Students are the first and foremost valuable assets of any university. This means, universities are nothing without students. Thus, as they are leaders of tomorrow, engaging them in the local, national and international issues of importance have paramount significance. Seen in this light, Addis Ababa University is currently running series of university wide panel discussions with its senior students. The interactive deliberations are taking place in all campuses of the university with the objective of introducing students with the second growth and transformation plan underway so as to get valuable ideas and inputs.

Featuring presentations and deliberations on issues pertinent to the performance of the first growth and transformation plan, second growth and transformation plan, the university’s five years strategic plan and the 2007 EC performance report of the university, the university wide panel discussions would stay in line from October 2-6, 2015. Besides, it will host presentations followed by discussions on issues related to secularism, good governance, institutional development and role of leadership.

On the opening session, students have raised many questions on issues related to employment, good governance, job opportunities, and education quality. While most students have expressed their gratitude to the university management’s endeavor of organizing such sort of discussions which are believed to yield common understanding on various issues of national importance, few of them have questioned its relevance as some of the critical questions they raised on the same platforms last year are still left unanswered.