The Department of Educational Planning and Management (EdPM), formerly Department of Educational Administration (EdAd), was established as full-fledged department in 1978 under the Faculty of Education. Currently, with the College of Education and Behavioral studies, it has taken the lead to train the planners and leaders/managers for the educational system of the country up to the PhD level.  Since its establishment, the Department has been working in close association with the Ministry of Education (MoE) and since the adoption of the federal system of government in Ethiopia; it has extended its relations to the Regional Education Bureaus. This is exemplified in the unique recruitment procedure in which Regions directly recruit candidates on a competitive basis. Though the Department makes the final selection, it makes utmost care to address the interests of the recruiting Regions. Moreover, the recent collaborations in offering diploma and degree programs in educational planning and management during the summer season by the sponsorship of several Regional States is a good example for working directly with stakeholders.

The department is a pioneer in initiating MA program through distance. The distance program in Educational Planning and Management, which was started in 1999 with the support from MoE/USAID-BESO in partnership with the University at Buffalo in USA, discontinued in 2001/2002 after enrolling 3 cohorts of students. Through this project, exposure visit to USA was arranged for staff members and the department has got equipment and material support. Professors from the University at Buffalo were also involved in teaching and thesis examination. Generally, the program was effective and the graduates are serving at various capacities in the education sector and international NGOs. In July 2008, MA in Educational Policy and Planning through summer and distance was commenced based on the request from the Ministry of Education /Italian Cooperation. In the same year (April 2008), MA in Higher Education Management and Policy was launched jointly with the University of Twente, the Netherlands. During the program development, almost all active members (10) of EdPM had a chance to visit the University of Twente and develop the course with their Dutch counterparts. This team working approach that has started from the inception is one of the unique features of the program. The program was developed to be offered through distance supported by e-learning with some face-to-face session targeting practicing managers in HEIs. The rationale for this tailor-made training is that most of the managers of HEIs are professionals without or with less management skills.

To meet new demands and make possible qualitative improvements, the department made program reviews in 1984, 1993, 2000, 2008, and 2021 involving MoE and Region Education Bureau Officials and experts, former graduates and students in the pipeline to provide feedback in the process. These evaluations led to many improvements in focus and program contents. The Ethiopian Educational Management Professionals Associations was established and then, registered and certified by the Ministry of Justice to support the development activities of the education sector in November 2010.

Current student intake capacity of the Department is 40 in undergraduate and 20 in each of the 5 MA programs and 5 -10 in each of the three PhD programs. In 2021/22, the department has enrolled a total of 240 students in both the undergraduate and postgraduate programs through regular, extension, summer, and distance mode of deliveries (40 in BA program, 150 in MA programs and 50 in the PhD program). Recently, there are 13 full-time academic staff members in the Department and at least 4 academic staff is required for the various programs.

Vision

The Department of Educational Planning and Management aspires to be a leading centre for education, training, research and consultancy in the areas of educational policy, educational planning, educational leadership, higher education management, human resource and organizational development and adult and non-formal education in Ethiopia.

         Mission

The mission of the Department of Educational Planning and Management is to prepare high-calibre, committed, confident, and socially responsible educational policy analysts, planners, managers/ leaders, human resource developers and researchers for the country that contribute maximally in their areas of preparation by providing student centred but challenging, relevant, up to date and practically oriented programs of study, research and community service.

Values

Based on the Mission, the training, research and consultancy activities of the department of Educational Planning and Management are to be strongly guided by the following values:

• Excellence– ensuring high standards of learning, teaching, research and community service
• Transparency– Openness and accountability
• Integrity– upholding intellectual rigour and ethical standards
• Diversity– Inclusiveness and reaching the un reached
• Knowledge transfer– Sharing knowledge and experience
• Stakeholder friendly– Learner centeredness and respect for stakeholders
• Being a learning organization– Focus on change and development
• Innovation– To take initiative and to be  creative
• Collaboration– Establishing strategic relationship with stakeholders

Future Directions of the Department

• Aspires to be transformed into a center of excellence for educational leadership and policy studies.
• Strong link between short-term training, undergraduate, graduate and post graduate programs with special focus on graduate programs and research.

• Produce Journal of Educational Leadership and Development.

• Prepare a certification (licensing) scheme for school directors and educational leaders at various levels.

 Objectives

• To provide training in diverse fields as planners, mangers and leaders, trainers, supervisors, policy advisors and researchers in the area of education that can serve at various levels and in different capacities in education and other sectors;
• To promote educational research to strengthen the ties between educational theory and practice, and in educational leadership and policy development, planning and management;
• To produce professionals who can carry out educational reforms and innovations,
• To prepare students at the undergraduate and graduate levels and higher-level professionals that enhance the social and economic development of the country;
• To provide consultancy and community services in the area of planning and educational leadership to local communities, government and non-government organizations as well as to the society at large;
• To meet the needs of clients for diversified, relevant and high quality training programs that contributes to the development of the nation in the field of educational planning, management and leadership; and
• To promote the professionalization of educational leadership and management.