AAU-SIDA Partnership Marks Milestone, Eyes Future Growth
On October 24, 2025, during the closing ceremony of the “46-year” collaboration between Addis Ababa University and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), the key contributions of the partnership were highlighted and future prospects deliberated.
During the event, AAU Academic Vice President, Dr. Jeilu Oumer, stated that the partnership has been a shining example of what true international cooperation can accomplish for more than 40 years when it is based on respect for one another, shared values, and a shared vision for institutional and human development.
The AAU AVP recounted: “At the inception of this partnership in 1979, Addis Ababa University offered merely four PhD programs. Our capabilities in research and graduate training were still in their early stages. However, SIDA, along with the people of Sweden, placed their trust in us, in our potential, in our scholars, and in the promise of educational transformation in Ethiopia.”
The Academic Vice President further noted that the “sandwich model” of PhD training, which allowed Ethiopian students to study in both Ethiopia and Sweden under joint supervision, emerged as a significant innovation. He emphasized that it not only enhanced academic capacity but also fostered enduring professional and personal relationships between Ethiopian and Swedish scholars.
Building on the AVP’s perspective, Professor Brook Lemma, SIDA Projects Coordinator at Addis Ababa University, stated that the flagship university has been collaborating with the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA) to broaden and improve postgraduate education nationwide, establish partnerships with Swedish universities, provide opportunities for foreign education and training, and implement a range of capacity-building initiatives.
Professor Brook indicated that the project, in addition to research and training, has made a significant impact on the institutional capacity of Addis Ababa University through its collaborative investments and assistance in ICT infrastructure, library enhancement, university governance, and quality assurance.
