European Union Delegation to the African Union Ambassador Javier Niño Pérez Visits Addis Ababa University, Strengthening Academic Ties and Collaboration

European Union Delegation to the African Union Ambassador Javier Niño Pérez Visits Addis Ababa University, Strengthening Academic Ties and Collaboration

The visit by Ambassador Javier Niño Pérezof the European Union Delegation to the African Union to Addis Ababa University (AAU) marked a significant strengthening of the strategic partnership between the EU and Ethiopia's leading higher education institution. Discussions emphasized the EU's strong support for AAU's academic and research initiatives, facilitated through funding programs like Horizon Europe and Erasmus+, reinforcing AAU's status as a top research university in Africa.

Key topics included the changing landscape of higher education in Africa, AAU's involvement in EU-funded programs, and the impact of Ethiopia's economic situation on education. Dr. Samuel Kifle, AAU's President, highlighted the university's recent transition to autonomy, positioning it as a pioneer in Ethiopia's higher education system, committed to enhancing its quality of education.

In a notable development, the EU announced the introduction of unpaid internship opportunities for students in Ethiopian Universities within the EU Delegation to the African Union, targeting fields like International Relations, Peace and Security as well as Science, Technology and Innovation. Additionally, plans were discussed to conduct joint-seminarsin order to enrich the academic environment with global expertise. The visit concluded with a mutual commitment to further collaboration building on the various programmes available including Euraxess Africa.