Program

Objectives:

Although Ethiopia is one of the least urbanized countries, it is experiencing unprecedented rate of urbanization of about 5% and towns and cities are home to about 16-18% of the country’s population. Rapid urbanization comes with various challenges which state and local planning authorities must deal with. Rapid urbanization exerts pressures on the goods and services provided by state and local planning authorities. The challenges which accompany rapid urbanization include: environmental degradation, spiraling urban poverty, food insecurity, crime, HIV/AIDS, unemployment, slums and squatter settlements, among others. This calls for capacity-building at federal, regional and local levels if Ethiopian cities/towns have to be managed in a sustainable way. A country-wide survey of the disciplines offered in various public universities revealed that although there are disciplines in built environment such as engineering, architecture, sustainable management of cities required managers with broad background due to the diversity and complexity of urban problems. It was, therefore, found necessary to introduce master’s course in urban management whose nomenclature is “Master of Arts in UrbanManagement”

Cities in Ethiopia are facing increasingly complex challenges in an era of rapid urbanisation and globalisation. At the same time, decentralisation is creating new opportunities for cities to provide better services, alleviate urban poverty and position cities as engines of growth for  dependant  regions.  Many  actors  involved  in  urban  development  do  so  withlimited interaction and coordination. Yet, problems require innovative, multi-actor and multidisciplinary approach. The unique feature of the Master’s Programme is the strong link between theory and practice through the interface between applied research and practical exposure. Participants will receive lectures in theories and concepts, tools, best practices, Federal/Regional/Local policies, strategies and programmes, and write a thesis at the end.