Ministry launches home-grown collaborative PhD Programs Project

Addis Ababa, February 17, 2021 (FBC) – The Ministry of Science and Higher Education has launched its flagships Project aimed to secure 5,000 PhD graduates in research and science and technology fields in the coming five years.

The Home – Grown Collaborative PhD Programs Project (HCPP) which aims to produce 5,000 PhD graduates in the coming five years is expected to enhance the relevance and quality of Higher Education and Training programs in Ethiopian Higher Education Institutions.

The programs are said to enroll students in agricultural, manufacturing, mining, tourism and information communication technology fields.

During the launching ceremony held yesterday at Addis Ababa University, His Excellency Dr. Samuel Urkato, Minister at the Ministry of Science and Higher Education has remarked that the project is one of the Ministry’s flagships project aimed to succeed the Development of Higher Education and Teachers’ Training Development Program.

The Minister also noted that the HCPP aims to create platforms to mobilize professors in academia, research, industry and diaspora to teach, supervise and mentor the PhD students across all host and co-host universities in Ethiopia.

Professor Afewerk Kassu, State Minister at the Ministry on his part has called head of the Universities to strengthen their reform actions in a bid to step up relevance and quality of research and scientific approaches in their respective institutions so as to speed up the various national development goals.

He noted that noted that the project has a paramount significance in establishing local and international partnership and networking among Higher Education Institutions, research institutions and industries.

Dr. Samuel kifle, State Minister at the Ministry on his part has also demanded to strengthen interventions that are helpful to improve institutional capacity building which is the foundation to secure relevance and quality of the PhD programs in the HEIs.

On the other hand, Research University Presidents participated in the event have expressed their readiness to align and implement the HCPP in line with the undertaking programs of their respective Universities. According to the presidents, the HCPP is very crucial to expand and strengthen their research and PhD programs.

Developing new and reviewing existing PhD program curricula, placing professors nationally, employing expatriate professors, subscribing scientific journals and e-books, establishing online learning facilities, and building renovating laboratories, workshops, class rooms ,libraries, are among the major initiatives of the HCPP project.