BDU Holds 2nd Stakeholders’ Workshop on MSc in Agroforestry Curriculum Revision and Validation

Bahir Dar University, Ethiopia – May 31, 2025

Bahir Dar University hosted the 2nd Stakeholders’ Platform Workshop on the MSc in Agroforestry Curriculum Revision and Validation.

The event, held under the framework of the LINK-P351 partnership project titled “Establishing Transformative Learning, Research and Community Outreach and Capacities in Agroecology,” aimed to finalize and validate the revised curriculum through a participatory approach involving key stakeholders.

As part of the LINK project, the MSc in Agroforestry curriculum has been under revision for some time to ensure the program will produce professionals equipped with the knowledge and skills needed to deliver context-specific, agroecological solutions. This workshop was organized to finalize and validate the revised curriculum through feedbacks from reviewers and key stakeholders.

In his opening remark, Prof. Melkamu Alemayehu, Dean of the College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, praised the Curriculum Revision Committee and LINK Project team for their promising and rigorous work. He noted that the revision process had been transparent and inclusive, involving multiple rounds of needs assessment, data collection, and expert consultations.

Dr. Habtamu Asaye, LINK Project team member, presented the tasks completed, including the collection of preliminary feedback from students, extensive stakeholder consultations, and the capacity-building training sessions conducted for the curriculum review committee.

Following this, two external reviewers- Dr. Hafte Mebrahten from BOKU University, Austria and Dr. Haile Shiferaw from Ethiopian Forest Development, Bahir Dar branch- shared their independent assessments of the revised curriculum. They highlighted both strengths and areas needing improvements.

The workshop then moved into an open discussion where stakeholders from academia, development practitioners, curriculum committee members, and the LINK Project team offered additional insights for further refinement of the curriculum before it enters the official approval process .

In his closing remarks, Dr. Molalign Haile, Executive Director for Academic Affairs at BDU, congratulated all parties involved for their tireless efforts. He emphasized that the participatory and evidence-based approach taken in the revision process is exemplary and should serve as a model for curriculum development in other departments. As the revision of the curriculum has entered into its final phase, he noted, the feedbacks taken from the workshop will be incorporated and the curriculum will be sent for final Senate approval.