Haramaya University: A Historical Overview of Programs and Development in Ethiopia

Nov 06, 2025 0

Haramaya University (HU) is a public research university located in Haramaya, Oromia Region, Ethiopia, approximately 510 kilometers east of Addis Ababa. It stands as one of the oldest institutions of higher learning in Ethiopia, having undergone significant transformations since its establishment in the early 1950s as the Imperial Ethiopian College of Agricultural and Mechanical Arts (IECAMA).

Formerly known as Alemaya College, the institution was officially inaugurated by Emperor Haile Selassie on January 16, 1958. The foundation of Haramaya University was driven by the need to modernize and advance Ethiopia's agriculture through trained manpower, pragmatic research, and extension programs.

The Early Years: Laying the Foundation

The journey began with an agreement signed between the Imperial Ethiopian Government and the Government of the United States of America on May 15, 1952, under President Harry Truman’s "Point Four Program". This agreement laid the groundwork for establishing Jimma Agricultural and Technical School and the Imperial College of Agricultural and Mechanical Arts (IECAMA).

Oklahoma State University (OSU) was given the mandate to establish and operate the College, as well as carry out a nationwide system of Agricultural Extension via agricultural research and experimental station. Subsequently, IECAMA was established at its present location near Lake Haramaya, covering 440 hectares of land. The college began its function in 1956 with the arrival of its first batch of students from Addis Ababa.

Evolution and Expansion

During the 1956/57 academic year, eleven students completed their studies and graduated with a B.Sc. The formal inauguration of the College came on 10 January, 1958 with the aim of producing trained manpower in field of agriculture. This was subsequently followed by the commencement of such new B.Sc. fields of training programs in agriculture as Plant Sciences and Animal Sciences (1960), Agricultural Engineering Technology (1961), and Agricultural Economics and Business (1962).

Until 1963, the college was virtually dependent on Oklahoma State University, both administratively and academically. However, after 1966, when the first Ethiopian dean was appointed, the role of Americans was limited to advisory and technical support. In 1968, the College became a chartered member of Addis Ababa University, following the contractual termination of Oklahoma State University, and was renamed Alemaya College of Agriculture.

Key Milestones:

1979/80: Launching of graduate study programs, laying the foundation for advanced academic and research work.
May 27, 1985: Upgraded to university status and named Alemaya University of Agriculture.
1987: Launching of the Faculty of Forestry.
1995/96: Launching of new programs in Teacher Education and Health.
September 2002: Opening of the Faculty of Law and Faculty of Business and Economics.
2003 and 2004: Initiation of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Faculty of Technology.
February 2006: Renamed Haramaya University.

Modern Haramaya University

By 1995/1996, the university underwent new transformation phase involving fields of Teacher Education and Health. The institution was renamed Haramaya University in February 2006. In the last few years, the University has witnessed tremendous expansion in terms of fields of study.

Under these divisions, the University offers a total of 224 programs of which 106 are undergraduate programs, 104 are second degree (M.Sc./M.Ed./MPH) and 14 are PhD level training programs. In addition to academic programs, the university has launched institutes that cater research and outreach programs.

Institutes:

Institute of Pastoral and Agropastoral Studies (IPAS)
Institutes of Peace and Development Studies (IPDS)
Institute of Land Tenure (ILT)

The University is now functioning on three campus premises. The main campus, where the first milestone was laid, is Haramaya Main Campus. This campus is located at about 510 km East of Addis Ababa, between Dire Dawa and Harar towns.

Academic Programs and Enrollment:

In its both regular and non-regular programs, HU offers a total of 211 Regular academic programs, of which 74 are undergraduate programs, 132 postgraduate programs (104 second degree and 28 third degree program) and 4 are specialty certificates in Medicine and 6 are special certificates of Postgraduate Diploma.

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In these academic units, the University has now a total of 25,666 enrolled students; including 24,157 are undergraduate students, 1119 are postgraduate students, and 390 postgraduate diploma students.

The University has educated a number of individuals who have contributed to the improvement and development of the world. A good recent example is Professor Gebisa Ejeta, who has received the World Food Prize, an honour that is considered by many to be the Nobel Prize of agriculture.

Great efforts are being made to produce qualified and successful graduates. For this to become a reality, our instructors are constantly updating their teaching methods to challenge students to get the most out of their learning.

As a pioneer institution of agricultural education, research and extension in Ethiopia for about six decades, the University has been developing and releasing several improved crop varieties and many improved crop and livestock management practices.

Through the years, the institution has established linkages with national and international organizations to strengthen its academic, research and outreach activities.

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The institution has produced many textbooks, book chapters, research articles, bulletins, proceedings, posters and a number of PhD dissertations and master thesis research reports.

There is an urgent need for the university to make efforts to link its academic programs to its research and outreach activities in order to make its training programs relevant to the needs of the stakeholders and the country at large.

Haramaya University strives to be among the leading universities recognized nationally and internationally for excellence in learning, teaching, research and community engagement.