The FAITH project Tandem experts presented the six tandem charachtersitics of the project during the community of learning workshop. August 11, 2025 Addis Ababa Ethiopia

The six Tandem characters were presented to the representatives of the 15 Ethiopian Universities of Applied Sciences. Tandem experts of: part time lecturer from Kotobe University of Education, Industry Partnership from Wolaita S**o University, Internship from Jigjiga University, Applied reaserch and knowledge transfer from Wolaita S**o University, Sustainable development goals from Jigjiga university, and Caree path from the Ministry of Education made brief presentations on their tandem path. The experts displayed each step they went through to succeed the characteristics: to do/not to do lists, toolbox generation, tandems pilot project, awareness creation workshops, toolbox rollout at 3 Universities, and brief policy developed were among the bold activities the tandems achieved as implementations of the project.

Ministry of Education Ethiopia Jigjiga University Wolita s**o university Kotebe University of Education Debre Berhan University Dilla University Wollo University Axum University Arsi University Ambo University Debre Markos University Wallaga University Samara University, Samara, Ethiopia Assosa University

The FAITH project core team held a virtual meeting on the upcoming FAITH Project International Conference , August 27, 2025.

During the meeting, both national and international project colleagues participated and engaged in a fruitful discussion. The participants emphasized the importance of making the paper calls practical and aligned with the ongoing transformation of the Universities of Applied Sciences. It was agreed that the conference call for papers would be disseminated to both academia and industry stakeholders, who are encouraged to present their practice-based papers during the FAITH Project International Conference, scheduled for Jan 15-16/ 2026. International scholars are also expected to contribute outstanding papers that share transformative experiences towards the Universities of Applied Sciences which they belong.