Arba Minch University (AMU) held its Annual Grants and Publication Day on September 25, 2026, at its Main Campus, celebrating excellence in research, grant acquisition, and scholarly publication. Click here to see more photos.
Opening the program, AMU President Dr. Ing. Abdella Kemal said the recognition aims to foster a positive attitude among researchers and academic staff toward publishing problem-solving research outputs that have a meaningful impact on the community. He noted that, as a research university, AMU has a responsibility to conduct research that addresses the needs and challenges of communities and contributes meaningfully to the development of the country. In this regard, he extended his sincere congratulations to all researchers and academic staff who successfully published their research and secured research grants, saying their achievements make AMU and its community proud by demonstrating the talent, commitment, and potential within the University. “I encourage the younger staff members as well to look at the achievements we celebrate as an inspiration,” he underlined.
Speaking at the event, AMU Vice President for Research and Cooperation, Dr. Teklu Wegayehu said, it was a profound honor to stand before such a talented group of researchers and scholars, noting that the occasion was not merely a celebration of the Best Publishers and Grant Winners Awards but also a celebration of the voices that shape academic discourse, challenge perspectives, and embody the University’s persistent pursuit of excellence. He emphasized that excellence in scholarly publication goes beyond the final printed page, requiring the stewardship of ideas, commitment to quality, and the ability to ensure research resonates with clarity and impact. Congratulating the awardees, he described publishers as guardians of quality and grant winners as innovators whose work has the potential to generate knowledge, inspire change, and create meaningful impact.
Research Affairs Director Dr. Simon Derkee and Grants and Collaborative Projects Management Director Dr. Ashenafi Hailu said together that the annual Grants and Publication Day serves two key purposes: recognizing outstanding research works, grant winners, and high-performing researchers and academic staff, while inspiring others to strive for similar achievements and continuously improve their performance at both personal and institutional levels. Dr. Ashenafi further noted that the event aims to honor researchers who have secured grants from both domestic and international sources, recognizing their efforts and commitment to advancing research, as well as scholars who have published their works in renowned journals, thereby empowering researchers and strengthening the University’s research culture.
Among the awardees, researcher and academician Dr. Addisu Fekadu said grant-funded projects are making meaningful contributions to communities. He noted that during the 2025/26 academic year, he and his team secured grants for more than four projects, totaling over three million euros. According to him, the recognition also reflects the impact achieved through successfully attracting competitive research funding. Meanwhile, he encouraged fellow grant applicants not to be discouraged by unsuccessful applications. Instead, he urged them to remain persistent, emphasizing that sustained effort and commitment to research will eventually yield results.
AMU recognized outstanding achievements in scholarly publication and research grant acquisition by honoring the three top-performing publishers and grant winners. Dr. Muralitharan Jothimani of the Department of Geology received the Top Publisher Award, followed by Professor Yisehak Kechero and Dr. Efrem Kentiba, who were recognized as the second- and third-ranked publishers, respectively. Similarly, Dr. Addisu Fekadu received the Top Grant Winner Award, while Dr. Samuel Dagalo and Dr. Demelash Wendimagegnehu were recognized as the second- and third-ranked grant winners, respectively. The top publisher and top grant winner received crystal awards, recognition certificates, and cash prizes, while the second- and third-ranked publishers and grant winners received recognition certificates and cash prizes. In addition, Professor Wondimagegn Enbiale and Mr. Tesfahun Mekene received special recognition certificates for their contributions.
AMU senior officials, research and academic staff, administrative executives, research and academic directors, and other invited guests attended the event. The University also recognized the Arba Minch Water Technology Institute (AWTI) and the College of Natural and Computational Sciences (CNS) for their outstanding performance in research grant acquisition and scholarly publication, respectively. Through the annual Grants and Publication Day, AMU recognizes research excellence, promotes scholarly publication, and encourages its research community to pursue impactful research and competitive grant opportunities.
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