This IIE White Paper serves as a useful follow-up to the December 2010 “Building Sustainable U.S.-Ethiopian University Partnerships” conference in Addis Ababa, which brought together higher education administrators and faculty from the U.S. and Ethiopia to consider the mutual interests that tertiary institutions in both countries have in forming greater linkages. The conference was co-hosted by IIE/Ethiopia, the Institute of International Education’s flagship office in Sub-Saharan Africa, and the U.S. Embassy in Ethiopia, in the belief that developing partnerships will benefit educational institutions in both countries. The conference was attended by representatives from Ethiopia’s 22 public universities and several private institutions, as well as Ministry of Education officials.
This IIE White Paper provides the texts of conference remarks by Ethiopian Minister of Education Demeke Mekonnen and U.S. Ambassador Donald E. Booth, a summary of the pre-conference survey results, a précis on the World Café dialogue, and finally, general outcomes and recommendations. It also addresses ways that U.S. and Ethiopian higher learning institutions can expand capacity to develop partnerships, and how these institutions can build on their respective strengths. Some key recommendations on facilitating sustainable U.S.-Ethiopian institutional partnerships include the importance of reflecting on areas of common interest; developing a clear institutional strategy; and holding discussions about how partnership activities can be mutually beneficial.
In addition, this IIE White Paper includes an appendix with extensive information about each participating Ethiopian institution. The appendix includes descriptions of each institution, their areas of interest for U.S. partnerships, and contact information.
Overall, this IIE White Paper is a valuable resource for initiating and strengthening U.S.-Ethiopian university partnerships.