Topics & Events

Addis Ababa University and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) jointly organized the first "JICA Chair (JICA Program for Japanese Studies)" on October 27, 2021, under the theme of "Education for Development in Ethiopia: Experiences and Lessons from Japan" at Ras Mekonnen Hall, Addis Ababa University.

The main objective of JICA Chair is to develop future leaders of developing countries by offering the opportunity to study Japan's modernization and development cooperation experiences since Japan is the first country that has modernized from a non-Western background. Therefore, Japan's experience and lessons learned through its modernization and development cooperation can be a good illustration for developing countries.

Around 50 people including MA and PHD students from the Center for African and Asian Studies, Department of Social Anthropology and Department of History, officers from Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and invited guests from the African Union Commission joined the program.

The program started from the introduction of JICA Chair by Dr. Katsuki Morihara, Chief Representative of JICA Ethiopia Office, and welcoming and opening remarks were delivered respectively by Dr. Emebet Mulugeta, Academic Vice President of Addis Ababa University and H.E. Ms. Takako Ito, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Ethiopia.

In the lecture session, after showing the DVD lecture on "Educational Development in Modernization in Japan" by Dr. Nobuko KAYASHIMA, Senior Vice President of JICA, a lecture on the "Uniqueness of Japan's cooperation in the education sector in Africa" was presented by Dr. Yumiko YOKOZEKI, Director of UNESCO IICBA.

In addition, to contextualize JICA's cooperation experience to the field level, "Lessons from Japan's Cooperation in the Education Sector in Ethiopia" was also shared by Ms. Etenesh Mekonnen, National Trainer (Biology) of Mathematics and Science Education Improvement Center (MSIC), Ministry of Education.

To reach wider audiences and to share other areas of Japan's modernization history, the complete DVD series titled "Seven Chapters of Japanese Modernization" were gifted to the University.

Addis Ababa University and JICA will continue to hold the JICA Chair in different fields of study.

Group picture of guests, speakers, organizers and participants at the first JICA Chair event in Ethiopia.

JICA Chair was co-organized by JICA and Addis Ababa University (AAU). Dr Emebet Mulugeta, Academic Vice President of AAU gave the opening remarks.

The DVD series of the JICA Chair lectures was donated to Addis Ababa University by JICA to further studies on Japanese modernization.

The guest lecturer, Dr Yumiko Yokozeki, Director of UNESCO IICBA spoke on the "Uniqueness of Japan's education sector in Africa".

Ms. Etenesh Mekonnen from the Mathematics and Science Improvement Center, Ministry of Education gave a presentation on Japan's cooperation in Ethiopia's education sector.

Ambassdor Takako Ito explained Japan's long-standing cooperation with Ethiopia to members of the media.

Participants watching the DVD lecture by Dr. Nobuko Kayashima on "Educational development and modernization in Japan"

Dr. Zerihun, Head of Center for African and Asian Studies at AAU

Discussion session after the presentations. Dr Samuel Teffera is pictured answering a question.

Q&A Session