AAU Academic Vice President, Dr Jeilu Oumer, today received and conferred with a delegation of a consortium of French universities led by Professor Sonia Lehman-Frisch, Vice President for International Affairs at Université Paris Nanterre, who expressed the desire of the three universities (Université of Paris Nanterre, University of De La Réunion and Université of De Rennes) to expand and strengthen partnerships with Addis Ababa university on staff and student exchange, training, joint research and supervision.

Dr Jeilu highlighted AAU’s readiness to expand its global networks to fulfill its mission, vision and core functions and to further enhance the university’s profile and reputation as a leading public university in Africa.

The Academic Vice President told the French delegation that, although AAU has always valued partnerships and collaborations, it has sought to place even greater emphasis on forging strong relations with international partners to more effectively advance its new mandate since its recent assumption of autonomy. He also reaffirmed the university’s commitment to implement its agreements with its multiple strategic partners and deliver on its mandates to address nationally and globally important issues, including environmental concerns.

Dr Jeilu said AAU is thrilled to strengthen the partnership with the French universities and expand spheres of cooperation to involve more areas of research and scholarship, adding there would be more meetings to expand horizons for academic collaboration.

In an exclusive interview, Demis Mengist (PhD), Head for the Department of Environmental Studies at AAU, for his part stated that the meeting between the AAU leadership and the Consortium of French universities focused on a project which has been functional since 2019 and other related projects under the scheme.  Dr. Demis further elaborated that the areas of cooperation between AAU and the French Consortium focus on three streams, namely, Urban Environment, Food System and Health.

The agreement further includes staff mobility and a short study abroad program for PhD students, the head of department also said.