Ethiopian Educators Without Borders
Background
EEWB sometime called Tourist Educator (TEDU) is a network of students, academics, professionals, technologists and scientists of Ethiopian origin, dedicated to support Ethiopian K16 communities. EEWB works with schools, colleges and universities in campaign mode mostly during December –January time frame. The need for a strong networking, collaboration, and action regarding education in Ethiopia is becoming critical in shaping the future of Ethiopia. Like any country Ethiopia is sending its best and brightest to all corners of the world, by virtue of push and pull factors. If movement of human capital is the result of higher education, the movement must not be one way. It must be two ways. EWB works with volunteers who have expertise in higher education experience, advanced research, ICT, engineering, scientific research as well as general STEM related fields, and all other academic fields. They will participate in the developing the learning environment at all levels.
EEWB collaborates with effective government and non-government organizations in general areas of student development, teacher training, reduction of gender disparities, development of libraries and library holdings, building computer labs and digital libraries to reduce digital divide particularly in rural schools. In addition EEWB directly collaborates with universities and colleges in developing advance education programs at doctoral levels, conduct workshops, conferences and distributed advanced science technology schools. Recently the Ethiopian Scientific and Academic Network started small scale activities in collaboration with University of Gondar, schools and colleges Asela. The culmination of these activities lead to the formation of a dynamic and highly successful school called the Gondar School of Science and Technology (GSST). Thanks to the University Of Gondar (UOG), this school now attracts national and international academics to the UOG, where high end seminars and workshops are conducts in the areas of advanced computing, Geospace sciences, remote sensing, and Astrophysical studies, technology tools for teaching and learning, and skill building for the youth. Now in its 4th year GSST caters to university staff, students and high school teachers. It also entertains key issues in higher education that involve the participation and recruitment of women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). GSST has a tremendous exposure in the social medium with in ESAN and it has a following of over 60000 students and staff worldwide. One of the proposers Dr. Abebe Kebede gave “ESAN Seminars” at Mekele University (2010) and Adama University (2012). Building on this experience and using GSST as a model, we propose to launch seminars, workshops and schools with a theme “Advances in Science and Technology for Sustainable Development”, at the University of Gondar. One of the most challenging issues in higher education today, is how to create the most effective method of teaching to attract prospective students and identifying the research priorities to gain ground in the cutting-age technology. An increasing number of students fear majoring in STEM fields because of weakness in the general academic environment. The seminars/workshops will be uniquely designed:
- to assess the experiences of universities, identify best practices to engage students and to enrich the curriculum,
- to identify research areas which would be catalyst for future collaborations
- to identify the social and psychological conditions and parameters that limit the confidence of the student to join challenging fields