Strategic Planning of Dire Dawa

Dedication brought us this far, and passions will take us further

First Draft Nov. 14, 2015

First revision Dec. 24, 2015
Second revision Mar .18, 2016

Mar. 2016
A Dignified Past-A Determined Future
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Strategic Plan of Jimma University

2016-2020

Table of content
Table of
content ...........................................................................
............................................................... ii
List of
tables ............................................................................
.................................................................. iv
Message from the
president .........................................................................
............................................... v
Section 1: Overview of Jimma
University ........................................................................
......................... 1
1.1. Brief
history ...........................................................................
........................................................ 1
1.2. Rationale of the strategic
plan ..............................................................................
......................... 1
1.3. Strategic planning
methodology .......................................................................
............................. 2
Section 2: Environmental Scanning (Strategic
Analysis)..........................................................................
2
2.1. The dignified
past ..............................................................................
............................................ 2
2.3. The Determined
Future ............................................................................
...................................... 4
2.4. Policy
environment .......................................................................
................................................. 5
2.4.1. Access and
equity ............................................................................
...................................... 5
2.4.2.
Quality ...........................................................................
........................................................ 6
2.4.3. Research and technology
transfer ..........................................................................
................ 6
2.4.4. Cross-Cutting
Issues ............................................................................
.................................. 7
2.4.4.1. Gender in Higher
Education .........................................................................
.................. 7
2.4.4.2. Special Needs and Inclusive
Education .........................................................................
8
2.4.4.3. HIV/AIDS in Higher
Education .........................................................................
............ 8
2.4.4.4. Drug and substance abuse (DSA) prevention in higher
education ................................. 8
2.5. SWOT
Analysis ..........................................................................
................................................... 9
2.6. Internal factor
analysis...........................................................................
...................................... 12
2.7. External factors
Analysis ..........................................................................
................................... 13
2.8. Enablers and barriers at Jimma
University ........................................................................
.......... 14
2.9. Stakeholder
Analysis ..........................................................................
......................................... 15
Section 3: Analysis of Strategic Issues Facing
JU ................................................................................
... 15
3.1. Strategic
Issues: ...........................................................................
................................................ 15
3.1.1. Ensure Access, Equity, Quality and Relevance of
Education .............................................. 16
3.1.2. Improve Performance and Impact of Research
Outputs ...................................................... 16
3.1.3. Excellence in community Service and
Engagement ............................................................ 17
3.1.4. Internationalization and institutional
collaboration ............................................................. 17
3.1.5. Transform Institutional Leadership and
Governance ........................................................... 17
3.2. Crosscutting
Issues ............................................................................
.......................................... 18
3.2.1. Address prevailing problems of gender imbalance and
inequity ......................................... 18
3.2.2. Devising effective institutional response to HIV/AIDS
pandemic ...................................... 18
3.2.3. Develop institutional capacity to support students and staff with
disabilities and special
needs .............................................................................
....................................................... 18
Section 4: Guiding Statements of Jimma
University ........................................................................
....... 19
VISION ............................................................................
.................................................................... 19
MISSION ...........................................................................
.................................................................. 19
CORE
VALUES.............................................................................
...................................................... 19
MOTTO .............................................................................
................................................................... 19
GUIDING
PRINCIPLES ........................................................................
............................................. 19
GOALS OF THE
UNIVERSITY ........................................................................
................................. 20
Section 5: Summary of strategic
planning ..........................................................................
.................. 21
Strategic Goal 1: Academic
excellence ........................................................................
............................ 21
Objective 1.1: Increase access and equity to higher
education ............................................................ 21
Objective 1.2: Enhance quality and relevance of higher
education...................................................... 21
Objective 1.3: Optimize entrepreneurial education & career skill
development .................................. 22
Strategic Goal 2: Excellence in research and technology
transfer ........................................................... 22
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Objective 2.1: Build research environment that inspires and rewards world-class
research, innovation,
and
discovery .........................................................................
...................................................... 22
Objective 2.2: Enhance innovation and technology
transfer ................................................................ 23
Strategic Goal 3: Excellence in Community Service and
Engagement .................................................... 23
Objective 3.1: Strengthen community services through
CBE .............................................................. 23
Objective 3.2: Develop a new age medical
center.............................................................................
... 24
Objective 3.3: Maximize environmental protection &
sustainability ................................................... 24
Strategic Goal 4: Internationalization and institutional
collaboration ...................................................... 25
Objective 4.1: Enhance internalization in academics and
research ...................................................... 25
Objective 4.2: Enhance capacity to attract and retain world-class faculty and
student ........................ 25
Objective 4.3: Establish and strengthen international partnerships in research and
education ............ 26
Strategic Goal 5: Transform institutional leadership and
governance...................................................... 26
Objective 5.1: Improve human resource development and institutional
leadership ............................. 26
Objective 5.2: Improve and maintain good
governance .......................................................................
27
Objective 5.4: Optimize income generation schemes and financial
management ............................... 27
Section 6: Cross cutting
issues ............................................................................
..................................... 27
5.1. Gender and
education .........................................................................
......................................... 28
5.2. Special needs and inclusive
education .........................................................................
................ 28
5.3. HIV/AIDS and
education .........................................................................
................................... 28
5.4. Drug and Substance Abuse (DSA) prevention in
education........................................................ 28

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Strategic Plan of Jimma University

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List of tables

Table 1. Strength of
JU ................................................................................
............................................... 9
Table 2. Weakness of
JU ................................................................................
.......................................... 10
Table 3. Opportunities for
JU ................................................................................
................................... 10
Table 4. Threats for
JU ................................................................................
............................................. 11
Table 5. JU internal factor
analysis ..........................................................................
................................ 12
Table 6. JU external factors
analysis ..........................................................................
............................. 13
Table 7. enablers and
barriers ..........................................................................
......................................... 14
Table 8. Summary of Strategic
objectives ........................................................................
........................ 30
Table 9. Objectives, strategies and
measures ..........................................................................
................. 30

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Strategic Plan of Jimma University
2016-2020

Message from the president

The senior management of Jimma University is grateful to all teams who contributed
a lot to the creation
of JU‟s strategic plan, which draws on the three fundamental missions and seeds of
success: education,
research and community services. We are also indebted to all faculty, staffs,
students, local community,
and local, regional, and federal public and private sectors that provided valuable
inputs. Hundreds have
participated in this process through surveys, stakeholder meetings, focus groups,
University council and
Senate discussions, retreats, one-on-one interviews and advisory groups.
The strategic plan builds on our achievements and successes over the last five year
and it is a product of
17-month intensive planning process. The document is a collaborative effort to
ensure establishment of
institution-wide priorities, which are crucial to JU‟s future. The plan outlines
the strategic focus areas in
which the university will excel for the next five years. Most importantly, this
document indicates how
the university will prioritize the allocation of its budgetary, personnel, and
physical resources vis-à-vis to
JU‟s new level of moving forward and internationalization.
I believe the Strategy enables us to define our new future and benefit from the
significant opportunities
that will arise in the next five years. I am also confident that, JU will foster
the creation of knowledge
and nurture the many synergies between discovery, learning, and service across our
entire community of
scholars. This in turn will improve the human condition and pursue excellence in
education that a world-
class research and entrepreneurial university can give to the community.
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Strategic Plan of Jimma University
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Jimma University is a pioneer and leading community-based university which stood
first for the last five sucessive years in Ethiop

We Are in The Community

motto

To generate, disseminate and apply knowledge and expertise by sustaining academic,

research and community service qualities
Mission

To be a premier world-class university with dynamic approach to solve national

and global challenges
Vision
In Realizing our vision

We build-up our culture of We develop highest We empower the We build a diverse

global We create mutual
academic excellence that standards of research community to address participation
in partnership for
champions students’ success that gives solutions to the their own issues through
intercultural, curricular reputation, financial
in intellectual expertise, pressing global and our creative and and co-curricular
sustainability and
retention, graduation and environmental challenges responsive community
opportunities that make maximizing
recruitment services students globally reinvestment
competent
To achive our vision, we will excute the following 5 Strategic Goals

 Academic Excellence  Excellence in Research Excellence in Community

Internationalization and  Transform
and technology transfer Service and Engagement Institutional Collaboration
institutional leadership
and governance
To achieve our Goals we will perform the following 14 Objectives
1. Increase access and equity 1. Build research 1. Strengthen community 1.
Enhance 1. Improve Human

of higher education environment that services through CBE Internationalization in

Resource
supports and rewards Academics and Development &
world-class research, Research institutional
innovation and discovery leadership

2. Enhance Quality and 2. Enhance Innovation and 2. Develop a new age 2. Enhance
JU’s capacity to 2. Improve and

Relevance of Higher Technology transfer Medical center attract world-class

maintain good
Education faculty and student governance

3. Optimize Entrepreneurial 3. Maximize 3. Establish and 3. Optimize income

Education and Career Environmental Strengthen generation schemes

Development Protection & international and financial
Sustainability partnerships in research management
and education
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Objectives Themes
Strategic Plan of Jimma University
2016-2020

Section 1: Overview of Jimma University

1.1. Brief history
Jimma University was established on 22 December 1999 with amalgamation of College
of Agriculture
and Jimma Institute of Health Sciences following the Council of Ministers
regulation, No. 63/1999.
Nowadays, Jimma University is the pioneer and leading Community-based Higher
Learning Institution
where its philosophical identity is “We are in the community”.
Therefore, JU made remarkable and multifarious progress in training, research and
service provision
since its establishment. From running a few diploma programs in the fields of
health, medicine and
agriculture, the University has evolved to offer multidisciplinary study programs
in eight Colleges and
Institute. All its four campus which are scattered to affect a broad local area;
and its students and staffs
serves the many thousands of local people‟s as employer, neighbor, advisor and
educator. Currently the
University offers 57 Undergraduate Degree Programs, 119 postgraduates in 2nd degree
and 17 PhD
programs. The student enrolment in year 2015 was 42,917 and the number of academic
and
administrative staffs was 1452 and 4566, respectively. Therefore, the University
has contributed a lot in
adopting, adapting, generating and transferring new knowledge and research outputs.
1.2. Rationale of the strategic plan
With ambitious goal of being a World-Class University where research and innovative
teaching go hand
in hand, JU reached to important milestone of preparing its third strategic Plan,
which is the roadmap to
internationalization through articulated academic and research endeavors. The plan
is a foundation
block to provide an opportunity of building its international reputations in the
rapidly changing world.
The current global needs via internationalization made JU a global intellectual hub
to promote new
discoveries, innovations and applications towards a global impact. The plan will
therefore, encourages
faculty, staff and students to explore linkages and to become a global source for
information, expertise
and productive collaborations across all sectors of government, non–government and
civic societies.
Hence, a serious consideration has given to the five corporate goals of JU, which
include Academic
Excellence, Excellence in Research and Technology Transfer, Excellence in Community
Service and
Engagement, Internationalization and Institutional Collaboration; and Transforming
Institutional
Leadership and Governance towards serving the international priorities. Given the
ever-increasing pace
of global challenge, JU is acting quickly and flexibly to give a sharp
international focus to considerable
and broad-ranging strengths in research, learning and knowledge exchange. By
identifying the most
emerging international opportunities, JU is endeavoring to communicate with a range
of international
partners to improve its international roles. Responding to the challenges of
rapidly changing social,
environmental and economic conditions, JU has embarked on a comprehensive strategic
planning
process in order to identify new opportunities to serve society as effectively as
possible, further
advancing its reputation for excellence, innovation and relevance.
The strong culture of innovation and the can-do attitude of its students, faculty
and staff is the
foundational block to create a new and better future in the growing societal needs
and to fuel economic
growth. This is why Jimma University is devising its Third Strategic Plan to the
level of
internationalization. JU staffs are contributing their expertise to public debate
and policymaking, both
through academic research and through serving on advisory and policy bodies. It is
also making a
particular contribution to supports the work of Jimma Zone and City Administration
Council, and the
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Ethiopian Government. It works in partnership with a number of national and

