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BiT-BDU Hosts Closing Workshop for High School Innovation and Talent Development Program

Poly Campus

20 Jul, 2025

Event Content
BiT-BDU Hosts Closing Workshop for High School Innovation and Talent Development Program
[JULY 20, 2025 Bahir Dar, ISC/BiT]
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Bahir Dar Institute of Technology, Bahir Dar University (BiT-BDU), held the closing workshop of its year-long Innovation and Talent Development Program, an initiative led by its Business Incubation and Techno-Entrepreneurship Center (BiTec) in partnership with the Center for Global Equality (CGE) and ARM Impact Funding.
The program, successfully implemented across six high schools over the past year, aimed to identify, nurture, and enhance students' talents by equipping them with vital 21st-century competencies. These skills included Design Thinking, IoT (Internet of Things), AI & Machine Learning, and 3D Printing, providing students with practical tools to thrive in the digital era.
The workshop featured by distinguished guests, including Dr. Mengesha Ayene, President of Bahir Dar University, Dr. Mulunesh Dessie, Head of ANRS Bureau of Education , and Mr. Abel Ferede, Head of Amhara Innovation and Technology Bureau, attended the workshop and commended the initiative's role in empowering youth and promoting innovation at the grassroots level.
Dr. Mengesha Ayene, President of Bahir Dar University, warmly welcomed invited guests, trainers, and student participants, expressing heartfelt appreciation to the program organizers for their effort. He stated that the goal of the project is to make the university forward-looking by equipping the new generation with the skills and mindset needed in technology and innovation. He emphasized that it is not necessary to wait until students join the university to begin nurturing their talents; if children are guided and supported based on their interests and potential, they can become capable problem-solvers, innovators, and wealth creators. He also highlighted that the BiT is actively undertaking wide-ranging initiatives to support this vision.
Dr. Amare Kassaw, Deputy Scientific Director for Academics at BiT, emphasized the program’s success in building innovation capacity among high school students. He noted that over the past year, a Training of Trainers (TOT) was provided to 24 students and 6 teachers, who subsequently mentored 150 students from Tana Haik, Catholic, Ghion Academy, SOS, and Fasilo high schools. He further stated that, through four months of intensive training and mentorship, these students worked collaboratively in teams to design and develop IoT-based prototypes under the guidance of experts from BiT’s Techno-Entrepreneurship Center.
Mr. Hailmariam Mulugeta, Director of BiT’s Business Incubation and Techno-Entrepreneurship Center (BiTec), also presented the center’s vision and mission, noting its dedication to transforming student ideas into viable business concepts. He emphasized that the center offers training in entrepreneurship, product development, and startup management, and extended a call for stronger collaboration with public and private institutions to scale the center's impact.
The event concluded with BiT-BDU delivering certificates, 3D printing equipment, and other innovative electronics to the students who produced outstanding projects, recognizing the hard work and creativity of the trainees from all six high schools.
Information and Strategic Communication Directorate