The Addis Ababa University Office of Industry Linkage and Technology Transfer held a discussion on a  university-industry linkage forum establishment draft document on the 3rd of September 2024.

In his opening address, Samuel Kifle (PhD), President of AAU,  said that University-Industry linkage is vital to the AAU overall strategic endeavor to  make the institution responsive to national needs, competitive and adaptive to  global changes.

According to Dr. Samuel, university faculty can bring inputs from industry to teach both theoretically and practically through their externship while students can obtain hands-on industry experience and become employment-ready.

Professor Werash Getaneh, VP of Research and Technology Transfer for his part said the purpose of the meeting is to approve the bylaws of the forum and obtain prelaunch cooperation from stakeholder organizations.

Prof. Werash stated that basic points like student internship with both private and governmental organizations, externship of teachers with industry, inviting experts from industry to teach, consult and give seminars in the university, and involve industry in research funding are expected to be supported by the linkage.

 Solomon Kiros (PhD), Director of Industry Linkage and Technology Transfer of AAU, highlighted that AAU creates knowledge, transfers it to beneficiaries and assists production based on the transferred knowledge coordinated with willing industries using the Forum which bridges the distance between the University and industry.

Managing Editor: Abraham Girmay

Photographer: Fikremariam Beyene