Message from the Director

Welcome to Bahir Dar University Community Service Directorate website!

Since its establishment, the Research and Community Service Vice President Office has been undertaking various community service activities. The types and the number of services we provide have been increasing from time to time. Currently, we have identified eight focus areas for the provision of community service activities at the university level. These are:

1. Integrated Watershed Development and Environmental Protection (at Birr-Adama and Bahir Dar)
2. Model Village Establishment at Kollela
3. Developing a Learning City in Bahir Dar
4. Education Sector Development
5. Health Sector Development
6. Agricultural Sector Development
7. Social Sector Development
8. Entrepreneurship Development and Job Creation

Apart from these, the research centres and academic units (colleges, faculties, schools, institutes and academies) of the university undertake community service activities in their areas of specialization. Our service is mainly targeted at bringing about desired change by undertaking capacity building activities of the community, organizations and the civil servants. We also undertake direct intervention and awareness raising activities, among many others.  

Although it would have been preferable to address wider area, because of lack of resources and importance of focusing, geographically we are mainly delimiting our community service provision endeavours to Bahir Dar City Administration, West Gojjam Zone (Kollela and Birr-Adama Sites) and Awi Zone (until Injibara University becomes fully operational).

Our partners, among others, include: Amhara National Regional State (ANRS) Administration, ANRS Culture and Tourism Bureau, Education Bureau, Labour and Social Affairs Bureau, Civil Service Bureau, Agriculture Bureau, Environment Protection Bureau, Cooperatives’ Development Agency, West Gojjam Zone Administration, Awi Zone Administration, Mecha Woreda Administration, Quarit Woreda Administration, Yilmana Densa Woreda Administration, Sekela Woreda Administration, Bahir Dar City Administration, Bahir Dar City Administration Education Department, Youth and Sports Department, Culture and Tourism Department, ANRS Martyrs Office, SoS Bahir Dar Programme, Society for Ecotourism and Biodiversity Conservation, Tesfa Community Development Association, and Amhara Region Women’s Federation.

We welcome national and international partners to work together to serve the community in Bahir Dar, West Gojjam Zone and Awi Zone in the specified thematic focus areas.    

Abiy Menkir Gizaw (Mr)

Community Service Director

Bahir Dar University

Duties and Responsibilities of the Community Service Directorate

While the Community Service Directorate is accountable to the Research and Community Services Vice President Office, it has the following duties and responsibilities:

1. Directs needs assessment to customize the designing, planning and execution of CS activities;
2. Leads all community service (CS) activities executed in the University;
3. Facilitates the availability of logistics and finance for the planning and implementation of CS activities;
4. Communicates and facilitates communication with academic staff, Academic Unit Vice Deans for Post-graduate, Research and Community Services, Deans, and students to enhance their participation on community services;
5. Follows up and supports the preparation of CS projects;
6. Monitors community service activities of AUs, Research Centres, and CS Site Coordination Offices;
7. In consultation with the RCSVP, develops strategies, working documents, and Directives/standards/forms appropriate for the implementation of CS;
8. Leads institutional capacity building for productive and sustainable CS;
9. Ensures that the implementation of Community Service activities is in line with the AUs and Research Centers’ thematic areas and focus of CS Sites of the University unless formally justified otherwise 
10. Designs different strategies to ensure that  the target communities are primary beneficiaries of the planned and executed Community Service activities;
11. Supports the organization of workshops, forums, symposia, exhibitions, and consultative meetings related to issues of Community Service;
12. Collects feedback from its customers, communities and other stakeholders to review and update Community Service activities;
13. Monitors and evaluates processes and outcomes of Community Service activities;
14. Identifies links and partnership collaborations with national and international institutions;
15. Serves as a liaison between the RCSVP and the AU’s Vice Deans for Post-graduate, Research and Community Services, Research Center Directors, other directors and the Community;
16. Prepares calendars for Community Service activities; 
17. Facilitates the production of CS-related proceedings, periodicals and other publications by academic units and research centers, and other directors;
18. Supports keeping records of Community Service and  related activities;
19. Prepares and compiles quarterly, semi-annual and annual reports for CS activities;  
20. Facilitates the publication of annual Community Service activities of the university; 
21. Expands the frontiers of Community Service and related activities by establishing new CS Sites when needed;
22. Leads the overall activities of CS Site Coordinator Offices, STEM, ALDI, and EDIC Directorates;
23. Facilitates the provision of incentives for Community Service activities;
24. Prepares, processes and follows call for proposals for Community Service activities;
25. Executes other activities when required.