Madda Walabu University: An Overview

Madda Walabu University (MWU) is a public Ethiopian university that was established in 2006. Officially recognized by the Ministry of Education of Ethiopia, Madda Walabu University (MWU) is a large-sized coeducational Ethiopian higher education institution.

The university is located in the town of Robe, in the south-central Oromia Region of Ethiopia. The town is situated 430km from the country’s capital, Addis Ababa, and is named after the Robe River that flows through the area. The university also has two other campuses located in the towns of Goba and Shashemene.

Location of Oromia Region in Ethiopia

History and Background

The name "Madda Walabu" refers to a historical place located 227 km southwest of the zonal town of Bale Robe. Historically, this place is closely related to the Oromo people.

Academic Organization

Academically, the university is organised into eight colleges:

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  • College of Agriculture and Natural Resources
  • College of Business and Economics
  • College of Social Sciences and Humanities
  • College of Computing
  • College of Engineering
  • College of Education and Behavioural Studies
  • College of Natural and Computational Science
  • College of Law

Programs and Degrees

Madda Walabu University (MWU) offers courses and programs leading to officially recognized higher education degrees in several areas of study.

The table below displays academic fields with programs and courses that lead to Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctorate degrees offered by Madda Walabu University. Note that the table provides a general overview and might not cover all the specific majors available at the university.

Programs Bachelor Master Doctoral
Art & Design No No No
Biology Yes No No
Business Yes Yes No
Chemistry Yes No No
Computer Science Yes No No
Economics Yes Yes No
Engineering Yes No No
Environmental Science Yes No No
Liberal Arts & Social Sciences Yes Yes No
Mathematics Yes No No
Medicine Yes No No
Physics Yes No No
Psychology Yes No No

Master's Degree Programs: African Languages, Biology, Business Administration, Environmental Studies, Foreign Languages Education, Microbiology, Physics, Public Health, Town Planning

Faculties and Divisions

Madda Walabu University faculties and divisions:

  • College of Agriculture and Natural Resources: Agricultural Economics, Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, Forestry
  • College of Business and Economics: Accountancy, Business Administration, Business and Commerce, Economics, Finance, Management, Marketing, Tourism
  • College of Computing: Computer Science, Information Sciences, Information Technology
  • College of Education and Behavioural Sciences: Behavioural Sciences, Education
  • College of Engineering: Civil Engineering, Computer Engineering, Construction Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Surveying and Mapping
  • College of Natural and Computational Sciences: Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics, Sports, Statistics
  • College of Social Sciences and Humanities: African Languages, Communication Arts, English, Environmental Studies, Ethics, Geography, History, Journalism, Literature, Sociology
  • School of Health Sciences: Midwifery, Nursing, Public Health
  • School of Law: Law
  • School of Medicine: Health Sciences, Medicine

Tuition and Fees

The tuition table for Madda Walabu University gives an overview of costs, but prices are approximate and subject to change and don't include accommodation, textbooks, or living expenses. The costs of programs might differ significantly for local and international students.

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Program Tuition per year (ETB)
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science 12,000
Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering 14,000
Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering 14,000
Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering 14,000
Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering 14,000
Bachelor of Science in Applied Biology 12,000
Bachelor of Science in Applied Chemistry 12,000
Bachelor of Science in Applied Physics 12,000
Bachelor of Arts in Accounting and Finance 10,000
Bachelor of Arts in Economics 10,000
Bachelor of Arts in Management 10,000
Bachelor of Arts in Marketing Management 10,000
Bachelor of Arts in Public Administration and Development Management 10,000
Bachelor of Arts in Sociology 10,000
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology 10,000

Research Profile

Madda Walabu University has published 1,473 scientific papers with 41,305 citations received. The research profile covers a range of fields, including Medicine, Liberal Arts & Social Sciences, Biology, Environmental Science, Mathematics, Pathology, Sociology, Statistics, Public Health, and Computer Science.

Madda Walabu University majors by publication & citation count:

  • Medicine: 1,013 / 35,649
  • Liberal Arts & Social Sciences: 1,004 / 35,927
  • Biology: 936 / 25,012
  • Environmental Science: 765 / 19,711
  • Mathematics: 735 / 19,532
  • Pathology: 726 / 32,466
  • Sociology: 719 / 32,348
  • Statistics: 684 / 19,301
  • Public Health: 624 / 32,075
  • Computer Science: 606 / 15,516

The following data gives a quick reading on the scientific performance in the last years. The research ranking refers to the volume, impact and quality of the institution's research output. The innovation ranking is calculated on the number of patent applications of the institution and the citations that its research output receives from patents.

Annual publication & citation counts:

Year Publications Citations
2010 1 2
2011 3 2
2012 5 7
2013 11 36
2014 42 252
2015 62 789
2016 48 2167
2017 83 3049
2018 102 3129
2019 174 3827
2020 202 5242
2021 158 5687
2022 223 5656
2023 180 5576
2024 165 5614

In 2007 the university opened its teaching hospital, the Madda Walabu University Goba Hospital, which aims to provide training, research and healthcare service provision in the country through prioritising research, student centred training and patient centred health care delivery. The hospital provides high quality health care to patients in the communities of Bale, East Bale, West Arsi, Guji Zone, and part of the Somali region.

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