Validation Workshop Focusing Towards Indigenous Knowledge

Addis Ababa University (AAU) the office of Vice President for Research and Technology Transfer (VPRTT) held a validation workshop on Indigenous Knowledge (IK) at Mandela Hall on the 3rd of March 2022.

The workshop targeted to identify indigenous knowledge and wisdom of Ethiopia, as the most important, problem solving and source of sustainable growth that needs to be addressed in thematic research.

It was stated that AAU had planned to organize the workshop to gather inputs from the audience as resources for indigenous policies that the Ministry of Education (MoE) is currently focusing on enriching indigenous knowledge.

Mitike Molla (PhD), Vice President for Research and Technology Transfer of AAU said that her office has a ten years strategic plan on exploring indigenous knowledge and wisdom to be integrated with contemporary knowledge on solving pressing problems.

“To implement this plan, we first developed this workshop to increase our understanding of indigenous knowledge. In our country, IK is available in all fields and we must work to make it all accessible,” she emphasized.

According to Dr. Mitike, in the case of Ethiopian university education, it is important to start by taking into account the teachings of the church, which have made many contributions as a source of knowledge and civilization.

Dr. Mitike indicted that her Office is ready to provide thematic research and researchers need to study and write directly from each study area, beginning from the history. “As they do this, we will be able to determine where we came from and where we are now,” she added.

Finally, Dr. Mitike underlined that everyone should develop a sense of indigenous knowledge and considers how to incorporate it into different areas and educational systems by looking at things that have not yet been addressed.

Two studies were presented in the workshop: “Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) Definitions and Concepts” by Zelalem Tefera (PhD) and “Major Categories of Indigenous Knowledge System” by Prof. Araya Haimete. The concept, types, characteristics and challenges of IKS, as well as over 29 major categories of indigenous knowledge were deeply addressed in the presentation.

Source: Addis Ababa University