The Ethiopian Economics Association (EEA) held an external curricula validation workshop on July 9, 2022, at EEA multipurpose building, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
At the workshop, two MSc curricula were validated. Two curricula, one on Monetary and Financial Economics and the other on Energy and Environmental Economics, were developed by the curriculum development team established by the EEA. Dr. Lemma Gudssa, vice president of EEA made a welcoming and opening speech. In his speech, Lemma thanked EEA for answering long standing EEA members’ request for opening post graduate program in Economics.
Following that, Mr. Abiy Dabay, Accreditation Director of Education and Training Authority (ETA) delivered a message at the conference. In his speech, Abiy explained that standardized education curricula are the first step towards achieving any educational goal. Abiy also apricated EEA for the effort made to enhance quality education in Economics. He also promised that his organization is committed to support EEA school of Economics and Allied Sciences (ESEAS), and enhance its collaboration with EEA.
The EEA staff Dr. Degye Goshu presented the curricula development processes. In his presentation, Degye has highlighted the internal and external need assessment processes, program identification, collaboration with other institutions, benchmarking, resource requirements and the contents of the curricula among others.
Dr. Fetene Bogale, Associate professor of Economics from Adama Science and Technology University, who served as an external evaluator for Monetary and Financial Economics presented his review outcome. Professor Alemu Mekonnen, from AAU and Dr, Abebe Damite, from the policy studies institute who were assigned as an external review for Energy and Environmental Economics curriculum presented the outcome of their review consecutively. All reviewers raised questions, and also provided constrictive comments that would improve the quality of the curricula. Participants who represented various governmental and non-governmental institutions and the private sector and senior members of the Association also raised different questions and provided suggestions that are required to improve the quality of the two curricula.
Dr. Degye Goshu have reflected on questions and concerns raised by external evaluators and participants. Dr. Hailu Elias, executive committee member of the EEA chaired the discussion. In his final conclusion, Hailu thanked all stakeholders who contributed for the success of the validation workshop. After suggesting the curricula team to incorporate all relevant comments and suggestions raised during the external validation workshop, the two curricula were endorsed for accreditation process and implementation.
Partnership and Communication Division, EEA.
