Two Grant Projects
The Institute of Land Administration at Debre Markos University, in collaboration with its partners especially BOKU and TUW, is very much delightful for winning of two grant projects at a time. These two projects are:
- Implementation of Academic Geomatic Education in Ethiopia for Supporting Sustainable Development (Edu4Geo)
- Land Information for Land Management (Li4LaM)
Edu4Geo
The Austrian Partnership Program in Higher Education and Research for Development (APPEAR) is a program of Austrian Development Cooperation (ADC) with the aim of supporting higher education and research. Mostly, the program starts partnership from preparatory funding. Our university in collaboration of two Austrian Universities (University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, BOKU; and Technical University of Vienna, TUW) had competed and won the project of preparatory funding since 2014, and it was really the foundation block for the continuing projects. It has contributed a lot in establishing and strengthening networking between partner institutes (BOKU, TUW and DMU). The cooperation program has other partnership components too. These are academic partnership program; advanced partnership program; and extended impact partnership. EduLAND2 project is academic partnership project whereas the newly accepted Edu4Geo project is advanced partnership project. Upon the successful completion of this project, the partner institutes will continue to apply to the extended impact partnership program.
The networking is launched with a private PhD application of the academic staff of the institute of land administration. This was strongly supported by professors from BOKU and TUW universities. By the consortium effort of the PhD applicant and motivated professors from the two Austrian universities, the relationship is institutionalized and reached at this level of partnership (private PhD applicant, preparatory partnership, academic partnership and advanced partnership). Even, the foundation block for the ERASMUS+ project, Africa UniNet projects, and Bavarian-Ethiopian projects is the networking created at this level and consequently the preparatory funding program.
Edu4Geo project is the advanced partnership of the academic partnership project known as Implementation of Academic Land Administration Education in Ethiopia for Supporting Sustainable Development (EduLAND2) which was implemented from 2016-2020. The main focus of EduLAND2 project was establishment of Land Administration Institute at Debre Markos University and successfully launching the BSc program in land administration profession. The project has been implemented successfully and the institute has applied to the next step of partnership which is advanced academic partnership program of APPEAR. The project proposal of Edu4Geo is accepted for funding and it is three years grant project. It focuses on starting master program in geomatics and geodesy at the Institute of Land Administration in Debre Markos University. The main work packages of the project are development and running of MSc curriculum; capacity building training; provision of teaching materials (UAV, CORS, …); joint research activities; and provision of community services.
Li4LaM
Li4LaM is a capacity building project of ERASMUS+ program. ERASMUS+ is EU program in the fields of education, training, youth and sport. The program focuses on quality education and intercultural understanding. Li4LaM project proposal was designed in line to the primary focus program of the funding agency and accordingly the proposal is accepted for funding. It is a three years project focusing on the following work packages: Elaboration of conceptual framework for modules; capacity building; elaboration of teaching materials; materials purchase and supply; pilots and roll-out of courses; lifelong learning; and quality assurance evaluation.
It is assumed that the winning of these two projects will be inspirational to other academic programs academic staff. The successful implementation of these two projects in accustomed close collaboration of the partner institutes will upgrade and enhance the capacity of the institute staff since senior professors from partner universities work jointly with the institute young staff. Accordingly, the institute will give due attention to implement these projects according to the project plan.