international research
organizations designated as Associated Institutions of the University, which in
turn provide employment
opportunities for many students. The University organizes free lectures,
conferences, festivals and arts
events, many of which are open to the public. JU maintains strong links with local
and international
alumni and with the local population through voluntary programs.
1.3. Strategic planning methodology
The strategic planning process started in September 2014 with the development of
Strategic Plan
Guideline by Planning and Programing Directorate. Based on the guideline, call for
past performance-
evaluation had been announced and two professional teams applied for the call.
Because of the
complexity and comprehensiveness of the work, the two teams were advised to work
together. On the
other hand, six different strategic planning teams (with total members of 60
academicians, senior
managers and professionals) were established.
The past performance-evaluation team evaluated the performance of JU against the
last five years‟
strategic plan. In parallel, the external stakeholder analysis was conducted by the
assigned team. After
great efforts of analyzing and synthesizing the data by both teams, reports were
submitted to the main
technical team as input for a further work. Then, the technical team, which consist
a University-wide
representation, was charged with the development of the five-year strategic plan
for JU. Then this team
has submitted its first draft to the top management for a comment. Based on the
feedback obtained from
the top management, the technical team incorporated the comments and enriched the
document. The
revised strategic plan was presented to the University‟s Council Members and Senior
Academic Staffs
for further discussion in February 2016. During this session, valuable suggestions
were obtained and
included in the main document, accordingly. Finally, a National Stakeholders‟
Workshop is organized
for sensitization and awareness creation.

Section 2: Environmental Scanning (Strategic Analysis)

2.1. The dignified past

With a profound change occurring at breakneck speed, Jimma University is a defining
characteristic of
the new era where academic, ecological and demographic challenges, increasing
global competition
were fierce. JU was facing these questions of how to get ready for the future and
how it can improve the
expectation of the generations to come. However, inspired by long-lasting
commitment that arise from
societal change, and by realizing our potentials and by increasing our dynamics, JU
was and will be the
leading and distinguished innovative University of our Nation. Thus, the strong
track-records of
engagement with innovative and entrepreneurial culture will continue to do so with
unwavering
commitment. JU‟s strengths in research, academics and purposeful community services
emanated from
its rooted culture to understand the world and to fuel up significant socio-
economic and environmental
spin-offs of our Nation.
Concerning service provision, the university has made its own relentless efforts in
extensive renovation
and expansions to make the hospital conducive for community service, training and
research. In line
with this, concerted efforts were made to improve the quality of the service that
the hospital renders.
The university has built a new hospital complex and state-of-the-art medical of
equipment to enhance
services, teaching and research in the field of health sciences. The teaching and
referral hospital of
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Jimma University will have the capacity to accommodate 1000 beds at the time when
the new complex
is completed. In addition to this, an additional expansion program is underway for
the tertiary hospital.
Therefore, the university is making a valuable contribution to the overall
development of the country by
producing high-level professionals, by carrying out problem-solving research and by
providing service to
the public. By training higher caliber professionals through its cherished and
innovative Community
Based Education (CBE), Jimma University is a center of academic excellence and
knowledge capital of
Ethiopia. Its commitment and strengths to meet emerging challenges and engagement
of students and
faculty on research and community services have added aspirant values to its
records of accomplishment
and thereby improved its higher standards of academic learning and societal well-
being.
JU is an early adopter of ICT technology and it is on the frontline not only by
using but by also scaling
up it to other sister Universities towards advancing the technology for academics,
research, community
services and good governance purposes in Ethiopia. In line to this endeavor,
nowadays, all classrooms in
campuses of JU are changed to smart classrooms and its library, administration
units, the fleet and
institutional transformational systems are changed to smartest and softest system.
Information
technology innovations flourished in all JU campuses that revolutionized efficient
compilation and put
JU‟s ICT peaks on the national map. From there, JU developed National Recognition
in high-tech
expertise, which fueled significant economic spin-offs. The growth of many other
Universities helped
the university‟s reputation. In the verge of the Second Growth and Transformation
Plan, Ethiopia is
heading towards new economic, political, cultural and technological developments.
Such developments
call for a mass of qualified and competent professionals in various fields, and
higher learning institutions
are required to fill this gap by producing the human capital who actively
participates in the local,
national, regional and global economy.
A singularly powerful and long-standing principle of Jimma University is to
anticipate the needs of
society and respond effectively as challenges arise. This principle was and will be
a key motivator
behind the founding of this institution and its early commitment to creative
thought, applied knowledge
and experiential learning. Jimma looks to the future with energy, enthusiasm and
commitment to its core
strengths, while identifying key new areas of discovery, innovation and application
that will further
elevate its reputation as a powerhouse of quality education. In line with these
developments, Jimma
University has developed this strategic document. This strategic plan of the Jimma
University is the third
central strategic document to be accomplished from 2015/16 to 2019/20. The plan is
in line to the
education policy of the country by incorporating priority areas like improving
quality of education and
ensuring relevance aimed at supplying the human capital to the emerging economic
and productive
sectors, advancing problem-solving research, which contributes, to knowledge and
technology transfer,
and providing quality service to the community. Thus, it tries to create
appropriate nexus between
education, research, community service and development. This is meant to align with
the priorities
established in the second Growth and Transformation Plan (GTP-II) which emphasizes
economic growth
and industrialization.
The following challenges, mission and vision statement, set the scene for the core
thematic priority areas
and strategies that follow.
2.2. Challenges
1. Weak Management Information System (MIS)
2. Community complaints on waste disposal system of the university
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3. Inconvenient library services and space management due to poor design, and
mismatch with
number of students
4. Poor income generation efforts to support teaching, research and service
undertaking
5. Poor reward and punishment system
6. Unsatisfactory staff profile and poor retention mechanisms
7. Poor quality of health service management delivery
8. Weak initiative to forge new links and partners and effectively manage existing
ones
9. Gender imbalance in workforce: the number of women faculty in general and
proportion of
women in management positions of the university in particular is very low.
10. Poor planning, monitoring and evaluation system: Generally, there is lack of
seriousness in
planning and systematic monitoring and evaluation of institutional performance.
11. Underdeveloped local infrastructure and market in Jimma town electric supply,
water supply
12. Excessive student intake that risks academic quality
13. Shortage of training facilities: like facilities for practical and skills
training, training health centers,
factories and service organizations are in short supply in and around Jimma.
14. Scarcity of qualified staff in the local market in some fields
15. Unsatisfactory student services

2.3. The Determined Future

For a fast-evolving globe, where pace of emerging challenges often outstrips
available answers,
conventional approaches to higher education, innovation and discovery are no longer
enough. Answering
that call requires a gallant and eccentric approach one that combines deep
knowledge, extraordinary
research, broad-based community engagement, internationalization and academic
excellence. This
requires interdisciplinary approaches and a forward-looking focus on advancing
knowledge and meeting
societal needs. Jimma University is the right public institution at the right time,
which aspires to confront
these challenges without any hesitation.
Over the next five years, JU will take excellence in education to the next level by
making participatory
education as integral part of the way all students learn. JU‟s unique brand of
Community based
education will reshape lifelong learning for students on and beyond its campuses.
Recognizing the value
of broad experiences in global economy, JU will cater for opportunities to attract
international
collaborations through educational exchanges and research undertakings.
Hence, JU‟s foundational strengths will serve as a springboard, propelling JU
towards a single goal: to
be recognized as one of the top innovative Universities in the world. JU‟s
strategic plan is built on these
profound traditions of excellence with a clear view of where energy and resources
must be focused in
order to maintain our National lead in higher education. It will be anchored by
accountably framework
that measures the progress towards ambitious but achievable goals.
Over the next five years, building on our foundational strengths and propelled by
the promises outlined
in this strategic plan, we will answer the call of the society and emerge as one of
the top innovative
universities. Hence, JU will exclusively produce globally competent graduates
through a wide range of
international learning opportunities.
Inspired by its culture of innovation, JU will
- Transform education and research with experiential learning for all,
- Build our reputation as a uniquely entrepreneurial university,
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- Change lives and advance the community and industries through high-impact, demand
driven
and highly-relevant research outputs ,
- Educate outstanding and globally competent graduates ,
- Achieve closer integration of research opportunities and reputation,
- Be recognized for excellence in research that delivers real solutions
in the next five years.
JU will build this dynamic future on a foundation of excellent academic program,
global prominence,
vibrant student experience, robust university-industry linkage and a sound value
system. The particular
attention paid to the internationalization and the growth of student and staff
mobility gained additional
significance. Overall, our aspiration puts increasing our international reputation
for quality – in learning,
research and knowledge transfer – at the heart of our future activity. We want to
develop further our
relationships with the best international universities across this spectrum of
activity.
2.4. Policy environment
The introduction of higher education in Ethiopia began in the mid-1960s. It is only
in that past fifteen
years, however, due to the government‟s and development partners‟ commitment to
prioritizing the sub-
sector, that access to higher education has opened to the wider population.
2.4.1. Access and equity
In the past ten years, the Ethiopian government demonstrated continued commitment
to expanding
equitable access to quality and relevant higher education. Since 2004/05, the
number of public higher
education institutions has increased, from eight to 36 (although only 33 take
directly from grade twelve),
distributed across all regions of the country. Private higher education
institutions have also expanded,
reaching 98 institutions in total, accommodating around 15% of all student
enrolment by the end of the
ESDP IV period.
This extra capacity has allowed rapid increases in intake. Undergraduate enrolment
(government and
private) rose from 447,693 in 2010/11, to 593,571 in 2013/14. Against a target of
90%, the transition rate
from grade twelve stands at 84% in 2014/15. Of total enrolment, 57% of students now
participate in
regular undergraduate classes and 43% in a combination of distance, summer and
extension courses.
Likewise, total Masters‟ enrolment in public higher education institutions
increased from 7,211 in
2007/08 to 27,643 in 2013/14. Recently private institutions began enrolling
postgraduate students and
now they accommodate over 3,000 M.Sc. students. Consequently, the total enrolment
at this level
reached 30,643 by the end of ESDP IV. Enrolment in third degree programs (PhD) has
increased from a
low base of only 258 in 2007/08 to 3,169 in 2013/14. PhD candidates are enrolled
predominantly in
public institutions with only one private university receiving PhD students. New
universities are being
established to provide equitable geographic distribution across the different
regions.
Participation of students with special educational needs has risen from a base of
398 in 2009/10 to more
than the targeted 1,000 during ESDP IV. The number of students eligible for higher
education that have
special educational needs is partially constrained by the number who complete grade
12. In addition to
improving access in higher education institutions and to training staff with
appropriate skills and offering
adapted learning materials, joint initiatives with general education are required
to increase the
participation rate of students with special needs. In addition, students with
special educational needs do
not have equal access to all fields of study and often tend to be placed to study
special needs education.
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The proportion of females in higher education needs to increase. The share of

