CD4D ambassador Ayalew Kassahun is committed to improving research quality, quantity and diversity in Ethiopia. In his recent blogpost, he announced an online conference on the 27th of January to discuss Research Excellence in his country of origin.
After studying Engineering and Hydrology, Ayalew moved to the Netherlands in 1993 to start working for prominent IT companies and as a specialist in agri-food supply chains at Wageningen University. Ayalew views himself as a person of two worlds, as he mentions in a previous blogpost. In 2018, Ayalew Kassahun first undertook a CD4D assignment in his country of origin, Ethiopia, to provide training at Wollo University. His background allows him to reflect on both the Netherlands and Ethiopia, and put his observations into action.
As such, Ayalew and fellow organizers of the conference aim to improve research outputs of Ethiopian universities, and encourage collaborations in- and outside Ethiopia. The conference will take place on the 27th of January, and Ayalew will be joined by European and Ethiopian research institutes and related organizations. The conference promises to be a great opportunity to exchange knowledge across countries and institutions, which hopefully results in fruitful cooperation in the future. More information on the conference, and how link to sign up, can be found here.