Bahir Dar University Conducts Leadership Capacity-Building Workshop to Build an Entrepreneurial University
Bahir Dar University, June 12, 2026 
        Bahir Dar University is conducting a three-day workshop for its senior and middle-level leaders under the theme “Public Entrepreneurship and Innovation Ecosystem Development.”
The workshop is is convened with a collaborative effort of the University's Nile Leadership Excellence Academy and the Ethiopian Entrepreneurship Development Institute.
The workshop aims to foster an innovation culture within the University. It also intends to strengthen entrepreneurial thinking, and establish a sustainable innovation ecosystem. The training covers key topics including the concepts of public entrepreneurship, innovation ecosystem development, institutional innovation support systems, and the role of leadership in promoting innovation.
The program is expected to contribute significantly to strengthening the University's research, innovation, and community engagement activities, while also enhancing its institutional innovation capacity.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Alemtsehay Mekonnen, Administrative Business Development Director at the Nile Leadership Excellence Academy of Bahir Dar University, noted that the training program will continue in phases. She emphasized that universities should focus not only on graduating large numbers of students and achieving high academic performance, but also on fostering innovation and creative problem-solving. She further stated that such initiatives will play a vital role in enhancing the University's autonomy and long-term sustainability.
On the other hand, Tewodros Abebe, Training Manager at the Ethiopian Entrepreneurship Development Institute, explained that the workshop is believed to be translated to cultivate students who can address societal challenges through innovative solutions and generate value through creativity and entrepreneurship. He added that the program is also intended to support the transformation of Bahir Dar University into an Entrepreneurial University.
The workshop reflects the University's commitment to embedding innovation and entrepreneurship into its core functions of teaching, research, and community service, thereby producing graduates equipped with the skills and mindset needed to contribute effectively to national development and economic growth.