female students at
undergraduate level has now reached 32% and in 2015, the intake rate was 38%
female. Similar to
enrolment of children with special educational needs, the number of female students
eligible for higher
education is also partially constrained by the number of girls who complete grade
12. The share of
female academic staff and females in leadership positions remains far below plan,
with no achievement
in terms of women in leadership roles.
2.4.2. Quality
Studies indicate that many students joined higher education institutions with
results below the 50%
threshold in the higher education entrance examinations. The study also indicates
that in physics, a basis
for engineering studies, students‟ results are extremely low. To compound this,
studies in 2011/12
indicate that the graduation rate of regular undergraduate students is as low as
79%. This, perhaps,
implies a low quality of instruction or perceived low relevance of the higher
education courses being
offered. It could also be a reflection of the low quality of students introduced to
higher education, who,
irrespective of teaching quality, do not have the skills for learning at this
level.
To improve the quality of the teaching and learning process several initiatives
have been implemented
including harmonizing curricula for all of the undergraduate programs, adopting a
modular approach for
course delivery to enhance active learning, instituting Quality Assurance Offices
at each university and
equipping libraries and laboratories. In addition, the Ethiopian Qualification
Framework is nearly
complete and the Ethiopian Education and Research Network (ETHERNET), a two billion
Birr project is
well underway and expected to be completed by 2015. In spite of massive resource
allocations to higher
education, universities still report insufficient supplies of text and reference
books, laboratory and
workshop equipment and access to information communication technologies.
The teacher-student ratio is another factor, which influences the quality of
instruction and has improved
considerably recently. In 2014, the ratio reached 1:16. This compares favourably
with international
standards (1:19) and the experiences of similar countries. The qualification mix of
these 21,109 staff,
however, has implications for quality of instruction. Given the target of 0:70:30
(Bachelor: Masters‟:
PhD degree holders, respectively), so far only a ratio of 27:58:15 has been
achieved. The supply of
teaching staff with postgraduate qualifications has not kept pace with the increase
in student enrolment.
As a result, staffs with a bachelor‟s degree teach a large share of undergraduate
students. If university
intake capacity continues to expand at the current rate, it must be assured that
sufficient staff available,
with an appropriate skills mix, to provide quality instruction will be available.
2.4.3. Research and technology transfer
Financial support to research is low. In 2011/12, the research budget of all
universities accounted for
only 1% of their total budget. In addition, there are limited numbers of personnel
available to conduct
high quality research, and postgraduate students conduct higher education research
predominantly. To
improve the relevance of research and technology development for societal and
national development
needs, institutions have identified their thematic research areas considering their
staff profile, topics of
excellence and local needs. On completion of the National Research Undertaking
Framework and sorting
National Research Priorities, institutions will be supported through provision of
funding for innovation,
perhaps on a contestable basis. In addition, a national forum co-chaired by the
Ministry of Science and
Technology and Ministry of Education has been formed to enable institutions to
collaborate with
industries and mega-project implementers in their respective development corridors.
Efforts to form
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business incubation centres at the institutes of technology and science and

technology universities are
progressing well; and these may serve as valuable sources for income generation.
2.4.4. Cross-Cutting Issues
2.4.4.1. Gender in Higher Education
To achieve gender parity in the education and training sectors, targets and action
programs were
established in ESDP-IV. The gender directorate introduced activities to achieve
gender equality.
Measures were taken to establish and strengthen gender offices, gender forums,
girls‟ clubs and female
student associations in Regional Education Bureaus (REBs) and higher learning
institutions. In addition,
gender-mainstreaming guidelines were revised; a life skills training manual for
secondary education
prepared; a system to mitigate gender based violence established; and the former
girls‟ strategy and
action plan revised and updated ready for the beginning of ESDP V. These efforts
were all planned to
increase female enrolment and participation in the education and training sector.
Pre-primary enrolment has increased rapidly for both boys and girls; however, the
GPI dropped from
0.98 in 2009/10 to 0.95 in 2013/14. In Primary and Secondary Education there were
significant strides
made towards achieving gender parity. Although the GPI in first cycle primary has
fallen to 0.91 in
2013/14 from 0.93 in 2009/10, GPI in the second cycle of primary education has
improved nationally to
0.97 from 0.94 over the same period. This trend correlates with the average
survival rate to grade five of
girls in the years 2007/08 - 2011/12, of 49.6%, compared to boys‟ survival rate,
which was 47.1% The
GER for girls in secondary education has increased considerably over the past four
years. The GPI for
the first cycle of secondary education (grades 9-10) improved from 0.80 in 2009/10
to 0.94 in 2013/14,
and the GPI for the second cycle of secondary education (grades 11-12) improved
from 0.56 to 0.85 over
the same period. Yet despite progress, there remain some critical gaps in reducing
gender disparity in
primary and particularly in secondary education. While the intake rate of girls in
grade one over the past
four years has been increasing, it remains consistently lower than the intake rate
for boys.
Gender disparity not only deals with enrolment and completion but also concerned
with learning
outcomes. The share of females that sat and scored 2.00 or above in the grade ten
national examination
remains lower than males (45% compared to 61%). Similarly, in the grade twelve
national examination
while 36% of males scored 350 or above (the official pass mark), only 19% of
females reached the
equivalent benchmark. The number of female primary school teacher trainees remains
lower than the
number of males. However, it has increased by 5.2% annually from 2009/10 to 2013.
Likewise, there
were 1,974 male teacher-trainers and only 182 female teacher trainers in 2015.
Currently the number of illiterate adults in the country is 20,451,706, of which
66% are females. Among
regions, the proportion of females and males with no education is highest in Afar
(69% of females and
53% of males) followed by Somali (for women 68%). About seven rural women in every
ten (71%) are
illiterate compared with three urban women in every ten (31%). The percentage of
female trainees in
TVET increased to 51% (2012/13) from 46% in (2009/10). This is slightly over
achievement of the
target set for 2011/12. Although there are regional variations, national data tend
to show a concentration
of female students in short-term programs as opposed to long-term ones. The reason
is short-term
programs normally focus on traditionally accepted fields for females, such as
business, IT and
hairdressing. Increased numbers of universities have introduced noticeable
initiatives to support female
students‟ achievement through tutorial classes, regular forums attended by
university presidents on
young women‟s education, the launching of a national Code of Conduct for
eliminating sexual
harassment and the introduction of a life skills module in all university resource
packs across the
country. Despite the efforts made, females remain underrepresented at all levels of
higher education,
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with 32% in undergraduate, 19% in postgraduate, 12% in teaching staff and a single
female in a top
leadership position, against a target of sixteen.
2.4.4.2. Special Needs and Inclusive Education
The exact number of children with a disability in Ethiopia is not known. Instead,
for planning purposes,
the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates for people with a disability are
used. In 2011, the
WHO estimate was that 15% of people in any population have a disability. The school
age population
from age 4-18 is more than 33.5 million, which implies that there are an estimated
5 million children
with special education needs. In 2013/2014, only about 78000 children (42% girls
and 58% boys) with
identified special educational needs are enrolled in grades one to twelve.
Currently information on
children with special educational needs who are enrolled in pre-primary is not
collected but is planned
beginning in the first year of ESDP V. With regard to primary education, only 4% of
the estimated
children with special needs are enrolled, which is a barrier to the achievement of
universal primary
education.
2.4.4.3. HIV/AIDS in Higher Education
Available information indicates that currently the prevalence and incidence of
HIV/AIDS decreased
substantially, from a peak of 7.3% in 2000 to 1.5% in 2011 (DHS, 2011), but wide
variations remain
among regions. In relation to education, the HIV/AIDS activities are intended to
prevent and control the
spread of the disease. In this respect, awareness is a measure of performance.
In Ethiopia, there are only few study results on level of HIV/AIDS knowledge in
school adolescents. An
„Assessment of comprehensive HIV/AIDS knowledge level among in-school adolescents
in eastern
Ethiopia‟ suggests that only about a quarter of the in-school adolescents had
comprehensive HIV/AIDS
knowledge. Although females are highly vulnerable to HIV infection and its effects,
they were less likely
to have comprehensive HIV/AIDS knowledge compared to males. They were also less
likely to have
comprehensive pregnancy knowledge, even though they had more knowledge on pregnancy
occurrence
dates related to the menstrual cycle. In addition, for both genders, the
comprehensive knowledge of
modes of HIV transmission of in-school adolescents was lower than that of the
general awareness or the
separate modes of transmission.
A study conducted in higher education institutions indicated that in-school youth
are more predisposed
to the risk of HIV infection most importantly because of their age and the
increased prevalence of risky
sexual and other behaviours. The study identified early initiation of sex, multiple
and concurrent sexual
partners, low and inconsistent condom use, drug and substance abuse and
intergenerational and
transactional sex as the major risky behaviours. The situation is exacerbated
because of unintended
pregnancies, abortion, and STIs, which are also more prevalent in this age group.
Schools and higher
education institutions have been supported to establish HIV/AIDS clubs, HIV/AIDS
was incorporated to
school curricula, and school conversation programs were organized. As a result,
over the past four years,
school community conversations were implemented in all regions of the country.
While in 2007/8, there
were 3,255 schools, which had organized school community conversations, in 2010/11
the number of
schools, which organized such activities, increased four-fold.
2.4.4.4. Drug and substance abuse (DSA) prevention in higher education
Ethiopians have grown and consumed chat and alcohol for centuries and their use is
commonly accepted.
The distribution of substance users in Ethiopia follows global norms: e.g., there
is a higher prevalence of
consumption by males; and vulnerable populations include the poor and young people
both in and out of
school. The strongest evidence about use of drugs and alcohol among the youth (15-
24 years old) in
Ethiopia is provided by a study of 24,434 young people in and out of school. Among
the young people
who were in school, 0.4% drank alcohol daily and 5.8% used chat weekly. Use among
the young people
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who were out of school was significantly higher – 2.7% drank alcohol daily and
13.3% chewed chat
weekly. Use of cannabis, solvents and cocaine was also reported among the youth in
and out of school
(0.7% and 3.8% respectively). The Ministry of Education signed agreements to be
part of national efforts
related to DSA. The National Drug Control Master Plan ran for the period of ESDP
IV, along with an
Inter-Ministerial Coordinating Committee was established. In addition, the Ministry
of Education, in
2014, signed the National Integrated Plan for Ethiopia (UNODC), along with FMHACA
and other
ministries. Its activities for FY2014 are to review and improve DSA curriculum,
organize trainings for
target groups and rollout to regions. One activity that has taken place although
for which no reliable data
are available is the establishment of drug-free clubs in schools and youth clubs.
2.5. SWOT Analysis
To decide on the strategic plan, the university technical team has identified the
following strategic focus
on strength, weakness, opportunity and threats by classifying them as internal and
external factors.
Table 1. Strength of JU
Strength
1. Public Image and Reputation: being stood first 12. Well Rated Graduates:
demonstrated the image
for last five consecutive years JU is the premier of JU in markets
HLI with strong public image and good
13. Robust Undergraduate Students’ Research:
reputation.
commendable tradition of exposing student to
2. Innovative Educational Philosophy: CBE is a problem solving applied research
experience
powerful instrument to improve relevance and
14. Integration of Training, Research and
quality of training
community Service assisted to undertake
3. Diverse Academic Programs: various problem-solving research on priority issues
opportunities for rich learning experience and picked during the course of CBE
undertaking multidisciplinary research
15. Program Expansion and Growing Intake
4. Reasonable Level of Public Funding: JU
16. Stable Domestic Staff Development: There is
negotiated reasonable public funding for recurrent
steady performance in staff development in
costs. However, future funding depends on
country contrary to opportunity for overseas
performance targets that we need to meet
education
5. Massive Investment in Infrastructure: reduced
17. Stable Leadership: has given JU the opportunity
prevailing problem of space and improve quality
to steadily push forward its expansion programs
of training and research.
18. Client Satisfaction: increasing customer
6. ICT: the ongoing LAN project in all campuses
satisfaction
enabled JU to apply ICT for teaching, research
19. Location of Many Colleges in One Campus
and community services.
and One Town: facilitated communication,
7. Support Facilities and Organizations:
sharing of resources and controlling of overhead
community school, staff and student lounges,
costs
credit and saving organization, specialized
20. Adequate Land Resources: used for program
hospital and others addressed gaps in social
expansion, research and revenue generation
amenities
activities
8. Staff Attitude: Majority of the staff would like to
21. Participatory and transparent management
see JU maintains its leading roles
system
9. Number of Journals
22. Assertive gender policy and conducive
10. Decentralized ICT based Library system
environment
improved services provided to students, staffs and
23. 24 hrs. health care services
faculties
24. Effective leadership of links and
11. Team Work: the presence of collegiality among
collaborations
staff is the foundation of growth & development

