Addis Ababa University (AAU) Department of Archaeology and Heritages Management (DAHM) held curriculum validation workshop for launching PhD program in Archaeology at the Main Campus (Sidist Killo) today, 10 December 2020.

The department has organized workshop with the objective of getting feedback from stakeholders and professionals who play important roles in the study, management and promotion of Ethiopian heritages in the field of Archaeology and related disciplines.

Hirut Kassaw (PhD), Minister of Culture and Tourism of Ethiopia, officially opened the workshop and made a speech focusing on the importance of the program to solve problems we have on introducing and restoring heritages.

Ethiopia is one of the earliest countries with formal statehood and also uniquely blessed with a number of both tangible and intangible heritages, of which 14 of them are recorded as globally owned heritages, Dr. Hirut mentioned.

According to Dr. Hirut Kassaw, even though Ethiopia owns ages long and very credible world heritages, it has not yet been able to produced scholars who are skilled to restore when the inheritances face damages.

The inability that Ethiopia couldn’t produce professionals able to maintain, restore or manage its custom and values, is the implementation of curriculum policy which is not inward looking on the wealth what the country possesses, said Dr. Hirut.

Dr. Hirut finally stated that the DAHM’s PhD program validation workshop on Archaeology curriculum will play important roles in gearing our system of education towards what Ethiopia precisely has owned through ages of its existence.

Alemseged Beldados (PhD), presented the overall composition of the curriculum, admission and graduation requirements, staff profile, assessment methods, quality assurance and other points.

Train professionals who can be backbone of heritage conservation and management at local, national and international levels; produce professional personnel who can improve the documentation, conservation and promotion of cultural heritages; train specialists capable of conducting rigorous researches and produce policy and decision makers, planners and consultancy experts who can work at national and international levels are the basic objectives, according to the presentation.

A number of scholars and professionals from various fields, both from home and overseas, participated in the workshop and shared their views in person, and virtually: from different countries like Canada, South Africa, USA, UK, Italy, Poland and others.

The workshop was organized by Department of Archaeology and Heritages Management with the help of the Italian contribution for Educational Sector Development Program (ESDP) and in collaboration of the University of Naples (Italy).

By: Abraham Girmay

Photo: Andualem Aseffa