Vice President for Research and Community Services

 

Jimma University is one of the leading higher learning institutions working aggressively towards tackling community problems through its cherished philosophy of Community Based Education. With an ambitious goal of becoming the leading public premier in the country, renowned in Africa and recognized in the world, the university is integrating teaching, research and community services/technology transfer. Structurally, the Research and Community Services activities of Jimma University are currently managed at the level of Vice President’s position. This position is run by leadership assigned to the position on competitive and merit base; and is intended to strengthen the university community’s capacity with respect to research undertaking, innovation, technology transfer and community services.

 

With this fundamental vision and mission, the university, in general, and the Research and Community Services wing of the university, in particular, has the following core values: quality and excellence in research, innovative approaches in community service and technology transfer, honesty, respect, fairness and integrity in carrying out intellectual endeavors, community engagement and acceptability of transferred technology, enhancing university industry linkage, networking for collaboration and partnership, mutual respect, collegiality and team spirit in transforming the research and technology transfer, equity and gender balance in research and technology transfer, fidelity to the law and observing all statutory obligations in the conduct of research and community service, encouraging innovativeness to inculcate competitiveness and improvement and building a culture of evidence based conclusion through scientific approach.

The University has already established different research facilities including two Research Institutes and six Research Centers besides strengthening the already existing services at different colleges/institutes. Moreover, to address the research priority of the country, in general, and the local community, in particular, the university has adopted a thematic research approach. Areas of research and relevant topics are identified in consultation of the relevant stakeholders/sectors that play a pivotal role in meeting regional and national priority needs as well as relevant international trends.These thematic areas are Food Security and Livelihood, Heath and Health deliverability, Environment and Climate Change, Relevance and Quality of Education, Social Justice and Democracy, Institutional Innovations and Management, Appropriate Technology adaptation and transfer, Bridging Science for Research and Development. 

Research outputs are communicated to the end users through different routes (means) including annual research conferences held every year, university hosted journals, publication on national and international peer reviewed journals, and policy briefs. The Publication and Extension Office of the university has a mandate to coordinate and support the dissemination aspect. In addition, some of the research findings are transferred into community service projects/technological products to practically solve a pressing problem of the community. These activities are coordinated by Community Services & Engagement, and University Industry Linkage (UIL) and Technology Transfer directorate offices, respectively. 

Jimma University has also good track record of attracting national and international collaborators on joint research and publication activities, staffs exchange for research and technology transfer, services to the community and capacity building activities in areas such as health, agriculture, engineering, education and others. Majority of our international collaborators are from USA, UK, Germany, Canada, Korea, Norway, Denmark, Kenya, South Africa, Netherland, India, Belgium, Australia and others. National institutions which have strong collaboration with Jimma University are Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH), Ethiopian Human Rights Commission, Armauer Hansen Research Institute, Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST), Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR), Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union (NABU), Ethiopian Biodiversity Institute (EBI), Oromia Health Bureau, Oromia Justice Bureau, Plan International Ethiopia, Ministry of Water, Irrigation and Electricity, Addis Ababa University and others. Most of research and community service collaboration activities are coordinated centrally by the Vice President for Research and Community Services, and Research Directorate offices.

Contact:

  • Vice President for Research and Community Services
  • Tel. +251-471112453
  • Fax: +251-47111