AMU’s University-Industry Linkage and Technology Transfer Directorate has hosted Leather Industry Development Institute in a daylong meeting wherein both have agreed to collaborate on common grounds that will yield mutual benefits at Senate Hall on 2nd November, 2017. Click here to see the pictures.

AMU President, Dr Damtew Darza, gracing the occasion, said it’s appropriate to collaborate with Leather Industry Development Institute (LIDI) that has nearly 80 different industries under its umbrella; they can train our Master students of environmental, mechanical engineering and industrial chemistry, provide support in research activities and later also hire them at respective positions.

Reacting to the deliberation, UIL-TTD Director, Dr Tolera Seda Bedassa, said collaborating with LIDI, means AMU can use their infrastructure because as of now we don’t have them in place. We have already identified common grounds to collaborate on areas like mechanical, electrical, water engineering, chemistry and agricultural sciences. In turn, AMU can assist LIDI’s staff in getting educational level upgraded using AMU programs. And our teachers can go to them to acquire knowledge about industrial process and employ them in their teaching, he added.

The program began with Dr Tizazu Gebre introducing dignitaries to the gathering followed by one of the LIDI’s staff giving a lowdown on leather industry’s global and national scenario.

LIDI’s Technology Transfer and Training Directorate Director, Mr Dennebo Mekuria, stated that, ‘‘We are exploring possibility to establish link with AMU to work in the area of research, technology transfer and human resource development, etc.

On LIDI’s annual turnover, he said, the total export value in 2016 was $115 million that is likely to go up this year to $ 272 million. It broadly offers consultancy services to industries; provides educational trainings i.e. short-term, regular and in-company, and do research and development activities, technology identification for sectors and transferring, etc.

Exemplifying training, he said, it encompasses leather, leather products, footwear technology, leather goods and garments as well as processing technology from raw skin and hide to finished leather. Under TVET program, it offers one to two-year training and 4-year BSc as it also runs academic programs in association with Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa Science and Technology University, Bahir Dar University, Wollo University, Federal TVET College for level-II professionals.

Further, he adds that LIDI has mutual vision and goal to realize especially in human resource development, research and developmental activities. In future, curriculum development can be done with involvement from private sectors. AMU can avail our infrastructure, but later AMU needs to have them in place and it can provide professional inputs as well.

On financial liability, he clarified that with regard to AMU-related activities, it needs to foot their own bill and LIDI will take care of theirs; MoU in this regard will be signed in next two weeks, he quipped. AMU officials, students and others were in attendance.

(Corporate Communication Directorate)