JU’s journey towards Multiculturalism and Diversity

Jimma University prides itself on being a multicultural environment. This is most evident is the diversity of the student body as well as faculty of Jimma University. Students and teachers from all regions, ethnicities and religious backgrounds of Ethiopia come to Jimma University. Ethiopia is a highly diverse country of numerous ethnic, religious, linguistic and cultural groups. Jimma University ensures that all such groups are represented in the campus community and that the institution is truly inclusive for all its members. 

Since Jimma University is also a top ranking institution, the best and brightest of Ethiopia come to study here as it is a highly renowned institution in the nation. Therefore, not only does Jimma University ensure that all the various ethnic, religious and cultural groups are represented on campus, but that they also represent the best and brightest of their respective groups. 

Jimma University’s quest for greater multiculturalism extends beyond national boundaries. Through the African Student Mobilization initiative, Jimma University has begun attracting students from various parts of Africa. Jimma University places great value on these students as their presence represents the ambition of Jimma University to be a leading African institution of higher education. By diversifying the student body in this way, Jimma University brings in alternative perspectives and worldviews, different cultural attributes and fosters intellectual engagement between different nationalities and identities. Our national students benefit from this exposure and can understand and contemplate the experiences of fellow African students. Jimma University trains next generation leaders who are capable of addressing the most critical local, national and global issues. By attracting some of the best minds from around Africa, long lasting friendships, great ideas and needed innovations for 21st century solutions will be created in the classrooms, dormitories, and study halls of Jimma University. 

Jimma University also provides a venue for diversity in its faculty. Not only does Jimma University ensure diversity of religion, ethnicity, and culture, but also of thought and perspective. Intellectual diversity is an important part of academic discourse, and Jimma University strives to ensure that the faculty comes from a variety of view points and worldviews that add to a community rich in intellectual discourse. The mark of a great university is one that can allow people to entertain and engage with viewpoints that are contrary to their own in a civil manner. At Jimma University, it is the intention to ensure that academic freedom of thought and the free exchange of ideas allows for increasing intellectual diversity on campus and within all departments.

Jimma University has, as a leading national university historically, been able to drawn the most intelligent, ambitious and hardworking intellectuals from around the country. However increasingly as the university raises its global profile it has developed the capacity to attract some highly qualified and outstanding academic talent from around the world. Jimma University is always seeking to accommodate foreign teaching staff, guest lecturers and conference participants from leading institutions from around the world. Each year Jimma University has had success with partners from world leading institutions of higher education and has also hosted foreign faculty from around the world who add tremendously to the diversity of our faculty. As Jimma University becomes an increasingly international institution, it is the goal of the university to increase the amount of such individuals on campus.