St. Mary’s University (SMU) co-organized a major international conference focused on “The Future of Creativity and Innovation in Higher Education in Ethiopia,” held recently in Addis Ababa. The forum brought together academics, university leaders, government officials, and international partners to engage in a high-level discourse on modernizing the nation’s tertiary education sector. This initiative signifies Ethiopia’s clear commitment to moving beyond basic schooling to embrace creative learning and future-skills development frameworks.
The core agenda of the conference centered on themes critical to enhancing educational quality and relevance, including curriculum reform, integrating technology (EdTech) in teaching methodologies, and fostering an entrepreneurial culture within universities. By prioritizing the discussion of creativity and innovation, the higher-education sector is actively aligning its output with the demands of Ethiopia’s broader national economic strategy—the Home-Grown Economic Reform (HGER)—which emphasizes knowledge-based and private-sector-led growth.The co-organized event underscores the sector’s increasing engagement with global academic discourse and its push for international partnerships. By fostering an environment where innovation is prioritized, Ethiopia is working to ensure its graduates are equipped with the critical thinking and creative skills necessary to thrive in emerging sectors and drive the nation’s long-term economic resilience.
