Mekelle University

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Mekelle University
Established	1991
President	Dr. Mitiku Haile
Location	Mek'ele, Ethiopia
Website	http://www.mu.edu.et/

Mekelle University is located in Northern Ethiopia (Mekelle or Mek'ele, Tigray), at a distance of 783 kilometers from the Ethiopian capital city, Addis Ababa. It has three campus within city of Mek'ele, endayesus campus (Dry Land Agriculture and Natural Resources Management, Science and Technology), Adi Haki campus (law, Business and Economics, Education), and Aider campus (medical school). Mekelle University was established in May 2000 by the Government of Ethiopia (Council of Ministers, Regulations No. 61/1999 of Article 3) as an autonomous higher education institution having its own legal personality. The merger of the two former colleges created the University: Mekelle Business College and Mekelle University College. The two colleges have had their own historical developments and relocations.

[edit] History

Mekelle University College began life in 1993 as the Arid Zone Agricultural College which had been resited in Mek'ele after a series of relocations. During the former regime, the College was originally scheduled to be located near Selekleka, in northwestern Tigray. But, due to many reasons, it was first established at Asmara University as a faculty, but was then moved to Agarfa, in southern Ethiopia, when the Dergue displaced Asmara University in 1990 due to the then political instability. In 1991, after a further year, Asmara University returned to Asmara and the Arid Zone Agricultural Faculty moved temporarily to Alamaya University. In 1993, the Arid Zone Agricultural College was again relocated, this time to Mek'ele, as the College of Dryland Agriculture and Natural Resources Management, and permanently settled at the Endayesus Campus, which had been a military barracks since the time of Emperor Menelik.

With all the challenges it faced, the Arid Zone Agricultural College started with three degree programs in 1993 with 42 students. After two years, the Faculty of Science and Technology was established at the same campus and, together, these two faculties were then upgraded to Mekelle University College. Side by side the Law Faculty then began by accepting diploma students in the continuing education program.

At present, the University has five faculties: Business and Economics, Dry Land Agriculture and Natural Resources Management, Science and Technology, Law, and Education.