Mekelle University

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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, Education, Veterinary Science, Languages, Journalism and Arts), Adi Haki campus (Law, Business and Economics), and Aider campus (College of Health Sciences). A fourth campus is under construction at Kelamino for the Faculty of Veterinary Science. 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 their own historical developments and relocations.

[edit] History

Mekelle University College began life in 1993 as the Arid Zone Agricultural College which found a permanent home in Mek'ele after a series of relocations. During the former regime, the College was originally scheduled to be located near Seleh Leha, 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 Derg displaced Asmara University in 1990 due to the current 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.

Mekelle University is one of the 13 secular Universities in Ethopia. In Mekelle University, there are seven faculties and 44 departments.


[edit] Colleges and faculties

At present, the University has the following faculties:

  • Faculty of Dry Land Agriculture and Natural Resources Management
  • Faculty of Business and Economics
  • Faculty of Science and Technology
  • Faculty of Law
  • Faculty of Education
  • Faculty of Veterinary Science
  • College of Health Sciences