Background
Department of Environmental Health Science and Technology is one of the oldest departments at Jimma University. Since its inception in 1988, the department has produced several professionals at diploma in Sanitary Science (≈520), BSc in Environmental Health Science in regular, evening and distance (≈ 2500), MSc both in Environmental Health and Environmental Science & Technology (≈ 250) and PhD degree both in Applied Ecology and in Environmental Health (≈ 10). Currently, the department stopped running diploma in Sanitary Science and distances education programs.
The department is not only the pioneer in training but also national leader in environmental health research addressing critical environmental and public health challenges. The department focuses on the following main thematic research and consultancy areas
- Water and sanitation
- Environmental and Food Microbiology
- Limnology
- Eco-hydrology
- Environmental impact assessment
- Environmental and Human Toxicology and Risk Assessment
- Ecology and Health
- Occupational health & safety
- Food Quality and Safety
Vision, Mission & Objectives
Mission of the Department
In line with the mission of Jimma University, the mission of the department is to produce high quality professionals in Environmental studies through its community based educational philosophy who are competent in academics, service delivery and researches at different levels.
Vision of the Department
Our department will be recognized by our community-based educational philosophy through academic, research and practice programs as a center of excellence for Environmental, Ecological and Disease prevention related studies.
Rationale
Jimma University has been training Environmental Health professionals at Bachelor degree level since 1994. Currently many universities are providing this training at the same level. Giving this training opportunity will help in the achievement targets set by the primary health care policy of our country by training qualified and high calibre professionals at various universities in a better quality. In addition, the MSc and PhD candidates will be involved in the research and policy design and implementation in the field of Environmental Health. Science –Technology and Ecology. On the other side, opening of this training programmes will give further career opportunity in the field of Environmental Health and Ecology.
Objective of the Department
- Enabling students in the professional knowledge and technology to respond to increasingly diverse and advanced healthcare and environmental needs, and to become familiar with advanced knowledge, technology and the teamwork spirit needed to work with environmental and health related professionals;
- Students to deepen their understanding of the dignity of human life while cultivating rich human sensitivity and scientific insight in relation to the general Environment;
- Students to become capable of solving health-related problems from both human and environmental aspects;
- Students to widen their views on international environmental and environmental health perspectives to develop and deepen their interest in international issues.
Strategic direction of the department
The department aspires to be the leading in environmental health training and research in different thematic areas under the department to be recognized nationally and at global level. To fulfil its aspiration the department has a strategic direction to transform itself into Environmental Health Training and Research Institute in the next five years.
Management structure in the department
The department is unique at JU it organizes itself in the following management structures. The department has a head who lead the whole department activities. The head appoints under graduate, postgraduate and doctoral program coordinators in consultation with the department council and the department also has doctoral councils which includes all PhD holders in Environmental Health science and Technology department. In addition, the head will appoint the laboratory unit management heads.
Services
In addition to the community service that the department has been and will be delivering through the JU-CBE programme, it provides water and food quality tests and technical support in integrated waste management for Jimma Zone in collaboration with Zonal Health Departments and the Municipality. Giving laboratory services for students from other departments in the Jimma and other Universe’s in Ethiopia. It gives also consultancy services to hotels, commercial centres and industries by assigning experts when they requested.
Environmental Health Science and Technology |