of JU
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Table 2. Weakness of JU
Weaknesses
1. Poor Planning and Evaluation: lack of 9. Inadequate advocacy and promotion of JU
seriousness in planning, monitoring and evaluation,
activities and resources
accountability and reporting
10. Poor Reward and Punishment System
2. Weak Research Performance: research outputs
11. Poor Management Information System: the poor
are not up to the expectation
data gathering, processing and reporting system
3. Less Qualified Staffs to realize the mission and
12. Weak Academic Programs Quality Audit
vision of JU
13. Too Much Leaning on Government Funding:
4. Gender imbalance in Its Workforce: the number
14. Delay of JU’s Master Plan development and
of women faculty in management positions is very
implementation
low
15. Shortage of Updated Administrative Manuals
5. Weak Accounting and Financial Resource
and Procedures: outdated bureaucratic procedures,
Management System
rules and regulations require updating and
6. Procurement Process and Poor Management of
replacement
Supplies
16. Poor facility management
7. Poor Staff Incentive schemes: there is lack of
17. Bureaucratic internal working processes: service
well-developed staff incentive mechanisms
delivery processes and operations need
8. Limited Infrastructure: critical infrastructure
rationalization and reengineering
such as staff office, auditorium, roads, ICT
network, printing press and laboratories
Table 3. Opportunities for JU
Opportunities
Nations Nationalities and Peoples Regional
1. Global opportunities for competitive projects
governments.
(national, political, partnership, funding, projects,
2. Favorable HLI Policy and Commitment of 8. Expansion of Graduate Programs in the
Country:
Government is an opportunity to train our junior staff in the
country without need to send them overseas.
3. Increasing Government Investment in ICT and
Telecom Development 9. Interest Shown by Ethiopian Diaspora and
Alumni to Help
4. Increasing Demand for Trained Human Power
10. Increasing Enrolment in Preparatory Schools
5. Ongoing Higher Education Reform ensures
relevance and quality of education, civil service 11. Public Awareness of
Importance of Education in
reform, introduction of cost-sharing scheme,
General and Higher Education in Particular
democratization and leadership, effectiveness of
12. Economic growth of the country
institutional management
13. Stable political system in the country
6. Government Commitment to Democratization

and Decentralization
7. Strategic Location of the University: JU is located

in southwestern part of the country on gateway to

western Oromia and other three regional states of

Gambella, Benshangul and Gumuz and Southern

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Table 4. Threats for JU
Threats
1. Poor infrastructure and social amenities of Jimma town
2. Inadequate Public Fund for Practical Training: practical training programs
including CBE and
practicum require large financial commitment
3. Emergence of Competition: We have to be competitive to remain as a leading
University.
4. Excessive Student Intake: it is a threat to quality of education
5. Shortage of Training Facilities: like hospital space, training health centers,
laboratories, factories and
service organizations are in short supply
6. Inadequate Government Budget
7. Low academic quality of Students from Preparatory Schools
8. Poor Utility Services like poor water supply, sewerage system, telecom and power
supply
9. HIV/AIDS Pandemics: affected the workforce and increased burden of National
economy. The health
care cost is mounting because of the pandemic.
10. Low Capacity of Construction Industry
11. Shift of Donors Approach: donors are moving away from project-based support to
budgetary support
at national level.
12. Community Fatigue towards Community Based Education (CBE)
13. Shortage of senior Staffs in Local Markets
14. Weak University-industry linkage
15. High staff turnover due to unattractive Salary and Benefits
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2.6. Internal factor analysis

The analysis of internal factor is carried out with respect to leadership, HRM,
service delivery and the
finances and infrastructure of Jimma University.
Table 5. JU internal factor analysis
Factor Strength Weakness
Leadership
1. Good public image and reputation 1. Poor Management Information System (MIS)
2. Poor reward and punishment system
2. Participatory and transparent management
3. Poor planning, monitoring and evaluation
system
system
3. Assertive gender policy and conducive
environment
4. Stable leadership
5. Effective leadership of links and
collaborations
Human 1. Good staff attitude 1. Gender imbalance in workforce
resource 2. Team work 2. Poor staff profile and retention mechanism
management 3. Stable domestic staff development 3. Less qualified staffs

Service 1. Innovative educational philosophy 1. Community compliments on waste

disposal
delivery 2. Diverse academic programs system of the university
3. Strong organizations and support facilities 2. Inconvenient library services
and space
(community school, staff and student management
lounge 3. Weak research impact
4. Decentralization of ICT based services 4. Poor quality of health service
provision
5. Number of Journals 5. Inadequate advocacy and promotion of JU
6. 24 hrs. healthcare services activities and resources
7. Well Rated Graduates 6. Weak Academic Programs Quality Audit
8. Robust Undergraduate Students‟ Research
9. Integration of Training, Research and
community Service
10. Program Expansion and Growing Intake
11. Client Satisfaction
Finance and 1. Well-developed ICT infrastructure 1. Poor income generation efforts
to support
infrastructure 2. Massive investment in infrastructure teaching, research and
service undertaking
3. Adequate land resources 2. Absence of master plan for some strategic
4. Reasonable Level of Public Funding facilities including ICT and some colleges
5. Location of Many Colleges in One 3. Weak Accounting and Financial Resource
Campus and One Town Management System
4. Procurement Process and Poor Management
of Supplies
5. Limited Infrastructure
6. Too Much Leaning on Government Funding:
7. Delay of JU‟s Master Plan development and
implementation

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2.7. External factors Analysis

The analysis of external factors at Jimma University is carried out with respect to
economic conditions,
technology and politico-legal and socio-culture aspects
Table 6. JU external factors analysis
Factor Opportunity Threats
Economic 1. Economic growth of the country 1. Unattractive and less competitive
salary and
condition 2. Increasing Government Investment benefits
in ICT and Telecom Development 2. Shortage of training facilities
3. Low capacity of the construction industry

4. Scarcity of qualified staff in the local market in

some fields
5. Poor infrastructure and social amenities of Jimma
town
6. Inadequate Public Fund for Practical Training
7. Inadequate Government Budget
Technology 1. Global opportunities for competitive 1. ISP monopoly and absence on
national ICT
projects (national, political, master plan
partnership, funding, projects 2. Emergence of Competition
Political 2. Favorable higher education policy 1. Bureaucratic and rigid
procurement system
and growing commitment of the 2. Shift of donors‟ approach
government 3. Excessive student intake that risks academic
3. Expansion of graduate programs in quality
the country 4. Emergence of competition which may result in
4. Ongoing higher education reform reduced student per capital budget
5. Stable National political system 5. Low academic quality of Students from
6. Government Commitment to Preparatory Schools
Democratization and
Decentralization
Socio- 1. Strategic location of the university 1. Community fatigue
cultural 2. Expansions in enrolment in 2. HIV/AIDS Pandemics
secondary and preparatory schools 3. Poor Utility Services
3. Increased public awareness on the
importance of education

4. Increasing Demand for Trained

Human Power
5. Interest Shown by Ethiopian
Diaspora and Alumni to Help

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2.8. Enablers and barriers at Jimma University

The SWOT analysis made above is regrouped as barriers and enablers shown below
Table 7. enablers and barriers
Enablers Barriers
1. Good public image and reputation 1. Poor Management Information System (MIS)
2. Participatory and transparent management system 2. Poor reward and
punishment system
3. Assertive gender policy and conducive environment 3. Poor planning, monitoring
and evaluation system
4. Stable leadership 4. Gender imbalance in workforce
5. Effective leadership of links and collaborations 5. Poor staff profile and
retention mechanism
6. Good staff attitude 6. Less qualified staffs
7. Team work 7. Community complaint on waste disposal system
8. Stable domestic staff development 8. Inconvenient library services and space
9. Innovative educational philosophy 9. Weak research impact
10. Diverse academic programs 10. Poor quality of health service provision
11. Strong organizations and support facilities (community 11. Inadequate advocacy
and promotion of JU activities and
school, staff and student lounge) resources
12. Decentralization of ICT based services 12. Weak academic programs quality
audit
13. Number of journals 13. Poor income generation efforts to support teaching,
research
14. 24 hr. healthcare services and service undertaking
15. Well rated graduates 14. Absence of master plan for some strategic facilities
16. Robust undergraduate students‟ research including ICT and some colleges
17. Integration of training, research and community service 15. Weak accounting and
financial resource management system
18. Program expansion and growing intake 16. Procurement process and poor
management of supplies
19. Client satisfaction 17. Limited infrastructure
20. Well-developed ICT infrastructure 18. Too much leaning on government funding:
21. Massive investment in infrastructure 19. Delay of JU‟s master plan development
and implementation
22. Adequate land resources 20. Unattractive and less competitive salary and
benefits
23. Reasonable level of public funding 21. Shortage of training facilities
24. Location of many colleges in one campus and town 22. Low capacity of the
construction industry
25. Economic growth of the country 23. Scarcity of qualified staff in local
markets
26. Increasing government investment in ICT and telecom 24. Poor infrastructure and
social amenities of Jimma town
development 25. Inadequate public fund for practical training
27. Global opportunities for competitive projects (national, 26. Inadequate
government budget
political, partnership, funding, projects 27. Absence on national ICT master plan
28. Favorable higher education policy and growing 28. Emergence of competition
commitment of the government 29. Bureaucratic and rigid procurement system
29. Expansion of graduate programs in the country 30. Shift of donors‟ approach
30. Ongoing higher education reform 31. Excessive student intake that risks
academic quality
31. Stable political system in the country 32. Emergence of competition which may
result in reduced
32. Government commitment to democratization and student per capital budget
decentralization 33. Low academic quality of students from preparatory schools
33. Strategic location of the university 34. Community fatigue
34. Expansions in enrolment in secondary and preparatory 35. HIV/aids pandemics
schools 36. Poor utility services
35. Increased public awareness on the importance of 37. Unattractive and less
competitive salary and benefit
education
36. Increasing demand for trained human power
37. Interest by Ethiopian diaspora and alumni to help
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2.9. Stakeholder Analysis

The stakeholders‟ analysis result indicated that:
- The low attrition rate recorded in the university over the past few years is
considered as strength.
- The teaching aspect is not expanding as expected to be student-centered.
- A substantial number of the local community members are benefiting from JU‟s
engagement
especially in terms of access to education, community-based interventions, jobs,
business
opportunities and health services.
- The university has been striving to adapt and disseminate appropriate technology
to beneficiaries.
- The university has further assisted regional governments in capacity building
activities through
custom-based training in health and related fields, law, teacher education and
other areas.
- The research undertakings and dissemination of outputs are not up to the
expectations of the
stakeholders.
- The waste disposal system of the university is not environmentally friendly.
- 60% of students and 61.5% of staffs are fairly satisfied with teaching and
research experience and
65.5% of them think that the University is making satisfactory progress in terms of
change and
improvement
- 42.2% of students felt that teaching-learning it is not student-centered.
- 59.9% of students think they are not treated well by their teachers; and 23.3%
of them think that
response to students‟ requests is either slow or totally ignored. The staff of the
University on the
other hand reported they are very well aware of the ongoing efforts and the
strategic plan. They
ranked attractive salary and benefit package, involvement in the University
affairs, good
These findings showed that, though the university is fairly meeting some of the
expectations of these
customers there is a lot to be done in many other areas in which our performances
were low. As a result,
feedbacks from these customers were included in identification of the strategic
issues and subsequent
strategies included in the strategic plan.

