AAU, Chinese Embassy sign MoU on Friendship Scholarship

Addis Ababa, November 3, 2023 (FBC) – Addis Ababa University (AAU) and the Chinese Embassy in Ethiopia signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on friendship scholarship today at the premises of the university.

During the signing ceremony, AAU Interim President, Samuel Kifle said “we have been in collaboration with China as one of our development partners to Ethiopia’s endeavor to prosperity.’

There has been ongoing collaboration between AAU and the Chinese Embassy, he stated, adding that the embassy has been supporting students in graduate and undergraduate programs.

“The past success stories that we have had as strategic collaboration between China and Ethiopia are expanding into the education and human resource development. Today’s agreement marks special relation between AAU and the Chinese embassy,” Samuel emphasized.

For his part, Chinese Ambassador to Ethiopia, Zhao Zhiyuan said his embassy highly values the cooperation with Addis Ababa University.

Last year, the embassy launched a special scholarship program at AAU to support the students’ academic and research projects and many students have benefited from it, he added.

The embassy encourages and supports the programs in student and staff exchanges as well as joint research collaborations between AAU and Chinese higher education institutions, he pointed out.

“We know that university and its students can play a special and great role in promoting the bilateral friendship. China embassy has been supporting the development of AAU and will continue to work with it, to enhance the practical cooperation, exploring new areas of education cooperation and student development,” the Ambassador elaborated.

“We also encourage the Chinese enterprises to work with the university by recruiting excellent graduates to strengthen the industry-university linkages,” he said.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and President Xi Jinping announced the elevation of the bilateral ties of the two countries to ‘All Weather Strategic Partnership’, Ambassador Zhiyuan recalled. As quoted by ENA’s report, the Ambassador added “this is a milestone for the two countries’ friendship and marks a new beginning of the deepening bilateral cooperation.”