Three staff members from the Department of Agriculture & Forestry, University of Aberdeen, have recently returned from a week’s work in Ethiopia with colleagues in Jimma Agricultural College under the British Council funded Academic LINK Programme.
The Aberdeen University contingent of Professor Peter English, Mr Adam Wardrop and Mr Owen McPherson provided assistance and advice on upgrading the Jimma Course in Sustainable Animal Production and Health from Diploma to Degree level and contributed to the planning of research project applications for international and national funding.
Encouragement was given to the Department of Agriculture in Jimma to follow the COPE strategy (COPE = Community Oriented Practical Education) of the Jimma Medical School in the latter part of the Animal Production and Health Course so as to make more effective links between science and practice. With over 80% of the 60 million population involved in agriculture and agro-forestry, the Department in Jimma has the potential, through education, training and research, to make a significant contribution to increasing food production, employment and export earnings in Ethiopia.
Jimma Agricultural College has recently become South West Ethiopia’s first University and the Aberdeen University – Jimma link was initiated by Mr Mike Daw and the late Professor John Topps of Aberdeen University. Two senior staff members from Jimma, Dr Solomon Mogus (Vice President for Academia and Research) and Mr Berhanu Belay (Faculty Dean) had earlier this year visited the Department of Agriculture and Forestry in Aberdeen to examine Course Curricula and research programmes of Aberdeen staff.
Further information from:
University Press Office on telephone +44 (0)1224-273778 or email a.ramsay@admin.abdn.ac.uk.