Section 3: Analysis of Strategic Issues Facing JU

3.1. Strategic Issues:

Jimma University, as a leading higher education institution, has identified the
following core strategic
themes as areas of priorities for the coming 5 years (2016-2020). The major pillars
of the University is
sorted, identified and assessed in line with its mission. The strategic themes are:
1. Academic Excellence
2. Excellence in Research and Technology Transfer
3. Excellence in Community Service and Engagement
4. Internationalization and institutional collaboration
5. Transform Institutional leadership and Good Governance

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3.1.1. Ensure Access, Equity, Quality and Relevance of Education

Jimma University is a leading University in the country committed to active and
student-centered learning
through its well-known community-based educational approach that promotes self-
learning and self-
discovery. The student experience at JU, the quality and relevance of the teaching,
learning, and career
opportunities that result will be second to none. JU‟s staff, postgraduate and
undergraduate students will
be proud of the role they play in cultivating intellectual, social, cultural and
creative capital. They will
thrive in JU‟s highly creative, multidisciplinary and entrepreneurial environment.
However, there is no
meaningful and systematic way of supporting students; there is a relatively high
attrition rate of female
students and there is a grave shortage of resources to undertake practical training
in comprehensive
manner. In the same token,
During the next five years, we will continue to adapt to new environments
characterized by rapid change
and an increasingly globalized society. Our strategic priorities will be defined
within a framework of three
pillars: learning, discovery and engagement. Unless JU addresses the difficulties
it will not be able to meet
needs, demands and expectations of its clients and will not be competitive in the
emerging environment.
The quality of its graduates and relevance of its teaching and learning system will
be in question unless it
is proactive and dynamic in the coming five years planning period. We need to be
institution of preference
in the country by student and staff for outstanding tuition and for internal
organization of teaching and
learning environment.
With the same token, due to limited awareness and resources, entrepreneurial
education and practices at
Jimma University is at its infant stage regardless of its key role in shaping the
mindsets of young people,
enhancing entrepreneurial capabilities, and providing lifelong learning. This is
mainly because of
deficiency of entrepreneurial curriculum, lack of teachers‟ motivation in
entrepreneurship education, lack
of funding and human resources, absence of platforms for good practices. Thus,
during the next five years,
JU will practice the following six international entrepreneurial frameworks will be
included:
- Entrepreneurship is incorporated as a major part of the university strategy
- JU‟s entrepreneurial objectives will be supported by a variety of funding
- Deficient entrepreneurial curriculums will be reviewed to include important
competencies
- Awareness raising will be in place by using varieties of means
- JU‟s-business/external relationships will be invigorated
- Process, outputs and outcomes will be measured accordingly

3.1.2. Improve Performance and Impact of Research Outputs

The research performance of the University during the last five years has not been
satisfactory compared
to the size of its staff and number of its training programs. The number of
researches conducted the size of
publications and dissemination of results, the impacts and contribution of the
research outputs to the
country‟s social, economic, cultural and environmental development are generally
deemed low.
Furthermore, ineffective internal organization, working system and strategy,
scarcity of funding, shortage
of qualified staff, lack of research facilities are among the top challenges that
affected the performance of
the University.
Therefore, for realizing JU‟s vision of becoming a premier world-class university
that fosters culture of
research and scholarship among its staff and students requires addressing the gaps
in the years to come.
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Thus, it has to concentrate on research themes and areas that are of priority value
to Ethiopia‟s social,
economic, environmental and cultural development.
3.1.3. Excellence in community Service and Engagement
The process of teaching, research and service endeavours of the University should
benefit the community
and society. This giant undertaking however can only be achieved with effective
partnership with the
community, GOs, NGOs and other agencies at different levels to create dynamic and
vibrant
collaborations that can effectively address multifaceted concerns of the community.
Limited efforts to
establish such partnership with the community in the past has shown that such
engagements could be more
effective with broader partnership bringing every pertinent body on board with
clear terms of reference.
Such collaboration can also mobilize more resources and facilitate coordinated use
of resources enabling
each partner to achieve what would otherwise have been difficult to achieve by
acting alone.
In line with this, community based education, which is the central educational
philosophy of JU
considered as a two-way engagement with the community providing the student with
opportunity for
reality check in classroom education but also benefiting the community as partners
in the engagement. In
addition to this, the university needs to exert relentless efforts in extensive
renovation of the existing
hospital to make it conducive for community service, training and research.
Similarly, the newly built
teaching and referral hospital is supposed to make major contributions in enhancing
the quality of health
services, teaching-learning process and research endeavours at large.
3.1.4. Internationalization and institutional collaboration
Responding to the challenges of rapidly changing social, environmental and economic
conditions, JU
embarked on serving the society as effectively as possible. However, this is the
right time to pay particular
attention towards internationalization in providing quality education, research and
knowledge transfer to
compete with the fast-evolving global community where conventional approaches to
higher education,
innovation and discovery are no longer enough. This requires interdisciplinary
approaches and a forward-
looking focus on advancing knowledge and meeting societal needs.
The current global needs via internationalization made JU a global intellectual hub
to promote new
discoveries, innovations and applications towards a global impact. The plan will
therefore, encourages
faculty, staff and students to explore linkages and to become a global source for
information, expertise and
productive collaborations across all sectors of government, non–government and
civic societies. Hence,
serious considerations have been given to Internationalization and Institutional
Collaboration.
3.1.5. Transform Institutional Leadership and Governance
The university is still facing challenges like lack of qualified staff, inefficient
use of scarce resources, and
poor utilization of technology, obsolete working procedures, deficient performance
appraisal methods and
poor staff reward and punishment system. The leadership and management have been
pre-occupied by
routine administrative and support issues and emergencies that have little
strategic importance and non-
value-adding activities that would not transform the University. Failure to develop
such institutional
management system will affect our ability to effectively respond to challenges and
stay competitive in
global higher education.
Besides, it has to improve efficiency of its operations and use of its scarce
resources to get the most of
existing resources, which in turn requires revamping the resources management
system of the University
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including effective use of technology. It also fails to diversify it resource basis

to keep its commitment to
quality, innovation and excellence as stated in its vision statement.
Therefore, for the successful realization and achievement of mission and vision, JU
requires quality
administrative and management system that can provide effective and efficient
support to the teaching-
learning, research and scholarship, service and outreach activities. Moreover, the
management needs to be
transparent and accountable to its internal and external customers and
stakeholders. The University also
needs to develop alternative sources of funding such as enterprises, consultancy,
spin-offs,
commercialization of intellectual properties and collaborative engagements.
3.2. Crosscutting Issues
These are important issues that are transversal to the above thematic issues:
1. Addressing prevailing problem of gender balance and equity in the University and
country at large
2. Devising effective institutional response to HIV/AIDS pandemic
3. Developing institutional capacity and frameworks to support students and staff
with disabilities and
special needs
4. Drug and substance abuse prevention
3.2.1. Address prevailing problems of gender imbalance and inequity
Ensuring gender equity is a major concern for the country. This problem is also
prevalent in higher
education institutions of the country sometimes even in a more accentuated form. JU
is making an
unprecedented effort to rectify problem of gender imbalance by maximizing student
retention. As a result,
female students‟ success rate has shown a considerable progress at JU.
However, the problem of paucity of female in teaching and higher management
positions as well as lack
of gender awareness in the university community has remained a major problem. Now
the proportion of
female teachers remain less than 5% of the academic staff of the University, and
very few academic and
administrative management positions are held by women. The Women and Youth Affairs
Department of
the University is pursuing the strategy of mainstreaming gender in every aspect of
University endeavours
in the coming five years.
3.2.2. Devising effective institutional response to HIV/AIDS pandemic
HIV/AIDS pandemic is not just a health problem but is also a development issue
because of its
devastating impact on the country‟s workforce, national health care system, and
overall socio-economic
development efforts of the country. The prevention and control of the pandemic is a
priority issue in
higher education institutions primarily because the age of the students, the
residential educational
programs and absence of parental monitoring and guidance are all contributing
factors to transmission of
the disease in campus environment. This is also a reality at JU. Therefore, JU
should play an active role in
the fight against the transmission of the disease by strengthening the existing
promising experiences such
as students‟ anti-HIV/AIDS clubs, HIV/AIDS resources centre and HAPCO.
3.2.3. Develop institutional capacity to support students and staff with
disabilities and special needs
Creating equitable access to quality education and services for all citizens is one
of the objectives of
higher education institutions of the country. Citizens have constitutional right
to request for such services
and support without going through all kinds of hurdles they experience today in
many of these institutions.
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This problem is also prevalent at JU where the University does not have the
physical and institutional
environment that enables students with disabilities and special needs to exercise
their rights and
successfully pursue their study. Failure to comply with legislations pertaining to
the handling and service
to people with disabilities and special needs will result in failure of the
University in fulfilling its
accountability to the people, government and society. Therefore, infrastructural
and institutional set up
necessary to support students and staff with disabilities and special needs should
be in place shortly.
Section 4: Guiding Statements of Jimma University

VISION
Jimma University aspires to be a premier world-class university to solve National
and Global challenges.
MISSION
JU‟s mission is committed to training high caliber national and international
professionals, undertaking
quality and problem solving research and serving the public engagement in the
service of local, national,
and global communities through its cherished and innovative Community Based
Education (CBE)
CORE VALUES
1. Excellence and quality in teaching, research and service
2. Diversity, tolerance and inclusiveness in the ethnicity, religion, culture and
gender
3. Equity and access in teaching , research and public services
4. Gender sensitivity to rectify the prevailing gender inequity and imbalance
5. Honesty and integrity in carrying out intellectual endeavors
6. Transparency and accountability in decision making
7. Community involvement and empowerment
8. Networking for collaboration and partnership
9. Mutual respect, collegiality and team spirit in transforming the university
10. Respect intellectual freedom to conduct research, teach, speak and publish,
subject to the norms and
standards of scholarly inquiry.
11. Building a cohesive community that cherishes teamwork and partnership in
accomplishment of JU‟s
Mandate and personal development of staff and students.
12. Acting with honesty, integrity and mutual respect
13. Promoting civic responsibility, accountability and transparency, fidelity to
the law and observing all
statutory obligations in the conduct of business.
14. Encouraging innovativeness to inculcate competitiveness and improvement in
service delivery

MOTTO
“We are in the community”

