The predecessor of the present AMU was the former Arba Minch Water Technology Institute, which was established in 1986 with the objective of producing trained professionals in the field of water resources. After its transformation to Arba Minch University, since June 2004, it is undergoing into a radical transformation having a vision to be one of the best universities in the country and a center of Excellence in the water sector in Eastern Africa.

To achieve the stated vision, enormous expansion programs have been conducted, particularly since 2009. The expansion programs conducted were instigated in systematically selected three different corners of Arba Minch town. Comprising the infrastructural development of the main  campus, the Federal Government allocated over 500milion birr to the expansion program.

The new campuses, Abaya and Chamo,  officially inaugurated 25 December/2010 with the presences of His Excellency Ato Demeke Mekonen, Minister of Education; and His Excellency Ato Tagesse Chefo, SNNPR V/Administrator and Chairperson of the University Board.

Inauguration of New Campuses

During the occasion, His Excellency Ato Demke Mokonnen says that, to fulfill the needs of the country the government has focused on establishing of new public universities and upgrading the infrastructures the existing ones. This is also lead, as he said, increasing the number of students joining higher learning institutions and skillful graduates from different field of studies that are demanded in the market  and believed to meet the five - years growth and transformation plans of the country.

The Regional State V/administrator and AMU Board chairperson Ato Tagesse Chafo on his part says, in collaboration with the Federal Government, utmost efforts will be made by the regional state and the University board to speed up the ongoing construction. On the other hand, Dr. Tarkegn Tadesse, the president of the University expressed his heartfelt thanks for all who directly involved and participated in the expansion and development of AMU.

The zonal and town administrative bodies and the town’s residents are highly delighted on the official inauguration and the beginning of the teaching-learning services in the three new campuses. Furthermore, the residents have said that they will safeguard the campuses, available resources as well as look out their activities, the work force and students at all time, believing they are their life.

Currently, the university enrolls over 14,500 in the regular and about 6,000 students under the continuing and distance education programs. Including the water related fields, 36 UG and 17 PG programs (field of studies) have been launched under five colleges and one institutes in the University. Moreover, the official of the University indicates that by the year 2014/15, AMU intended to enroll 22,000 regular students in the UG and over 600 students in the PG program.