Jimma University’s President, Dr. Dereje Engida, convened strategic dialogues with the University’s academic leadership and faculty. The morning session brought together Deans, Directors, and Vice Presidents of Teaching and Research Partnership Offices to address operational bottlenecks and evaluate institutional strengths, while the afternoon session engaged professors to share the strategic vision and rally faculty support for the journey ahead.
Dr. Dereje articulated a bold and ambitious vision to transform Jimma University into an academically excellent, well-governed, innovative, entrepreneurial, community-connected, and globally respected institution. This vision represents a fundamental shift from routine administration to proactive academic leadership, positioning JU as a model of excellence within Ethiopia’s higher education landscape.
The President introduced five pillars of institutional excellence as the foundation of this transformation. These include governance through decentralized decision-making and digitized processes; teaching and learning focused on competency-based education, student-centered pedagogy, and graduate employability; research and innovation aimed at measurable societal and policy impact; community engagement that operationalizes the University’s motto “We are in the Community!”; and institutional sustainability through an entrepreneurial culture of startups, incubation, and consultancy to diversify revenue beyond government funding.
Dr. Dereje emphasized that academic leaders must evolve beyond traditional administrative roles to become change leaders, resource mobilizers, quality champions, and collaborators across unit boundaries. He stressed that leadership effectiveness would no longer be measured by activity completion alone but through a new performance equation: Performance equals Results plus Quality plus Integrity plus Innovation, with unit-level KPI dashboards tracking measurable outcomes across teaching, research, and community impact.
The President issued a clear call to action, urging the University community to stop working in silos, delaying decisions, and waiting for central instructions. He called on leaders to start using evidence-based targets, fostering cross-unit collaboration, mobilizing resources, and solving problems at the lowest appropriate level. He also affirmed the importance of continuing to uphold academic rigor, community engagement, collegiality, and societal service as enduring values of the institution.
Following the President’s introductory presentation, a transparent and robust discussion ensued in both sessions, with Deans and professors actively engaging on the proposed strategic direction. The afternoon session was particularly notable, as seasoned professors of the University attended both on site and online, demonstrating widespread interest and commitment to the University’s future. The participants raised pertinent questions and shared valuable insights, contributing to a productive dialogue that enriched the vision articulated by the President.
Throughout both sessions, the audience affirmed their full support for President Dr. Dereje Engida and his strategic vision for Jimma University.