Addis Ababa: Addis Ababa University (AAU) has graduated 5,574 undergraduate and postgraduate students at the Millennium Hall today.

Opening the ceremony, AAU Interim President Samuel Kifle said the graduation saw a record-breaking number of 2,837 postgraduate students.

According to him, this surge signifies the university’s growing emphasis on research and its transition towards becoming a full-fledged research university.

Furthermore, the remaining 51 percent undergraduates are female, demonstrating AAU’s commitment to gender equality in education.

The graduates hail from the university’s extensive academic structure, encompassing 10 colleges, 2 technology institutes, 11 research institutions, and 17 campuses, it was learned.

AAU Chancellor and Education Minister, Professor Birhanu Nega urged the graduates to be cognizant of the complex challenges facing Ethiopia, Africa, and the world.

The professor emphasized the importance of educational institutions in fostering truth-seeking and knowledge-based le
arning.

He also encouraged graduates to embrace ethical conduct and promote national unity as they embark on their professional journeys.

The graduation coincides with another significant milestone for AAU – its transition towards becoming a self-administered and autonomous university, the chancellor added.

According to him, the graduating class is the first to experience the benefits of recent educational reforms, including the one-year freshman program and the implementation of a leaving examination to ensure enhanced learning quality.

Addis Ababa University’s 74th Grand Graduation Ceremony marks a chapter of academic excellence, a commitment to research, and the empowerment of a diverse and socially responsible generation of graduates.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency