Arba Minch University (AMU) signed a strategic partnership Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the African Economic Research Consortium (AERC) at AMU President’s Office on October 14, 2025. Click here to see more photos.
Dr. Eng. Bogale Gebremariam, Academic Vice President, from AMU side and a delegate of Executive Director for AERC, inked on this landmark MoU agreement. This agreement represents a strategic partnership spanning for five years from 2025 to 2030. The primary objective is to enhance collaboration in economic research and graduate training, ultimately building local capacity in Africa. The MoU sets a comprehensive framework for cooperation, with specific projects to be governed by separate written agreements. The signing of this MoU not only signifies a commitment to collaboration between AMU and AERC but also reflects a determination and mutual trust in the transformative power of ideas. The partnership will enhance academic excellence and contribute to the development of human capital in Ethiopia and across Africa. As both institutions embark on this journey together, they are poised to make significant strides in economic research, education, and policy engagement.
Dr. Eng. Bogale Gebremariam, speaking on the ceremony, emphasized the significance of this partnership, noting that the initiative aligns closely with the university’s Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and its focus on institutional capacity-building. As a research-oriented university, it is essential to establish collaborations with regional and international institutions like AERC to drive impactful research and achieve meaningful change, Dr. Bogale stated. This agreement is a strategic milestone, he added, and AMU will provide necessary monitoring and support to ensure successful implementation of the initiative.
Dr. Wondewossen Jerene, Dean of the College of Business and Economics (CBE), noted, the collaboration will focus on several key areas, including research exchange, training, and capacity development. This agreement opens opportunities for joint scientific meetings, conferences, symposia, grant applications, research publications, short-term executive training, staff exchange, international experience sharing, use of each other’s facilities, and collaborative research projects, he stated. Dr. Wondewossen expressed how previous engagements with AERC laid crucial groundwork for this partnership, which will foster deeper cooperation, praised ongoing efforts within other CBE departments and encouraged further collaboration across various faculties. Such initiatives will greatly enhance the sharing of experiences and elevate the standard of academic and research practices across the university and beyond, he underscored.
Mr. Mulugeta Fekadu, Head of the Economics Department, shared the same enthusiasm about the agreement and highlighted the importance of this collaboration.
The African Economic Research Consortium (AERC), based in Kenya and established in 1988; is a premier not-for-profit organization and dedicated to advancing economic policy research and training in Africa. Its primary mission is to strengthen local capacity for conducting independent, rigorous inquiry into the problems facing the management of economies in sub-Saharan Africa. AERC operates through a distinctive "winning partnership" model that effectively brings together top African researchers, prestigious universities, and policy makers with international scholars and donor agencies.
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