Arba Minch University (AMU), along with the European Union Delegation to the African Union and EURAXESS Africa, jointly organized a Horizon Europe Info Day and Grant Writing Workshop for AMU staff members at the AMU Main Campus on January 27, 2026. Click here to see more photos.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, AMU President Dr. Eng. Abdella Kemal stated that AMU is among Ethiopia’s leading higher education institutions, committed to excellence in teaching, research, community engagement, and internationalization as a core pillar of its vision through strong global academic partnerships. He noted that the event marked a defining milestone in AMU’s transformation from a regional institution into a globally recognized research university. Dr. Eng. Abdella highlighted AMU’s growing international research footprint, citing flagship initiatives including globally recognized Enset research, the KfW Sustainable Land Management project, the VLIR-UOS Institutional University Cooperation strengthening PhD training and laboratory capacity, and ICGEB-supported life sciences projects advancing biotechnology and academic mobility for climate change mitigation and sustainable development.
Dr. Teklu Wegayehu, AMU Vice President for Research and Cooperation, emphasized that Horizon Europe offers not only funding opportunities but also a strategic platform for building meaningful partnerships, strengthening institutional capacity, and addressing shared global challenges through collaborative research. As a research-oriented public university, he said, AMU is committed to expanding its international research footprint and supporting academic staff to compete successfully in global funding programs, thus hosting the workshops of such a kind reflects this commitment and represents a strategic investment in researchers. Dr. Teklu further highlighted that AMU is currently implementing more than 80 collaborative projects, some supported by various EU funding institutions. He also encouraged participants to actively engage in the sessions, and fully utilize the expertise available to get a lead to stronger proposals, successful participation in Horizon Europe, and lasting international partnerships.
Dr. Ashenafi Hailu, Director of Grant and Collaborative Management at AMU and organizer of the event, said that although several calls jointly get launched each year by the EU and AU, AMU staff insufficiently engaged in these opportunities. He explained that the Horizon Europe Information Day and Grant Writing Workshop was organized primarily to motivate academic staff to actively participate in grant writing and secure funding from the Horizon Europe, while strengthening networks with experts who provide guidance on funding opportunities and proposal development. He added that the workshop offers practical insights into effective grant preparation, strategies to avoid common pitfalls in proposal writing, and serves as a valuable platform to engage AMU staff in competitive grant applications and collaborative research projects.
Dr. Habtamu Abera, CEO of the Ministry of Innovation and Technology Transfer, stated that the workshop reflects Ethiopia’s growing engagement with Horizon Europe as a strategic platform for advancing scientific excellence, innovation, researcher mobility, and sustainable international partnerships. He emphasized that Horizon Europe is not merely a funding scheme but a comprehensive global framework grounded in shared values of excellence, openness, inclusiveness, and societal impact, and explained that the workshop aims to strengthen awareness of Horizon Europe structures and funding instruments, enhance practical grant-writing and project management skills, and promote equitable participation among Ethiopian researchers, startups, and institutions. Dr. Habtamu further noted that Ethiopia’s cooperation with Europe closely aligns with Horizon Europe priorities addressing global challenges and industrial competitiveness, particularly in climate action, sustainable agriculture and food systems, clean energy, digital transformation, artificial intelligence, and emerging technologies, areas that directly support Ethiopia’s national development goals and the broader African agenda, ensuring balanced and mutually beneficial EU–AU research collaboration.
During the workshop, Dr. Laurent Bochereau, Minister-Counselor for Science, Innovation and Technology at the EU Delegation to the AU, presented on EU–Africa cooperation in research and innovation, highlighting the launch of the Horizon Europe–Africa Initiative III. Dr. Yedilfana Setarge, Regional Representative of EURAXESS Africa and Associate Professor at Addis Ababa University (AAU), delivered a session on Horizon Europe opportunities and researcher support mechanisms available through EURAXESS Africa, while also sharing his research experience at AAU. In addition, AMU researchers: Dr. Fekadu Massebo discussed common challenges and pitfalls in grant proposal writing, Dr. Samuel Dagalo shared insights from his experience with Horizon Europe projects, including the “Transforming Academia: Embracing Digital Water Education in Africa” initiative and Dr. Mekdes Ourge also presented her experience with South–North Erasmus+ staff and student mobility projects.
Reflections from university leaders, facilitators, and participants highlighted a renewed commitment to engage more proactively in Horizon Europe proposal development, strengthen collaborative networks, and secure competitive research funding. Overall, the event marked a significant step forward in enhancing AMU’s research capacity, deepening EU–Africa academic cooperation, and positioning Ethiopian researchers for more effective and impactful participation in international research and innovation programs.
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