GUIDING PRINCIPLES
In implementing this strategic plan, Jimma University will be guided by the
following principles.
1. Be guided by the principle of creativity, innovativeness and uniqueness of
character.
2. Accommodate flexibility and dynamism in its character.
3. Make use of and infuse ICT integration in all components of the plan.
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4. Espouse objectivity, visionary and outstanding leadership in achieving the

mandate and mission of
the University College
5. Transform lives through knowledge, collaboration and partnership
6. Undertake world-class research of high-impact to society and the economy
7. Championing innovation, entrepreneurship and creativity
8. Using our scholarship to influence regional, national and international
developments
9. Taking pride in our people and their achievements
10. Nurture and reward skills and talent
11. Being transparent, open and inclusive
12. Encourage sustainability through shared practice
13. Embrace diversity, promote opportunity and social cohesion
14. Pursue excellence in all that we do
GOALS OF THE UNIVERSITY
1. Enhancing quality of teaching and learning process:
To create and maintain conducive institutional environment that support and promote
academic
excellence, quality and relevance of teaching and learning providing students with
opportunity to become
knowledgeable and productive graduates through self-learning, creativity and
innovation.
2. Promoting quality and culture of research, scholarship and innovation
To develop institutional capacity, system and environment that support and promote
culture of research
and scholarship among staff and student of the University to undertake high quality
research that
meaningfully contribute to social, economic, environmental and cultural development
of the country and
humankind in general through creation, expansion and dissemination of knowledge and
information.
3. Developing effective institutional governance, leadership and management:
To develop outstanding institutional governance, leadership and management system
that creates
conducive institutional environment for effective execution of training, research
and service activities of
JU.
4. Acquiring capacity for attraction, development and retention of qualified
people:
To transform Jimma University to become an institution of preference for qualified
academic and
administrative staff and create an enabling environment where they can fulfill
their potential and
contribute their utmost to realization of University vision, mission and goals.
5. Developing adequate infrastructure and state-of-the-art ICT facilities:
To develop adequate level and type of physical and ICT infrastructure for teaching,
research, and service
purposes of the University through planned and systematic investment and
maintenance.
6. Boosting up resources generation and management capacity:
To create sufficient and diverse bases of resources and establish effective
management of resources to
achieve high quality teaching, research that will enhance reputation and
competitiveness of the University.
7. Serving the society through effective collaboration with different partners:
To forge effective collaboration and partnerships with different stakeholders that
will enable us to promote
sustainable economic, social, cultural and environmental development of the
community through our
teaching, research and service activities.
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Section 5: Summary of strategic planning

The strategic plan of JU consist five themes:

1. Academic excellence
2. Excellence in research, technology transfer and innovation
3. Excellence in Community Service and engagement
4. Internationalization and institutional collaboration
5. Transform Institutional leadership and governance

Strategic Goal 1: Academic excellence

Objective 1.1: Increase access and equity to higher education

Strategies
1. Increase JU‟s intake capacity to enhance access to higher education
2. Enhance integrated affirmative action and learning facilities for disadvantaged
groups (females,
students with special needs and from emerging regions,)
3. Promote and facilitate open and e-learning programs
4. Open new class based campuses
5. Introduce scholarship schemes for females and students who need special support

Key performance indicators

1. Number of intake/ enrolments in regular; and Continuing and Distance Education
in Under-Graduate
(UG and Post-Graduate (PG) programs (MSc/ MA/LLM/ MPH/ DVM/ Specialist, PhD
2A. Number of students from emerging regions
2B. Increased success rate of females
2C. Area of feeder and main roads in all campuses which are accessed to disabled
2D. Number of buildings/blocks, which have barrier-free movement access to
disabled
2E. Ratio of needy students with learning facilities (Braille and ICT based
materials)
2F. Number of reading rooms and computer centers
3. Number of open and e-learning programs opened
4. Number of new campuses opened
5. Number of scholarships offered
Objective 1.2: Enhance quality and relevance of higher education
Strategies
1. Produce demand driven and competent graduates
2. Develop standard and up-to-date teaching materials, modules, online resources
3. Improve the professional mix of academic staff (0: 60:40)
4. Accomplish quality areas identified by HERQA
5. Create and strengthen university-industry linkages
6. Conduct program review and implement academic audit systems
7. Conduct tracer studies
8. Maintain program mix of 70:30 ratio for Science & Technology to Social and Human
Sciences
9. Establish premier academic library service
10. Establish and strengthen high-quality and cost-effective ICT infrastructure and
services

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Key performance indicators

1A. Percentage of graduated students employed in a year
1B. Percentage of students who passed exit exams
2. Percentage of teaching materials, modules, online resources developed and
updated
3. Ratio of professional mix of teaching staff (0: 60:40)
4. Number of quality areas implemented
5A. Number of university-industry linkages established
5B. Number of linkages created with entrepreneurial community
6. No. of Programs reviewed, quality audits conducted (UG, M.Sc. MA/ MPH/ Postgrad
diploma, PhD
7. Number of tracer studies conducted
8. Ratio of program mix maintained (Science: Social Sciences)
9A. Number of course materials and library resources converted to
digital/electronic version
9B. Strategy developed and implemented to enhance library service
9C. Number of libraries constructed
10A. Percentage of broadband connectivity coverage
10B. Percentage of staff, faculty and students with access to online services
10C. Percentage of lecture and conference halls with smart technology
10D. Number of e-learning programs launched

Objective 1.3: Optimize entrepreneurial education & career skill development

Strategies
1. Mainstream culture of innovation and entrepreneurship
2. Commercialize entrepreneurial innovation outputs
3. Establish shades, showrooms, incubation centers and technology parks
4. Increase students‟ career development skills

Key Performance Indicators

1. Proportions of programs that accommodate entrepreneurial courses/competencies
2. Number of innovative outputs commercialized
3A. Number of shades
3B. Number of showrooms and technology parks
3C. Number of incubation centers
4. Number of packages developed and implemented (career fairs, career exhibitions,
mock interview,
training, seminars, workshops)

Strategic Goal 2: Excellence in research and technology transfer

Objective 2.1: Build research environment that inspires and rewards

world-class research, innovation, and discovery
Strategies
1. Develop online database/ repository system
2. Establish Core research laboratories (International standard and Centralized)
3. Avail different software (statistical package, plagiarism tracker, grammar
Checker, content analysis)
4. Establish standardized training center
5. Reward outstanding research students, staff and faculty
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6. Establish/ Capacitate research centers/ institutes

7. Devise mechanisms for obtaining research funds and create a vibrant research
culture
8. Maximize high ethical standards and research code of ethics
Key Performance Indicators
1. Number of online database developed
2. Number of core research laboratories established
3. Number of different software developed and introduced
4. Number of training centers
5A. Number of outstanding researchers rewarded
5B. Number of publications on internationally reputable journals
6. Number of research centers/ institutes established/ capacitated
7. Percentage of research grants obtained
8. Zero tolerance to ethical violations

Objective 2.2: Enhance innovation and technology transfer

Strategies
1. Employ technology transfer endeavors for reward and promotion
2. Establish technology commercialization advisory board of JU
3. Reinforce communication mechanisms for disseminating research outputs
4. Establish technology villages in the community
Key Performance Indicators
1. Number of rewarded / promoted staffs
2. Number of technologies endorsed by the board
3. Number of meetings held
4. Number of technology/ model villages established
Strategic Goal 3: Excellence in Community Service and Engagement

Objective 3.1: Strengthen community services through CBE

Strategies
1. Review and update CBE strategy towards adopting community engagement and
partnerships
2. Provide need-based services to the community
3. Establish stakeholders‟ forum (social media network, public debates, strategic
planning issues,
monitoring and evaluation)
4. Conduct philanthropic campaigns
5. Promote innovation and enhance knowledge exchange facilitates (galleries,
museums, library, sport
facilities, recreation centers
6. Increase College-high school attachments and partnerships

Key Performance Indicators

1. Strategies reviewed and updated (Participatory standards developed and
implemented)
2A. Number of clients treated in JU specialized hospital
2B. Number of beneficiaries from ICT services
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2C. Community served through CBE

2D. Community benefited from free legal service
2E. Community benefited from agricultural and vet. Services
3. Number of stakeholders‟ forums organized
4. Number of philanthropic campaigns
5. Number of facilities (galleries, museums, library, sport, recreation centers)
established
6A. Number of College-high school attachments and partnerships established
6B. Science-Technology-English-Mathematics (STEM) center established

Objective 3.2: Develop a new age medical center

Strategies
1. Establish medical tourism
2. Strengthen JU medical hub with international standards
3. Employ automated database in all units
4. Establish integrated clinics for academic, research, and innovation
5. Strengthen partnerships in Academic Health Science Network
6. Strengthen mental health rehabilitation centre
Key Performance Indicators
1. Number of clients in medical tourism
2. Percent of compliance to international standard
3. Data base established
4. Number of clinics established
5. Number of partnerships established
6. Center established/ strengthened

Objective 3.3: Maximize environmental protection & sustainability

Strategies
1. Contribute to climate change solutions through adaptable and resilience
technologies
2. Invigorate green economy through eco-tourisms
3. Enhance green infrastructure and heritage hubs
4. Employ mutual funding strategy for sustainable environmental protection
5. Reduce negative impact of sewer overflows
Key Performance Indicators
1. Number of technologies that mitigates and adapt to climate change (green energy,
local food
production, land uses that absorb carbon dioxide, sustainable drainage, flood
alleviation,
opportunities for renewable energy)
2A. Number of eco-tourism sites identified and developed
2B. Safeguard and enhance access to important view points and heritage assets
3A. Number of habitats restored
3B. Number of heritage centers built
4. Amount of mutual funds secured
5. Reduced community compliant on waste disposal system of the university

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Strategic Goal 4: Internationalization and institutional collaboration

Objective 4.1: Enhance internalization in academics and research

Strategies
1. Develop and implement curriculums that fit to the global competency
2. Attract outstanding international students
3. Meet ISO 9000 award
4. Offer international short term trainings
5. Develop grant winning research proposals for external funding agencies
6. Expedite international collaborative researches focused on JU‟s thematic areas
7. Join international universities associations
8. Capacitate/ develop a library resource to support the international programs
Key Performance Indicators
1. Number of curriculums developed and implemented
2. Number of outstanding international students enrolled
3. Number of programs certified by ISO 9000 (satisfying eight quality management
principles of
quality education i.e. Student focused organization, leadership qualities,
involvement of people,
process approach, system approach to management, continual improvement, factual
approach to
decision making, mutually beneficial supplier relationships)
4. Number of customized training programs offered
5. Number of grant winning research proposals for external funding agencies
6. Number of international collaborative research undertaken
7. Number of associations joined
8. Number of libraries developed/capacitated to support the international programs

Objective 4.2: Enhance capacity to attract and retain world-class faculty

and student
Strategies
1. Develop and implement academic policy that fits international programs
2. Involve renowned scholars in development and evaluation of programs
3. Open joint/ separate campuses abroad
4. Attract and retain international students through collaborative and responsive
support schemes
5. Identify, establish and mange diversified funding base for internationalization
programs
Key Performance Indicators
1. Academic policy developed for international programs (employment and incentive
packages,
registrar‟s functions, recruitment, admission, service and support of students;
consultation with
relevant accreditation agency; benefits to JU; exit strategy in event of unforeseen
problems, and
quality assurance)
2. Number of distinguished scholars participated in international academic programs
3. Number of campuses opened abroad
4A. Number of enrollments of international students
4B. Success rate of international students
5. Amounts of funds secured
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Objective 4.3: Establish and strengthen international partnerships in research and

education
Strategies
1. Establish effective organizational structure and leadership
2. Create a favorable campus climate
3. Create partnerships with renowned international institutions to support staff
and student mobility
(exchanges, affiliations, short term study, work placement and partnerships),
joint/ dual awards and
collaborative teaching
4. Develop protocol for international agreements and partnerships
Key performance indicators
1. Institutional collaboration coordinating office restructured (restructure
institutional collaboration,
marketing and communication Office )
2. Number of facilities established and developed (guesthouses and related
facilities for staff and student exchange)
3A. Number of partnership created with renowned institutions
3B. Number of students involved in mobility programs
3C. Number of staff involved in mobility programs
4. International protocols developed

