Office of the President

President’s message

Bahir Dar University (BDU) is founded on two proud institutions, namely Polytechnic Institute and Pedagogy Academy. Consequently, BDU has deservedly been chosen as Centre of Excellence for Teacher Education, Curriculum and Pedagogy.

 

The University is privileged to be located at the source of the Blue Nile and shore of Lake Tana, UNESCO’s Biosphere Reserve – natural laboratories no other University in the world has and collaboration opportunities for global impact.

 

As a public Higher Learning Institution of a country with ancient civilization and wisdom beyond science, as some claim, BDU puts “Pursuit for Wisdom” as one of its core values. This value emanates from its motto: “Wisdom at the source of the Blue Nile’’. We learn from Ethiopian religious education history that disciples were wandering from place to place for zeal to Wisdom: because only “1st-class” people can attract other “1st-class” people. This shall be BDU’s strategy for talent cultivation, a pre-requisite for Research-intensive University. Another overarching value to implement this strategy is “Internationalization”, which will enable BDU, among others, to attract talented Ethiopian scholars and innovators in the Diaspora.

 

On the one hand, BDU is taking “social responsibility” as another core value to act locally and give meaning to its existence. On the other , the University was the first Higher Education Institution in Ethiopia to spearhead differentiation of Universities by declaring its ambitious Vision of becoming one of the top ten Research-intensive Universities in Africa by 2025. This is not an unachievable vision. Before the end of the 19th century, some projected that two centuries would be required to create a research university. After the turn of the century, however, becoming World Class University needed only few decades. Good governance, strategic leadership and government commitment are the requisites. Thus, BDU is committed to building an ecosystem of world-class research and contextualized learning grounded on indigenous knowledge.

 

In relative terms, BDU is leading in terms of launching innovative academic programs, which are the 1st of their type in Ethiopia and/or Eastern Africa. These include Disaster Risk Management and Food Security Studies; Fisheries and Wetlands Management; Maritime and Elector-technical Officers training (IMO accredited); Land Administration, Fashion Design and STEM. In most of the above-mentioned areas, BDU is Centre of Excellence in its own right, and therefore “Excellence” as one of its core values.

 

Innovation is seen as “the mantra for development”, which our country aspires for its citizens. Ethiopia is blessed with rich diversity, be it cultural/ethnic, social, religious and biological (natural resources) –a unique asset for development, if properly managed. Consequently, innovation and diversity are BDU’s core values.

 

Please add a call for ownership (not in bold terms) and join hands and hearts/minds.

 

Firew Tegegne Amogne (PhD)

President, Bahir Dar University