Vision

To be one of the leading community services & engagement provider among applied science universities in Ethiopia by 2022.

Mission

Provide need based, demand driven and problem-solving community engagement so as to contribute to and share the country's development endeavor.

Disseminate research outputs and technologies to the community based on local, regional, and national priorities.

Win reputation in community engagement at all levels.

Core values: Community first, empathic listening, fairness, tolerance, flexibility, teamwork, equitability, responsiveness, accountability, transparency, professionalism & honesty.

Duties & Responsibilities

The Director for Community Services & Engagement, accountable for Research & Technology Transfer V/President, shall have the following power and duties:

Directs, facilitates, and guides community services activities to various stakeholders in the areas of their needs and requests and collects feedback.

Promotes trainings and consultancy services on various professional and technical areas and provides the services competitively with best quality.

• Facilitates identification of community problems and leads prioritization of community-based projects.
• Facilitates that the participating departments/schools/center/unit, colleges/institute and involved external partners benefit from financial rewards, recognition, experience sharing and feedback and lessons.
• Ensures that the University benefit financially from the training and consultancy services provided to various organizations and communities.
• Promotes, supports, and facilitates staffs’ and students’ engagements in community development activities through different mechanisms such as practicum, community development centered curriculum designing for training, leaflets, bulletins and mass media.
• Guides and facilitates organization and documentation of knowledge and innovations generated and developed by each department/program for dissemination and application by target communities.
• Guides and supports department in their effort to facilitate delivery of outreach and community engagement services in the areas of excellence of the department.
• Organizes public lectures and seminars on current issues and community concerns.
• Directs the implementation of agreements and projects related to its domain with other organizations.
• Follows up the timely implementation of annual plans and community services projects.
• Makes sure that the community service activities are properly recorded.
• Performs any other duties as may be required by the Vice President for Research and Technology Transfer.

Community Service/Engagement Major Activities Accomplished (Since recent years)

     A.Enhancing Education Quality in the University’s catchment

1. Well organized STEM center cultivating and training students’ skills (at weekends & summer) in robotics, electronics, and computer skill & innovation training. Ezedin Kamil is among the talented innovators and technologists who received support from WKU.
2. Organizing high school laboratories with equipment and consumables. Skills training to laboratory technicians and updating lab guidelines.
3. Tutorial support to high school students in the University’s catchment: Gurage, East Gurage, Yem Zones & Kebena especial Wereda. This year: 20 schools in 5 subjects (3 hard sciences, English & Mathematics) are being supported.
4. Training delivered to 1000 high school teachers and instructional leaders on the new curriculum and instructional leadership.
5. Learning material support for poor children & female students (exercise books, pens & reference books).
6. Educational material support to some selected schools (combined desks, black board, etc.)
7. Awarding and recognizing high achieving students following national examination result announcement (tablet computers...)
8. Motivational speeches to students by university higher officials and middle management bodies
9. Consultancy services in school guiding designs.

   B.Agriculture & Natural Resource

1. Improved seed variety multiplication (teff & maize) in ten hectares of land producing about 70 quintals of improved variety distributed for model & women farmers working in the zone.
2. Contribute to the government's effort towards green legacy/economy producing about 400 thousand trees in average including indigenous trees every year. Every year the university administrative council plants trees for supporting land management efforts.
3. Multiplication and distribution of coffee seedlings to model farmers; this year 45 thousand coffee seedlings are ready for distribution at Mike nursery site.
4. Multiplication of avocado & apple fruits.
5. Highland sheep variety improvement project under weigh.
6. Supporting women and youth in their livelihood with “Women in agriculture” and other integrated farming projects.
7. Improving fish variety project at lake Arekit, Gumer Wereda following fish research focusing on fish production and productivity.

    C.Health

1. Wolkite university teaching hospital’s clinical service. The hospital’s physicians provide health education to the community.
2. Community pharmacy established at Gubre sub-city.
3. Enhance the professional quality of health workers in health centers and hospitals with continuous short-term training.
4. Health material/facility support to hospitals with serious shortage of resources. 

    D.Other socio-economic efforts

1. Attempt to establish biogas technology.
2. Solar panel delivery to health and other institutions for better energy efficiency.
3. Skills and knowledge transfer trainings on various issues such as ICT, pedagogy, language & culture, etc.

    E.Other socio-economic activities (sport, law)

1. Support for sport & athletics (Financial support for Wolkite city football sport club, continuous skill training to youths, support for Zebidar Athletics club)
2. WKU legal aid center at Wolkite town provides legal support for the poor, women, and children.

    F.ICT development & designs

1. Web site development for office of Gurage Zone ICT
2. Gurage zone justice office court management system finalized, ready for hand over, the office is preparing for server installment.

   G.Capital project CS Activities

1. Deep water holes for nearby community