Bavarian-Ethiopian Alliance for Applied Life Sciences

From October 2019 to December 2021, the 'Bavarian-Ethiopian Alliance for Applied Life Sciences' project was carried out at Weihenstephan-Triesdorf University of Applied Sciences. The project was part of the Network Africa at the Centre for International Affairs and was an important component of HSWT’s internationalisation strategy. The 'Bavarian-Ethiopian Alliance for Applied Life Sciences' was sponsored by the Bavarian State Chancellery as part of the 'Bavarian Africa Package'.

By establishing this alliance, HSWT’s mission was to create a network of Ethiopian partners in the field of academia and higher education, and to share its expertise on the topic of 'applied teaching'. By doing this, HSWT wants to take the model of applied science universities – as has been practised by HSWT for nearly 50 years – and to work actively with its Ethiopian partners to adapt and develop the model to their situation. Within this project, HSWT is focusing on the key issues of landuse, horticulture, agribusiness, food technology, biotechnology, spatial planning and climate change adaptation.

At many universities in Ethiopia, teaching in subjects in the areas mentioned is predominantly based on theory, which is why graduates sometimes lack the knowledge to implement what they have learned as effectively as possible in their professional lives. By increasing the level of practice-based teaching with partners from industry and government institutions, we are able to improve graduates’ career prospects and contribute to Ethiopia’s economic development.

Through the 'Bavarian-Ethiopian Alliance for Applied Life Sciences', HSWT established a sustainable network of educational institutions and partners in the industry, creating a platform for exchange that benefitted everyone involved. In establishing the alliance, HSWT was also able to draw upon its varied and extensive experience, and especially its networks of industry partners. Valuable synergistic effects were created particularly by the existing HSWT project 'Training pact with Africa', funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the German Corporation for International Cooperation (GIZ).

Establishing the 'Bavarian-Ethiopian Alliance for Applied Life Sciences' achieved the following objectives:

• Identify suitable project partners and themes
• Build an extensive network of Ethiopian and Bavarian partners in the field of applied teaching, including partners from science, industry and the public sector
• Organise multiple virtual events
• Consolidate and disseminate content by establishing a web-based specialised information platform as part of the HSWT strategy on digital teaching

Due to the coronavirus crisis, it was not possible to press ahead with the project as initially planned, with in-person meetings at the Ethiopian partner universities or at HSWT in Weihenstephan. It was therefore especially fortunate that the alliance enabled many online activities to take place. These are listed in chronological order below:

• Virtual launch event (August 2020)
• Virtual workshop "Applied Teaching in Land Use" (November 2020)
• Virtual workshop "Applied Teaching in Food Technology" (November 2020)
• Virtual workshop "Practical Elements in Applied Teaching" (January 2021)
• Virtual workshop "Applied Teaching in Biotechnology" (February 2021)
• Virtual workshop "University Meets Industry - Agribusiness & Food Technology" (March 2021)
• Virtual "Lecturer Swap" on landuse (May 2021)
• Virtual workshop "Applied Teaching in Soil Protection & Watershed Management" (October 2021)
• Virtual conference "The Coffee Value Chain & Higher Education: Bridging the Gap between Theory and Practice" (October 2021)
• Virtual conference "Climate Change and Its Impact on Rural and Urban Areas - Perspectives from Bavaria & Ethiopia" (November 2021)
• Virtual "Lecturer Swap" on climate change and coil (December 2021)

Our project partners in Ethiopia consisted of the following universities:

• Addis Ababa University
• Agro Technical and Technology College (ATTC) / Harar
• Arsi University
• Bahir Dar University
• Debre Markos University
• Haramaya University
• Hawassa University
• Jimma University
• Mekelle University

The sponsorship of the 'Bavarian-Ethiopian Alliance for Applied Life Sciences' by the Bavarian State Chancellery was part of the Free State of Bavaria’s efforts to promote stability and development in Africa.

After the conclusion of this project, the successful work will continue from January 2022 as part of the newly established 'African-Bavarian Alliance for Applied Life Sciences'. The African-Bavarian Alliance is again financed by the Bavarian State Chancellery as part of the 'Bavarian Africa Package' and, in addition to the existing Ethiopian partner institutions, also includes stakeholders from the other Bavarian partner countries Senegal, Tunisia and South Africa (Western Cape and Gauteng).