Background

Bahir Dar University Sport Academy is one of Ethiopia's longstanding institutions dedicated to physical education, sport science, coaching, sport management, research, and community sport development. With a history spanning several decades, the Academy has evolved from a unit primarily responsible for university co-curricular activities into a comprehensive academic and sports institution committed to advancing sport education, research, professional training, youth development, and community engagement.

Our History

The history of the Sport Academy can be traced to the establishment of the Physical Education Department, which operated under the Dean of Students from 1974 to 1981 E.C. During this period, the department was primarily responsible for planning and organizing co-curricular physical education and sporting activities.

In 1982 E.C., the unit was upgraded to a full-fledged academic and service-providing department under the name Department of Health and Physical Education, marking an important milestone in the institutional development of physical education and sport training at the university.

In 1993 E.C., the department began offering diploma-level professional training in physical education and sport. Subsequently, in 1996 E.C., it became the third institution in Ethiopia, after Kotebe College of Education and Addis Ababa University, to offer a bachelor's degree in Physical Education. This development significantly strengthened the institution's contribution to the preparation of professionally qualified physical education and sport specialists in Ethiopia.

The institution continued to expand its academic and sporting functions, and in 2003 E.C., following its successful hosting of the Ethiopian Universities Sport Festival, the department was promoted to a Sport Academy. This transition reflected its growing role not only in academic training but also in sport development, competition, research, and community service.

Over the decades, the institution has contributed substantially to the development of Ethiopia's human resources in physical education and sport. More than 10,000 graduates and trained professionals have passed through the institution over its history, making it an important contributor to the development of physical education and sport in Ethiopia.

The Academy Today

Today, Bahir Dar University Sport Academy continues this legacy by providing education and professional training in physical education, sport science, coaching, sport management, and related fields. The Academy combines academic instruction with practical training, research, community engagement, athlete development, and sport-related professional services.

The Academy currently serves approximately 300 students across its academic programs, while its wider youth and sport development initiatives engage hundreds of young participants in different sporting disciplines. The Academy also provides opportunities for undergraduate and postgraduate education through regular, extension, and distance-learning modalities, where applicable.

The Academy is supported by a growing team of academic and professional staff engaged in teaching, research, supervision, community service, coaching, and sport development. Its faculty members bring expertise across diverse areas of sport science, physical education, coaching, exercise and fitness, sport management, and related disciplines. The Academy continues to strengthen its academic capacity through postgraduate training, research, professional development, and collaboration with national and international partners.

Our Commitment

Bahir Dar University Sport Academy is committed to producing competent, ethical, innovative, and socially responsible sport professionals; advancing evidence-based research in sport and physical education; supporting youth talent development; promoting active and healthy communities; and contributing to the growth and professionalization of sport in Ethiopia.

Building on its long institutional history, the Academy aspires to serve as a center of excellence in sport education, coaching, research, management, and community impact, while expanding its national and international partnerships and contribution to the development of sport.