Strategic Goal 5: Transform institutional leadership and governance

Objective 5.1: Improve human resource development and institutional leadership
Strategies
1. Formulate and implement Human Resource development strategy
2. Establish and maintain Standardized Management Training Center
3. Conduct human resource skill inventory and amend gaps
4. Implement and Strengthen MIS
5. Publicizing and marketing JU through various means (radio, television,
publications, novel web
technology, etc.)
6. Develop and implement public relation strategy
7. Establish alumni association
8. Cultivate awareness of cultural diversity and tolerance
9. Promote JU as a campus of cultural and intellectual hub

Key performance indictors

1A. Formulated and implemented HRD strategy
2A. Number training center established and maintained
2B. Number of staffs obtained training (short and long-term training)
3. Number of skill inventory conducted (international/national exposure visits,
benchmarking)
4. Number of automated programs launched (HRM, finance, planning and reporting,
property and
procurement system, etc.)
5A. Number/type of channels/ media used
5B. Airtime covered/ broadcasted
6. Strategy developed and implemented
7. Number of alumni members
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8. Public events, policy debates (community days, farmers‟ days)

9. Number of cultural and intellectual events on campus

Objective 5.2: Improve and maintain good governance

Strategies
1. Improve trust and accountability to stakeholders, customers, clients
2. Strengthen participatory and decentralized management system
3. Establish reward and acknowledgement policy
4. Reduce complaints and grievances
5. Develop and implement institutional reforms (structures, packages)
6. Reduce gender imbalance
7. Conduct monitoring and evaluation (M&E) against JU‟S plan
Key performance Indicators
1. Percentage of customers‟ satisfaction (students, staff, faculty, community,
clients, service Standard)
2. Decentralized powers and authorities (finance, authority)
3. Policy developed and implemented
4. Reduced percentage of complaints and grievances
5. Number of reform packages implemented
6. Number of females recruited and promoted to managerial positions
7. Number of monitoring and evaluations conducted

Objective 5.4: Optimize income generation schemes and financial management

Strategies
1. Develop and implement income generation and investment strategy
2. Diversify and maximize sources of income
3. Minimize resource wastages
4. Increase participatory financial management

Key performance indicators

1. Income generation and investment strategy developed and implemented
2A. Number of source of income established (Develop collaborative partnership with
private/ public
sectors and partners to co-fund university activities, etc.)
2B. Share of internal income covered against government recurrent/ treasury fund
2C. Percentage increase in investment turnover
2D. Number of collaborative partnership created with both private and public
sectors
3. Percentage of reduced resource wastage
4. Percentage of budget decentralized

Section 6: Cross cutting issues

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5.1. Gender and education

Jimma University has made concerted efforts to support the success rate of female
students and build their
overall competence. The Gender and Youth Directorate introduced various schemes to
realize this
objective. Different initiatives have been taken to organise gender forums, girls‟
clubs and female
students‟ associations in the University. Furthermore, gender mainstreaming
guidelines were introduced
into the strategic plan of the University; life skills training have been
undertaken, tutorial classes have
been given every semester; a system to mitigate gender based violence has been
established in
collaboration with different parties/stakeholders. In addition to these,
academically successful female
students have been regularly rewarded, and economic support has been given to needy
female students as
well. These affirmative action programmes are believed to enhance the success rate
and overall
competence of female students. Despite all these efforts, the success rate of
female students is not
comparable with that of male students. Similarly, the number of female staff is
still low as compared to
their male counterparts in the University. In sum, gender is the very concern of
all core thematic
areas/programmes. Therefore, objectives and strategies identified in this plan
related to student access,
availability of facilities, quality and relevance of programmes, affirmative action
and outreach
programmes, research engagements, and leadership and governance areas all address
gender issues.
5.2. Special needs and inclusive education
This is another relevant idea that needs special attention. Thus, strategies are
tuned to address students
with special needs. In other words, the strategies identified in this plan are
related to the provision of
teaching/learning materials, equipping departments/libraries with facilities for
improved access, providing
teacher training to improve instruction and support, and improving access to higher
education.
5.3. HIV/AIDS and education
HIV/AIDS is a serious challenge in the country. Thus, it has to be seriously
addressed by all sectors,
programs and stakeholders at large. JU will take this issue with greater emphasis
and develop strategies to
mitigate the problem. It will mobilize the University community (students and
staff) in awareness raising
campaigns; develop various strategies related to „student services‟ as an
integrated package for combating
HIV/AID; produce and disseminate supplementary materials in print and digital media
to provide
information and guidance about the threat of HIV/AIDS, and provide social and
health services.
JU has been successful in establishing a university level HIV/AIDS prevention and
control office. The
office has been working on information communication that is pertinent to
prevention of HIV infection for
the University‟s community and surrounding. Trainings were provided on HIV/AIDS and
sexual and
reproductive health and peer learning. To communicate information to the
university‟s community
different strategies were used, notably, DANA journal, pamphlets, community radio
and digital media, life
skill and peer education. Moreover, panel discussions on HIV, training on
infection prevention and
patient safety for JUSH staffs were conducted. The office shall continue its effort
on HIV infection
prevention to augment and maintain the successes recorded at national level to
reduce HIV infection.
5.4. Drug and Substance Abuse (DSA) prevention in education
Drug and substance abuse is becoming a challenge in higher learning institutions.
Students who abuse
drugs often have problems in thinking clearly, remembering, and paying attention.
They often develop
poor social behaviour because of drug abuse, and their academic performance and
personal relationships
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suffer. JU assumes that all students should be free from drugs and substance abuse
to be competent in their
education and become productive citizens. Therefore, it focuses on health promotion
and prevention
strategies of drug and substance abuse. Strategies identified in this plan are
related to „student services‟ as
an integrated package for drug and substance abuse awareness and support, provision
of supplementary
materials in print and digital media to provide information and guidance about the
threats of drug and
substance abuse. Furthermore, extra-curricular activities that engage students in
recreational, sport,
cultural events, social debates and awareness raising forums will be extensively
organized and run in the
University.
Summary of crosscutting issues in the priority programs
In this plan, the crosscutting issues are integrated within the core thematic
areas. This approach would
ensure that the issues are „mainstreamed‟, that they become the joint
responsibility of all implementing
bodies. For example, strategies for the „gender and education‟ crosscutting issue
will appear in access and
equity, quality and relevance, research, community engagement and service as well
as leadership and
governance. In such a way, the crosscutting issues are integrated with core
thematic areas and these are
summarised as follows.

Table: The integration of crosscutting issues within core thematic areas

Core Thematic Areas

Internationaliza
Research and Community Institutional
Academic tion and
technology service and Leadership &
quality institutional
transfer engagement governance
collaboration
   
Gender 
    
Special needs and
inclusive education
    
HIV/AIDS
    
Drug and substance
abuse prevention
In this integrated scheme, we see that each crosscutting issue is addressed in each
core priority area.
Gender is the concern of not only leadership and governance wing, but also it is
the focus area of access
and equity, quality and relevance, and research and community engagement.
These cross cutting issues demand the concerted efforts and active participation of
all the University
community. Thus, strategies are geared in all the core thematic areas/programs.

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Table 8. Summary of Strategic objectives

Theme 1 Theme 2 Theme 3 Theme 4 Theme 5

Academic Excellence Excellence in Community Service and Internationalization and

Institutional
Research, Engagement Institutional Transformation and
Technology Collaboration Good Governance
Transfer
Result Result Result Result
Outstanding professionals who Cutting edge Healthy and productive society,
Pioneering educational and Visionary and democratic
would play major roles in socio- research outputs fine-tuned social and economic
research institution which leadership with efficient
economic development of the which address the problems attracts competitive
decision making and rule
nation challenging issues of international students and of law in place
the country world class faculty
Perspectives Strategic objective Strategic objective Strategic objective
Strategic objective Strategic objective
Customer Enhance Innovation 1. Strengthen CBE 1. Improve and maintain
and Technology 2. Develop a new age of Medical good governance
Transfer center
3. Maximize Environmental
Protection & Sustainability
Finance 1. Enhance income
generation schemes and
financial management
IBP 1. Increase access and Equity of Build research 1. Enhance Internalization in
Higher Education environment that Academics (Teaching-
2. Enhance Quality and Relevance inspires and rewards Learning and Research)
of Higher Education world-class research, 2. Establish and Strengthen
3. Optimize Entrepreneurial innovation, and international partnerships
Education and Career Skill discovery in research and education
Development
LG Enhance JU‟s capacity to 1. Improve Human
attract and retain world- Resource Development
class faculty and institutional
leadership
Status of Strategic objectives vis-à-vis to BSC
Expected Actual
30 35
10 7
40 42
20
14
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Table 9. Objectives, strategies and measures

Objectives, strategies and measures
Themes Objectives Strategies Key performance indicators Baseline Targets
2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
1.1. Increase access Increase JU‟s intake capacity to enhance Number UG regular
4880 4500 4000 4000 4000 4000
and equity to access to higher education of intake
UG CDE 4522 4000 3500 3500 3500 3500
higher
PG (MSc/ MA/LLM/ MPH/ DVM/ 285 350 400 450 500 500
education
Specialist
PhD 49 60 75 90 90 100
Number UG regular 19598 20000 19000 18000 18000 18000
of total
CDE students Under graduate 17625 16000
enrolmen PG 1600 1800 1900 2000 2100 2500
ts
PG (MSc/ MA/LLM/ MPH 2653 2800 3000 3200 3400 3600
PG diploma 204 250 220 - - -
PhD 107 120 150 180 200 250
Specialty DNA
Sub-specialty DNA
Enhance integrated affirmative action Number of students from emerging regions DNA
and learning facilities for disadvantaged Increased success rate of females 85.5 %
87 89 91 92 93
groups (females, students with special
Area of feeder and main roads in all campuses for DNA
needs and from emerging regions,)
disabled
Number of buildings/blocks which have barrier-free DNA
movement access to disabled
Ratio of needy students with learning facilities (Braille DNA
and ICT based materials)
Number of reading rooms, computer centers DNA
Promote/facilitate open & e-learning Number of open/ e-learning programs opened 0
programs
Open new class based campuses Number of new campuses opened 0 1
Introduce scholarship schemes for Number of scholarships offered 0
females and students who need special
support
1.2. Enhance Produce demand driven and competent Percent of students employed in a
year 97.1%
quality graduates Percent of students who passed exit exams DNA
relevance of
Develop standard and up-to-date Percentage of teaching/ learning materials,
modules, DNA
higher
teaching materials, modules, online online resources developed and updated
education
resources
24:58:18
Improve the professional mix of Professional mix of teaching staff (0: 60:40)
academic staff (0: 60:40)
Accomplish quality areas identified by Number of academic quality areas
implemented DNA
HERQA
Create and strengthen university- No. of university-industry linkages 29 32 36 39
42 45
A Dignified Past-A Determined Future
31

