Hawassa University (HwU) was established in 2000 with formerly named as Debub University through the merger of three independently operating colleges in the SNNPRS region (but now in Sidama Regional State.) namely: Hawassa College of Agriculture (ACA), Wondo Genet College of Forestry and Natural Resources (WCFNR) and Dilla College of Teacher Education and Health Sciences (now Dilla University).
Making structural reform again in 2007 the University reorganized itself merging the following Campuses: College of Medicine and Health Sciences which detached itself from Dilla College and moved to Hawassa City Main Campus and the existing two ACA and Wondo Genet College of Natural Resource and named as Hawassa University. Within its five campuses. Currently, HU operates with its 8 Colleges, 3 institutes. Moreover, the giant University currently has nearly 2000 teaching staffs and more than 43,000 Students in regular, summer, and continuing programs. Currently, it runs 110 undergraduate, 146 Masters, 10 Speciality, 1 sub speciality and 52 PhD/DEd Programs. According to the directive from MoSHE to advance the mission of the country, HU became one of the Eight 1st generation Research University in Ethiopia.
Previously, the School of Education and Training (SoT) was one of the key constituents of the College of Social Sciences and Humanities of HU since 2011. It acquired its new name following the restructuring of the University as a result of the BPR study, whose implementation was started in 2011. Historically, however, the SoET has started its operation as a “Faculty of Education” in 2007 with the objective of training teachers and educational professionals.
Currently, the former school of education and training has transformed to full-fledge college of education since September 2016 and with three dep'ts and one school: Dep’t of Educational Panning and Management (EdPM), Dep’t of Adult Education and Community development (AECD), Dep’t of Special Needs and Inclusive Education (SNIE) and School of Teachers’ Education (STE) respectively .Currently, it runs 33 programs (3 BA, 8 MA, 3 PhD, 2 DEd , 12 post graduate Diploma in Teaching (PGDT), 5 Certificate (PGDSL, PGCPS,PGCSS, Women’s leadership, HDP and induction training); and 13 BED in four years Degree Programs, 9 MEd and 7 DEd Programs in collaboration with CNCSc, CLG, and CSSH. Currently, 43 PhD and DEd, 329 MA, 169 BA, 1462 PGDT and Totally 2,003(Male 1609 and Female 394) students enrolled in regular, summer, and weekend programs. In addition, 430 trainees were taking HDP training. Moreover, the college currently has nearly 58 teaching staff (3 GAI, 35 Lecturers, 11 Asst. Prof, 7 Asso. Prof and 1 professor. From 58 academic staff, 16 were on study leave. There are also 16 administrative staff currently in college of education.
Having recognized the contribution of the College of Education in addressing the demand for trained manpower and the myriad of challenges that the country is confronted with, the Ministry of Education recognized our college as one among other five other universities in the country as a “Centre of Excellence for Teacher Education and Educational Leaders”. This has enabled the College of Education to foster joint effort not only with other colleges and institutes of HU but also the wider community at large.
On the other hand, the Center of Excellence for teacher education and educational leadership is supposed to engage in teaching-learning, research and community service functions. Primarily, the center is concerned with producing quality and competent secondary school teachers and educational leaders by admitting motivated and competent students, in well-resourced (furnished), and adequately staffed institutions. Furthermore, the center is conceived as an incubation center/ hub that maintain best practices, inject new ideas and changes, identify best practices, and disseminate evidence-based professional knowledge and skills to different beneficiaries (stakeholders). More specifically, the center has been established to meet the following goals:
- identify, develop and share good practices to improve the quality of teachers & educational leaders training;
- support teacher & educational leader institutes at the regional and national level and establish networks on how to improve the pedagogy of the pre-service and in-service training within the cluster;
- develop quality professional development models, advance the innovative practices, model schools for observation and student teaching
- assess, develop and disseminate state of the art teacher education and leadership development programs for primary and secondary school teacher education;
- serve as a resource center in managing knowledge on teacher education and teaching through developing and disseminating instructional designs, instructional materials, including modern technology;
- develop good teaching practices and promote their dissemination through the establishment of model schools;
- establish collaboration with renowned international and national institutions to advance best experiences and solicit resources that can fill the gaps of the resources and experts;
- provide need driven short and long-term professional training and for university side programs, educational offices, training institutes and organizations.
- serve as the hub of providing quality experts for Education Offices, Ministry of Education, REBs and CTEs;
- provide technical support to the Ministry of Education in matters relating to teacher education and educational leadership based on the results of research studies; and,
- offer Masters and PhD programs and other need driven training related to Teacher and Educational leadership programs and so forth.
- Conduct problem solving and experience-based researches focusing on designing an intervention strategy and develop directive documents that can serve the institutional, local and national interests.
The following are excellent performances of the college from many to a few:-
- From 2002-2014 more than 14,000 students were graduated in BA, MA, PGDT, HDP, PGDSL, PGCPS,PGCSS, and Women’s leadership and; currently running 33 programs.
- Center of Excellence for Teachers Education & Educational leaders was established.
- Participated in community Services, published research findings in reputable journals and disseminating research findings for stakeholders.
- Coordinating with CoEx University 9-12 grade students text book preparation.
- As part of its mission, the College of Education is playing a central role in the capacity development of the University’s academic staff through its Higher Diploma Program (HDP) & induction on Instructional Skills for novices Instructors.
- Conduct research in to the speed school curriculum and pedagogy in Ethiopia in collaboration with Sussex University, UK with the financial support of Geneva Global in 2015-2016.
- Center for research in Eastern Africa and Sweden (CREAS) was applied for grant project on joint program development of PhD, MA and research work to SIDA which is expected to be launched soon.
- Has launched a journal entitled '“Journal Ethiopian Education Studies”
- Has won the NORAD grant project of 2020 about 20MN Kroner on Special Need Education, & ICT to work collaboratively to enhance equity in the institution, and research in collaboration with other University( Gondar, DMU,AASTU).
- Has conducted Research Project on practices, prospects and challenges secondary school of science and mathematics in SNNPRS
- Has conducted and intervene the research project with SNNPRS Education Bureau entitled ’Assessment of Mathematics and science Teachers’ Teaching Competence in Southern Ethiopia Upper Primary schools
- Has conducted determinants of Educational wastage and completion in Sidaama Regional State: Possible intervention Strategies suggested.
- Has conducted an assessment of the organization, practices and performance of the preprimary education modalities in SNNPR and Oromia Regional States sponsored by the MoE.