Universities hold a critical responsibility in cultivating a generation that is not only skilled and knowledgeable, but also adequately equipped to navigate and contribute to an increasingly complex and dynamic global landscape. By providing interdisciplinary education, experiential learning, and fostering critical and analytical thinking, Higher education institutions function as vital drivers in empowering students to develop innovative solutions that address contemporary global challenges while also contributing to tangible technological advancements, economic transformations, and social needs.
As centers of innovation and learning, they serve as hubs of intellectual development and innovation, promoting collaboration between academia, industry, and communities. In doing so, universities ensure that future generations are not only well-equipped but also capable of leading change, proactive in driving sustainable development in an increasingly complex global environment.
Similarly, the Ethiopian universities are striving toward this goal, aligning their efforts with national education reform initiatives and the broader mission of higher education institutions worldwide to foster innovation and address global challenges.
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For instance, aiming to strengthen universities' capacity, enhance competitiveness, foster innovation, and enable them to fulfill their mission accordingly by conducting problem-solving research that addresses the country's political, economic, and social challenges while also improving the quality of education, institutional autonomy has been introduced, with Addis Ababa University leading the way.
Equally important, various measures that are crucial in enhancing the quality of education and boosting learning outcomes have been taken, including the development of a new curriculum.
Recently, the annual Ethiopian Higher Education Institutions Reform Council Conference, which aimed at creating a common understanding and take action on the ongoing changes in the education system, was held in Gondar University under the theme "Higher Education for Greater Impact."
At the conference held from August 4-5, 2025, attendees included Education Minister Prof. Berhanu Nega, State Minister for the Higher Education Development Sector Kora Tushune, Deputy Mayor of Gondar City Administration, and Chairperson of the Board of Gondar University Teaching Hospital Debre Yehuala, various university board chairpersons and vice presidents, general directors from the Ministry of Education, university presidents, federal, regional, and city government officials, as well as many other distinguished guests.
Speaking at the closing ceremony, Education Minister Prof. Berhanu Nega underlined the importance of transforming universities into institutions that should understand the current state of the global trend, the reality on the ground and capable of generating ideas based on knowledge, research and studies to help address the country's pressing challenges.
According to the Minister, reforms aimed at transforming the education sector are being designed and implemented to address the challenges of poor education quality."
In particular, universities should play a key role in understanding the current state of global developments, carrying out research that supports national progress, and promoting independent thought rooted in truth and knowledge, he reiterated.
As to him, there must be a common understanding among higher education institutions; without it, we risk stagnation and navigating uncharted territory without direction.
"Universities should be evaluated not by the quantity of their teaching aids and infrastructure, but by the quality of human resources they produce and the relevance of the research they conduct. Emphasis should be placed on research that is current, meaningful, and addresses contemporary global challenges," he stressed.
Universities are centers of study and research, attracting talented students who are eager to learn--thereby enhancing the overall quality of education. He also emphasized the importance of understanding the ultimate goal of education reform.
Mentioning exit exams as one of instances, he said that the exam is not an end by itself; rather it is a temporary way devised to improving the education system. Exit exams administered by universities are expected to be free from cheating and plagiarism to ensure the delivery of quality education.
Students should not go to abroad in search of better education. Instead we have to work hard due focus should be given on enabling them receive high-quality education within their own country. We have to translate the reform idea into concrete outcome. To this end, universities should strive to realize the mission they are entitled to and to the success of the goal.
Providing accurate and reliable information and evidences is highly expected from higher institutions, he added.
Prof. Berhanu also urged universities to discharge their responsibilities of producing skillful, knowledgeable and competent students who can withstand future challenges.
According to him, if we want to survive and thrive as a society and cultivate a generation capable of facing future challenges, we must implement these comprehensive reforms at all levels in a manner aligning with the goal. The Minister emphasized the importance of ensuring quality education in Ethiopian higher education institutions, adding that, going forward, competition among universities should be based solely on the quality of education they deliver and the relevance of their research and academic work.
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"We need to create an environment in universities where qualified students can come together and learn from well-experienced competent teachers," the Minister remarked.
Higher Education Development Sector State Minister , Kora Tushune on his part said that this reform council conference offered an opportunity to assess the current direction of the higher education sector and explore how we can effectively implement the reform.
Mentioning that the conference is held annually with the aim of reviewing the reform process of higher education institutions, and to design plans for the next year, Kora said that various activities are being carried out to improve the quality of education, including teacher development, resource provision, monitoring of the teaching and learning process, and measuring educational outcomes.
In addition, the conference would review both the preparations being made by higher education institutions to attain autonomy and the efforts toward implementing qualification certification systems, he added.
He said that the goal of the implementation of key tasks was not to rank universities, but it was a means that enabled to evaluate and understand their current status and their performance levels, as well as identify areas for improvement.
According to the State Minister, the two-day conference was a platform that enabled to reaching a consensus on the ongoing reforms in the Ethiopian education system, MoE reported.
