The launch ceremony was officiated by Professor Essey Kebede, Vice President for Academic Affairs, and Professor Enyewu Adgo, Vice President for Research and Community Engagement and IUC Project Coordinator. The program was formally opened after welcoming remarks and an introductory overview delivered by Dr. Tesfaye Shiferaw, IUC Project Manager.

During the event, Ato Wubshet Simegnew, Head of the ICT Infrastructure and Services Team at the College of Science and Maritime Academy, delivered a technical presentation on the Digital Research Lab. He explained that 70 state-of-the-art high-performance computers have been procured from Belgium under the IUC project. These machines are significantly faster than previous systems, are equipped with 32 GB RAM, and have dedicated Wi-Fi connectivity, making them highly suitable for advanced research and data-intensive academic work. He encouraged faculty members and postgraduate students to make extensive use of the facility and noted that a formal administrative and management system will be developed to ensure effective utilization. The lab consists of two rooms, one of which is specifically designated to serve female users, promoting inclusiveness and equitable access.

Dr. Tesfaye Shiferaw further noted that, in addition to the 70 computers already installed, 18 more computers are being prepared for deployment. He expressed appreciation to the university units and professionals whose collective efforts made the successful establishment of the Digital Research Lab possible.

The University Library Director, Ato Yebeltal Tafere, also expressed his gratitude to VLIR-UOS funded BDU-IUC Project and all experts involved in the project. He provided clarifications on operational issues and addressed questions related to access, management, and sustainability of the facility.

The event concluded with a recognition and certificate award ceremony honoring individuals and teams who made outstanding contributions to the realization of the Digital Research Lab. In his closing remarks, Professor Enyewu Adgo officially declared the lab open. He highlighted that under the IUC project’s first phase, 17 PhD and 29 MSc academic staff have received training opportunities, and in the second phase, the project aims to graduate 15 PhD and 26 MSc candidates. He emphasized that the project’s core objective is to build the next generation of researchers and strengthen institutional research and laboratory capacity of the University. He also noted that there are plans to expand similar high-tech computing facilities across BDU campuses, underscoring that achieving this vision will require collective commitment and collaboration.

The inauguration of the Digital Research Lab marks a major milestone in Bahir Dar University’s efforts to modernize research infrastructure and enhance the quality of academic and scientific work.