Implementation of Academic Geomatics Education in Ethiopia for Supporting Sustainable Development | Edu4GEO2
Project Coordinator: Thomas Bauer
Coordinating Institution: University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
Partner Institutions: Technische Universität Wien, Austria (Gerhard Navratil); Debre Markos University, Ethiopia (Sayeh Kassaw Agegnehu); Bahir Dar University, Ethiopia (Belachew Yirsaw Alemu)
Partner Country: Ethiopia
Project Duration: 1 March 2023 – 30 June 2027
Project Overview
Ethiopia has launched a land-related data capturing and processing program using ground survey equipment, aerial photography as well as high-resolution satellite imagery. The recently established Rural Land Administration Directorate (Ministry of Agriculture), the Urban Land Development and Management Bureau (Ministry of Urban Development and Construction) and the Geospatial Information Institute at federal level with branch offices at regional and lower organizational levels are responsible for all geodata-management tasks. However, the lack of well-qualified specialists is becoming a challenge for a proper execution of these duties.
APPEAR has been playing pivotal role for these by funding the establishment and proper functioning of the land administration competence center at Debre Markos University (DMU) in the previous academic partnership project EduLAND2. A bachelor course on Land Administration and Surveying has been developed and implemented to teach students both in regular and continuing education programs. In addition, land administration experts at different levels got tailor-made trainings on different skill related courses.
Edu4GEO2 is based on the results of EduLAND2 project and designed to upgrade the competence of undergraduate students through implementing a master curriculum on Geomatics to make students fit for leading positions in the public and private sector of land administration and geodata-management, as well as for teaching and research activities at academic institutions. Since female students are given priority in the enrolment process, Edu4GEO2 will increase the number of female land administrations specialists. This will improve the proportion of female land administration professionals engaged in higher scientific works and decision-making powers.
Edu4GEO2 also includes customized trainings for land administration professionals engaged in different scientific works, which will close existing knowledge and skill gaps. Particularly, the training of land committees and female farmers is pivotal for the proper functioning of the land administration activities especially at the grass root level.
Reporting
Edu4GEO2 Report on the 1st project year (1 March 2023 - 29 February 2024)
Major achievements in the first year included the development and approval of a new MSc Geomatics curriculum for DMU, the initiation of PhD projects for Ethiopian students funded by APPEAR scholarships, and the awarding of an honorary doctorate to Reinfried Mansberger for his contributions to academic cooperation in Ethiopia. Due to an armed conflict in the Amhara region, the project has faced a number of difficulties since summer 2023. Project activities have thus been postponed and modified with the objective to achieve the desired results over the long term.
Edu4GEO2 Report on the 2nd project year (1 March 2024 - 28 February 2025)
The second year of the project was characterised by the reopening of universities in the Amhara region following the outbreak of conflict. This enabled the launch of the Geomatics Master's programme. Courses were delivered using a team-teaching approach, with Austrian lecturers teaching online via Zoom and Ethiopian colleagues providing on-site support. Initial community services were provided for land administration experts and local farmers. Equipment for DMU and BDU teaching and learning activities has been ordered and will be used in future.
Publications
- Abebaw Andarge Gedefaw, Mulutesfa Alemu Desta and Reinfried Mansberger. 2024. “Impacts of Integrated Watershed Management Interventions on Land Use/Land Cover of Yesir Watershed in Northwestern Ethiopia”. In Land 2024, 13(7), 918; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13070918
- Sayeh Kassaw Agegnehu, Reinfried Mansberger, Moges Wubet Shita, Derjew Fentie Nurie and Ayelech Kidie Mengesha. 2024. “Land Rental Transactions in Ethiopian Peri-Urban Areas: Sex and Other Factors for Land Rent Transactions”. In Land 2024, 13(9), 1344; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13091344
During the APPEAR in practice_17 event the Edu4GEO2 team from Ethiopia and Austria reported about their long-lasting cooperation in the field of Geomatics.
Edu4GEO2 builds on the completed APPEAR project EduLAND2, during which a land administration competence center at Debre Markos University (DMU) was established.