1. Academic Excellence
Strategic Plan of Jimma University

2016-2020

Objectives, strategies and measures

Themes Objectives Strategies Key performance indicators Baseline Targets
2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
industry linkages No. of linkages with entrepreneurial community 0 3 5 6 7 8
Conduct program review and implement % UG Programs curricula reviewed out of 56 DNA
10% 25% 30% 35% 100%
academic audit system % M.Sc. MA/ MPH/ curricula reviewed out of 78 DNA 10% 25% 30%
35% 100%
% Postgraduate diploma reviewed out of 11 DNA 10% 25% 30% 35% 100%
% PhD program curricula reviewed out of 14 DNA 10% 25% 30% 35% 100%
Conduct tracer studies Number of tracer studies conducted 1 1 1 1 1 1
Maintain program mix of 70:30 ratio for Ratio of program mix maintained (Science:
Social 83:17 80:20 78:22 76:24 74:26 70:30
Science to Social and Human Sciences Sciences)
Establish premier academic library No. of course materials and library resources
converted DNA
service to digital/electronic version
Strategy developed and implemented to enhance 1 1
library service
Number of libraries constructed 6 1 2 2 1 1
Establish and strengthen high quality % of broadband connectivity coverage DNA
100%
and cost effective ICT infrastructure and
% of staff, faculty and students with access to online DNA 100%
service services
% of lecture and conference halls with smart DNA 100%
technology
Number of e-learning programs launched 0 2 2 2 2 2
1.3. Optimize Mainstream culture of innovation and Proportions of programs that
accommodate DNA 100
Entrepreneurial entrepreneurship entrepreneurial courses/competencies
Education and Commercialize entrepreneurial No. of innovative outputs
commercialized 0 4 6 8 10 12
Career Skill
innovation outputs
Development
Establish shades, showrooms, incubation Number of shades 0 2 5 8 10 10
centers and technology parks Number of showrooms/ technology parks 0 0 0 1 0 1

Number of incubation centers 0 0 1 2 2 2

Increase students‟ career development Number of Packages implemented (career fairs,
0 2 4 4 4 4
skills exhibitions, mock interview, training)
2.1. Build research Develop online database/ repository Number of online database
developed 3 5 6 7 8 9
environment system
that inspires
Establish Core research laboratories Number of core research laboratories
established 1 1 1 1
and rewards
(International standard and Centralized)
world-class
Avail different software (statistical Number of different software developed and
DNA
research,
package, plagiarism tracker, grammar introduced
innovation, and
Checker, content analysis)
discovery
Establish standardized training center Number of training centers 1 1 1
Reward outstanding research students, No. of outstanding researchers rewarded 0 -
8 8 8 8
staff and faculty
No of publications on reputable journals 266 275 290 300 305 310
Establish and Capacitate research Number of research centers/ institutes
established/ 6 8 10 12 12 12
A Dignified Past-A Determined Future
32

2. Excellence in Research,
Technology transfer and
innovation
Strategic Plan of Jimma University

2016-2020

Objectives, strategies and measures

Themes Objectives Strategies Key performance indicators Baseline Targets
2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
centers/ institutes capacitated
Devise mechanisms for obtaining Percentage of research grants obtained against DNA
50%
research funds and create a vibrant government research budget
research culture
Maximize high ethical standards and Zero tolerance to ethical violations DNA 0%
0% 0%
research code of ethics
2.2.Enhance Employ technology transfer endeavors Number of rewarded / promoted
staffs 0 8 8 8 8
Innovation and for reward and promotion
Technology Establish technology commercialization Number of meetings held 0 4 4 4
4
Transfer
advisory board of JU
Reinforce communication mechanisms Number of technologies endorsed by the board 0
5 5 5 5
for disseminating research outputs
Establish technology villages in the No. of technology/ model villages established
0 1 1 1 1 1
community
3.1. Strengthen Review/ update CBE strategy towards Strategies reviewed/ updated
(Participatory standards 0 1
community adopting community engagement developed and implemented)
200,000 205,000 207,000 207,000 210,000
services Provide need-based services to the No. of clients treated in JU
specialized hospital 197,198
through CBE
community Number of beneficiaries from ICT services 1660 5500 5800 6000 6000 6500
560000 560000 560000 560000 560000
Community served through CBE programs 558,315
8200
Community benefited from free legal service 7206 7800 8000 8200 8200

Comm. benefited from agri. and vet services

Establish stakeholders‟ forum Number of stakeholders‟ forums organized (social
2 ?? 3 4 5 6 7
media network, public debates, strategic planning)
Conduct philanthropic campaigns Number of philanthropic campaigns DNA
Promote innovation and enhance No of facilities established (gallery, museum,
library, DNA
knowledge exchange facilities sport facility, recreation center)
Increase College-high school Number of College-high school attachments and DNA
attachments and partnerships partnerships established
Science-Tech.-English-Mathematics (STEM) center 0 1 1 1 1
established
3.2. Develop a new Establish medical tourism Number of clients in medical tourism
0 0 50 75 100 125
age of Medical
Strengthen JU medical hub with Percent of compliance to international stand DNA
center international standards
Employ automated database in all units Data base established 0
Establish integrated clinics for Number of clinics established DNA
academic, research, and innovation
Strengthen partnerships in Academic Number of partnerships established DNA
Health Science Network
Strengthen mental health rehabilitation Center established/ strengthened 1 1 - -
- -
A Dignified Past-A Determined Future
33

3. Excellence in Community Service and Engagement

Strategic Plan of Jimma University

2016-2020

Objectives, strategies and measures

Themes Objectives Strategies Key performance indicators Baseline Targets
2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
centre
3.3. Maximize Contribute to climate change solutions Number of technologies that
mitigates and adapt to DNA
Environmental through adaptable and resilience climate change (green energy, local
food production,
Protection & technologies land uses that absorb carbon dioxide, sustainable
Sustainability drainage, flood alleviation, opportunity for renewable
energy
Invigorate green economy through eco- No of eco-tourism sites identified/ developed
1 1 1 3 3 3
tourisms
Safeguard/ enhance access to important view points DNA
and natural heritage assets
Enhance green infrastructure & heritage Number of habitats restored DNA
hubs
Number of heritage centers built DNA
Employ mutual funding strategy for Amount of mutual funds secured DNA
sustainable environmental protection
Reduce negative impact of sewer Reduced community compliant on waste disposal DNA
overflows system of the university
1.1. Enhance Develop and implement curriculums that Number of curriculums developed
and implemented 0
Internalization fit to the global competency
in Academics Attract outstanding international No. of qualified international
students enrolled DNA
(Teaching- students
Learning and
Meet ISO 9000 award No. of programs certified by ISO 9000 (satisfying DNA
Research)
eight quality management principles of quality
education i.e. Student focused orgs, leadership
qualities, involvement of people, process approach,
system approach to mgt, continual improvement,
factual approach to decision making, mutually
beneficial supplier relationships)
Offer international short term trainings Number of customized training programs
offered 0 0 0 3 4 5
Develop grant winning research Number of grant winning research proposals for DNA
proposals for external funding agencies external funding agencies
Expedite international collaborative No. of international collaborative research
undertaken DNA
researches focused on JU‟s thematic
areas
Join international universities Number of associations joined DNA
associations
Capacitate/ develop a library resource to Number of libraries developed/
capacitated to support
support the international programs international programs
1.2. Enhance JU‟s Develop and implement academic policy Academic policy developed
for international programs - - 1 - - -
capacity to that fits international programs (employment and incentive packages,
registrar‟s
attract and (employment and incentive packages, functions, recruitment, admission,
service and support
retain world- registrar‟s functions, recruitment, of students; consultation with
relevant accreditation
A Dignified Past-A Determined Future
34

4. Internationalization and Institutional Collaboration

Strategic Plan of Jimma University

2016-2020

Objectives, strategies and measures

Themes Objectives Strategies Key performance indicators Baseline Targets
2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
class faculty admission and support services; agency; benefits to JU; exit strategy
in event of
and students consultation with relevant accreditation unforeseen problems, and
quality assurance)
agency; benefits to JU; exit strategy
during unforeseen problems, and quality
assurance
Involve distinguished scholars to Number of distinguished scholars participated in
DNA
participate in international academic international academic programs
programs
Open joint/ separate campuses abroad Number campuses opened abroad - - 1 1 1 0
Attract and retain international students Number of enrollments of international
students DNA
through collaborative and responsive Success rates of international students
support schemes
Identify, establish and mange diversified Amounts of funds secured DNA
funding base for internationalization
programs
1.3.Establish and Establish effective organizational Institutional collaboration
coordinating office 1 1 - - - -
Strengthen structure and leadership restructured (institutional collaboration,
marketing and
international communication office)
partnerships
Create a favorable campus climate Number of facilities established and developed 0
1 - -
(guesthouses and related facilities for staff and student
exchange)
Create partnerships with renowned Number of partnership created with renowned DNA
international institutions to support staff institutions
and student mobility (exchanges,
affiliations, short term study, work
No. of students involved in mobility programs
placement and partnerships), joint/ dual
Number of staff involved in mobility programs
awards
Develop protocol for international International protocols developed DNA
agreements and partnerships

1.1. Improve Human Formulate and implement Human Formulated and implemented HRD
strategy DNA
Resource Resource development strategy

Development Establish/maintain Standardized No. training center established and

maintained DNA

and institutional
Management Training Center Number of staffs obtained training DNA

leadership
Conduct human resource skill inventory No. of skill inventory conducted
(international/ DNA
and amend gaps National exposure visit, benchmarking)

Implement and strengthen MIS No of automated programs (HRM, finance, planning, DNA
property and procurement systems)

Publicizing and marketing JU through Number/type of channels/ media used DNA

various means Airtime covered/ broadcasted DNA

Develop and implement public relation Strategy developed and implemented DNA
A Dignified Past-A Determined Future
35

5. Transform
institutional
leadership and
governance
Strategic Plan of Jimma University

2016-2020

Objectives, strategies and measures

Themes Objectives Strategies Key performance indicators Baseline Targets
2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
strategy

Establish alumni association Number of alumni members DNA

Cultivate awareness of cultural diversity Public events, policy debates (community.

farmers DNA
and tolerance days)
Promote JU as a campus of cultural and Number of cultural and intellectual events
on campus DNA
intellectual hub

1.2. Improve and Improve trust & accountability to Percentage of customers

satisfaction DNA
maintain good stakeholders, customers, clients

governance
Strengthen participatory and Decentralized powers and authorities DNA
decentralized management system

Establish rewarding and Policy developed and implemented DNA

acknowledgment policy

Reduce complaints and grievances Reduced percent of complaints and grievances DNA

Develop/implement institutional reforms Number of reform packages implemented DNA

Reduce gender imbalance No. of females recruited/promoted to managerial DNA

positions

Conduct monitoring and evaluation No/ of monitoring and evaluations conducted DNA
(M&E) against JU‟S plan

1.3. Optimize Develop and implement income Income generation and investment
strategy developed DNA
income generation and investment strategy and implemented

generation
Diversify and maximize sources of Number of source of income established (Developed
119.44M:1
schemes and
income collaborative partnership with private/ public sectors
658.4M
financial and partners to co-fund university activities, etc.)

management
Share of internal income covered against government DNA
treasury fund

Percentage increase in investment turnover DNA

Number of collaborative partnership created with both DNA

private and public sectors

Minimize resource wastages Percentage of reduced resource wastage DNA

Increase participatory financial Percentage of budget decentralized DNA

management

A Dignified Past-A Determined Future

36