IPER held an official relaunching workshop
The Institute of Pedagogical and Educational Research (IPER) held a workshop to validate its five-year strategic plan and to launch its implementation. The institute officially announced that it is now fully operational with a focused approach and full capacity. The workshop was attended by the University President, Dr. Mengesha Ayene; the Vice President for Research and Community Services, Professor Enyew Adgo; deans and faculty from the College of Education; as well as invited representatives from other institutions. Dr. Asnakew Tagelle, Chief Executive Director of the College of Education, delivered a welcoming speech to the participants and extended heartfelt appreciation to the college staff who prepared the strategic plan.
In the opening address, Professor Enyew Adgo, Vice President for Research and Community Services at BDU, emphasized that excellence is not defined by what we claim, but by the meaningful outcomes we demonstrate in practice. He also noted that the university is currently preparing a directive to enable institutes like IPER to appoint dedicated researchers, and it will be soon in effect.
The strategic plan was presented by Dr. Mulugeta Awayehu, Director of IPER. Over the next five years, the director remarks, IPER plans to focus on enhancing the quality of education in both the region and the country. This will be pursued through the development of research-based policy recommendations, direct support for teaching and learning in schools, conducting design-based studies, and implementing interventions that support the teaching learning in areas affected by conflict and instability. The strategic plan was reviewed by Dr. Dawit Mekonnen and Professor Abebaw Yirga from Addis Ababa University. They highlighted key areas for improvement and emphasized the need to revise certain components of the plan. Primarily, they suggested re-examining the planned activities of the institute in terms of feasibility, importance, and achievability. Following this, participants engaged in a productive discussion, raising questions, offering feedback and suggesting areas of improvement of the strategic plan. The discussion was moderated by Dr. Dereje Taye, Dean of the School of teacher Education.
In his closing remarks, Dr. Mengesha Ayene, President of Bahir Dar University, affirmed the university’s commitment to supporting IPER in its efforts to build institutional capacity and contribute to the field of education. He noted that, as the university moves toward autonomy, IPER is expected not only to secure grants and pursue impactful projects but also to play a key role in unpacking and mobilizing resources to support the university’s autonomous functions. In his final note the president emphasized the importance of convening a consultative workshop with the participation of all relevant stakeholders.