Addis Ababa University

About The University
On March 20, 1950, Emperor Haile Silassie I declared the foundation of the University College of Addis Ababa, which includes the faculties of Arts and Science. It was renamed Haile Selassie I University in 1962 and then Addis Ababa University in 1975. At the time there were only 33 students enrolled compared to the current number of about 45,000 students. Starting from only one diploma and certificate granting department, namely Biology, the University today comprises more than 25 faculties.

Vision
Addis Ababa University aspires to be a pre-eminent African research university dedicated to excellence in teaching, critical inquiry, creativity and public action in an academic community that cultivates and celebrates diversity.

Values
The University is guided by commitment embodies ion the following set of core values: academic freedom, excellence, integrity and professionalism, diversity, tolerance and mutual respect, social responsibility and public service, initiative, reliance on authority of reason, student-centeredness, efficiency and appreciation of African initiatives.

Student
According to AAU Registrar archives, over 200,000 students have graduated in different disciplines and levels from AAU during its 60 years of existence. The year 2010 has the highest number of graduates and this is particularly so with graduate programs of the University brought about as a result of the shift in mission towards graduate studies.

Presently, the various faculties and colleges of the AAU run undergraduate academic programs leading to BA/BSc, BEd, MD and DVM degrees while most of them also have graduate programs in these and other areas leading to MA/MSc, MEd, MPh, Specialty Certificate and PhD Degrees. Diploma programs are phased out from the regular as well as from the continuing education programs.

Message from the President
I am pleased to have been appointed the new president of Addis Ababa University (AAU). With more than 50,000 students, AAU is one of the oldest and largest universities in Africa. With the vision to be a pre-eminent African research university and having taken the confident decision to place graduate programs at the heart of its strategic plan, the university offers over 70 undergraduate and 215 graduate degree programs, out of which 67 are PhD and 20 are specialty certificate programs.

The global climate in which universities operate is changing drastically. Universities roles in advancing national economic knowledge, innovative enterprises and international competitiveness are increasing. Ethiopian higher education institutions are also expected to be at the forefront of development issues and alleviating poverty in the country.

To this effect, AAU has been a leader in institutional transformation during the last three years. Significant achievements have been accomplished, but many feel that it has not been enough and many gaps and challenges remain. This sends a strong message to our university community that we together and work effectively and efficiently with our stakeholders, to educate and nurture our students, to create knowledge and provide services to our community and beyond. Aligning academic programs and research priorities with the governments five-year Growth and Transformation Plan is critical to improving the livelihoods of our communities.

Our research profiles should include bringing together multidisciplinary teams from industry, business and professional institutions in order to work on projects that enhance university-community partnerships. Extending research results into profitable markets and services through science parks and incubation centers are crucial to enhancing development efforts in the country. We should also be convinced that in the future universities will be evaluated by the nature and quality of their international relationships. Currently, AAU is actively pursuing the establishment of a network of collaborative teaching and research partnerships with leading countries around the world.

My new career started eight weeks ago. I conducted several meetings with directors, deans, academic officers, support staff and the student council. I was impressed by the sense of community and responsiveness of everyone.

Our Country and the community need us more than ever - we must fundamentally reinvent our institution. Numerous challenges lie ahead but I am confident that the enthusiasm and the strength of the University community will enable me to thrive in this ever-changing environment. I very much look forward to meeting new friends and colleagues to bring institutional transformation to the betterment of ourselves and the Ethiopian community.

Library
Addis Ababa University Library serves and promotes the teaching, learning and research environment where information resources are made accessible for those who are engaged in the pursuit of knowledge and excellence in teaching, learning and research. The library primarily supports its parent organization, a student-centered and research-based higher education institution through provision of library and information services.

We do this by:
Selecting and acquiring relevant library materials, organize and provide access to information resources in print and electronic formats.

Providing facilities and services to all Library users.

Meeting instructional and research needs of the Universitys community of Library users.

Providing information literacy training to all Library users and encourage self-reliance in selection and use of information resources.

In order to meet its objectives, the AAUL has organized its collection in one main library and eight branch libraries attached to different faculties of the library.

Administration
Technical processing
Acquisitions Department
This department is in charge of selecting, ordering, acquiring and organizing all the collections in the Library. Books are acquired in accordance to the standard acquisition policy by setting priorities based on the information needs of users. Overall, this department handles selection of all library resources for procurement. All AAU Libraries units and branch libraries forward their request for information resources to be purchased to Acquisitions Department.

Cataloguing department
Departments such as the Acquisitions and Cataloguing, process all books and materials acquired through the Acquisitions Department and send them to the departments in the Main as well as branch libraries after the classifying and cataloging tasks are done. Each branch library has its own processing desk at the cataloguing Department. This department also prepares and periodically disseminates electronically accession lists to the University community as part of its current awareness services.

Computer and Information Retrieval Center
The AAUL system delivers electronic information services to users in literature searches from databases, e-mail, and online public access catalogue (OPAC). The AAU Libraries subscribes to more than 15,000 full text, scientific journals and scholarly databases from different publishers and suppliers.
The AAUL conducts workshops and training session on information literacy skills and also holds consultative meetings with other college and university libraries in the country. This is done as part of AAU Libraries resource sharing initiative.

Most of the programs were carried out with the cooperation of Program for the Enhancement of Research Information (PERI) in Ethiopia. PERI is a UK based program that supports capacity building in the area of research in developing and transitional countries by helping in the production, access and negotiation with publishers of journals, in effect, facilitating easy access to information and knowledge. PERI was founded by International Network for the Availability of Scientific Publications (INASP) in cooperation with partners in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and also with research partners and librarians in the New Independent States.

Effective usage of information and communication technologies in libraries, universities and research institutions in developing world is one of the most important objectives of the PERI programs. The Addis Ababa University Libraries negotiated the entry to this program in 2002 and has been the coordinating institution in Ethiopia since then.

Binding Unit The AAU Libraries has its own mechanism for the preservation and maintenance of its print materials. For this purpose, it has its own Binding Unit which binds paperback books into hardcover for longevity, and consecutive periodicals in volumes, binds theses and also undertakes repair and maintenance of damaged library materials and other office use.

Addis Ababa University Degree Programs :

Medicine

Pharmacy

Public Health

Video Presentation

Addis Ababa University Campus

On our way to the Ethnological Museum, housed in Haile Selassie's former palace, we walked through the Addis Ababa University Campus.