Fikremariam Tesfaye
31 October 2008
Addis Abeba — The second phase cooperation projects were signed between Mekele and Jimma Universities in Ethiopia with Flemish Universities in Belgium on Wednesday at Embassy of Belgium.
The cooperation programme will run from 2008-2013 with a budget of 3 million Euros, and will see a further 15 doctorates, plus additional training in various fields. It will also focus more on dissemination of research results, by transforming scientific results in easily adoptable packages and manuals and promoting relations between academicians and extension services in Mekele University.
Prof. Dr.Marc Vervenne, Flemish University president, at the press conference said that the Cooperation project funded by Belgian Development Cooperation through the Flemish Interuniversity Council (VLIR-UOS) has a similar institutional university cooperation programme in Jimma, with the same budget.
It also facilitates other academic exchange mechanisms, including more than 400 scholarships to Ethiopian students from all over Ethiopia for various training programmes in Belgium over the past four years.
The first phase, from 2003-2008 with a budget of 4.3 million Euro, enabled Mekele University to upgrade its staffs and make institutional strengthening and internationalization. The library and computer centre access to internet and intranet services. All Flemish Universities participated in training and teaching activities which mostly focused on problems related to poverty and environmental degradation in the highland of Tigray.
The launching of the second phase programme took place at Mekele University from 26-29 October, with various field sites.
Gunther Sleeuwagen, Ambassador of Belgium to Ethiopia on his side said that, the diplomatic relation between Belgium and Ethiopia becomes very stronger in economy, business, trade and education sectors. Belgium is the 4th importer of Ethiopian coffee and Ethiopian Air Lines also has begun a daily flight to Belgium.
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