In cognizant of Ethiopia’s water resources richness and the paradox of lack of trained human
resources capacity to harness and manage the resources for sustainable utilization, Arba Minch
Water Technology Institute (AWTI) was established in 1986. The Institute is located in the central
rift valley of Ethiopia where chains of surface water lakes (Abaya & Chamo), diverse inland and
aquatic species of flora and fauna are the characteristic figures. The Water Engineering training and
research institute had primarily aimed at producing qualified manpower, conducting research and
offering professional outreach services to enable the country to effectively develop and utilize its
water resources potential for various development purposes.
The Institute became a pioneering center of training and research in water resources engineering
programs in the country. It started offering training and research in three water resources
engineering disciplines, Viz., Irrigation engineering, hydraulic engineering and sanitary engineering
both at degree and advanced diploma levels. In addition, several short term and diploma level
trainings were offered to build the capacity of field and laboratory technicians involved in the water
sector. To respond to the country’s need for qualified manpower in other Engineering fields, the
Institute has launched three more undergraduate programs (Civil, Electrical and Mechanical
Engineering) in 1998 (1989EC) and two more (Computer Science and Architecture) in 2001 and
2004 respectively. These are: MSc in Electrical Power Engineering and, MSc in Computer Sciences,
MSc in Information Technology, MSc in Structural Engineering, MSc in Road and Transport
Engineering, MSc in Geo-Technic Engineering, MSc in Manufacturing and Automation Engineering at
different times starting from 2001 through 2016. In addition to undergraduate programs, these
graduate programs have trained and graduated substantial number professional serving the country
at different capacities.
After the inauguration of Arba Minch University on 5th June 2004, AMIT continued to operate as one
of the faculties of the university. Later in 2011, AMIT together with other Water engineering streams
formed the current Arba Minch Technology Institute. This restructuring was part of the engineering
capacity building program (ecbp) implementation that anticipated to realize engineering
overhauling reform in the country.
The intention of the reform program was to establish and capacitate technology institutes which can
produce skilled and competent human resources that can serve the country’s development need.
More specifically to create technology institutes which can engage in Technology Transfer by
adapting experiences of world class institutes; establish and strengthening university industry
linkages; graduate engineers equipped with hands on experience; and enhance entrepreneurial skills
of graduates. Although AMiT was established as part of the implementation of this reform program,
there have been many challenges hindering the proper functioning of the Institute. These challenges
emanate from inability to implement the autonomy directives for technology institutes issued by
Ministry of Education, diversity of programs and increasing number of students in one Institute and
the complexity of managing them under the current centralized governance system. To this effect,
the University and AMiT management has reached a consensus to reorganize these streams into two
independent institutes, AMiT and AWTI, capacitate them, and support them to operate in an
autonomous governance environment. Hence based on “Directives for Autonomy of Technology
Institutes, 001/2013”, the document prepared and distributed by the Ministry of Education in August
2013, Arba Minch Institute of Technology (AMiT) was established again in 2017/18.
The academic governance structures of the institute from top (Advisory Board) to the grassroots
level (academic chairs) and support services. Arba Minch Institute of Technology, revitalizing its
academic and administrative organization to boost excellence and competence in variety of
engineering and technology streams is accounted as first-step of the institutional reform task.
Currently the Institute is led by Scientific Director and is having five faculties; Faculty of Architecture
and Urban Planning, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Computing and Software Engineering,
Faculty of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Faculty of Mechanical Engineering. AMiT is
currently running 9 undergraduate programs and 11 postgraduate programs of which one is PhD
program in computer science. The institute also comprised of the following offices: Deputy Scientific
Director office, Managing Director office (Working for both AMiT and AWTI), Deputy Managing
Director office (Working for both AMiT and AWTI), Associate Managing Director office, Directorate
for Research and Community Services, Director for Institute Industry Linkage and Technology
Transfer, Director for Post Graduate School, AMiT/AWTI Finance Core process, AMiT/AWTI facility
management, AMiT/AWTI Student Services, AMiT/ AWTI Student Discipline office, Freshman
Coordination office, Associate Registrar office, Assistant Registrar office, Research and publication
coordination office, Community Services coordination office, Institutional Quality Assurance
Coordination office, Institute Industry Linkage Coordination office, Job Creation coordination office,
and Gender office.