Universities in Ethiopia

How important is this construction project for Ethiopia?
Very important. Local subcontractors have now been trained to meet high standards. And the construction of the new universities has increased intake capacity by 150,000. Previously, universities were only able to offer 50,000 places.

How can the success be measured?
We will be finished on time. And we have reduced construction costs by 48% compared with previous university building projects. What’s more, universities were able to offer students places after the first year of construction. It used to take six or seven years before we reached that stage.

GIZ took on many aspects, from design to financial management

Why was GIZ International Services brought on board to help build the universities?
The government wanted to build cost-effectively and quickly, and that required certain management expertise which no company in Ethiopia, either public or private, was able to offer. That is why the government brought GIZ on board. It took on many aspects of the process, from design to financial management.

Messele Haile, a construction engineer and director of MH Engineering in Addis Ababa, is working with GIZ International Services on the construction of 13 new universities throughout Ethiopia. The project will be completed in 2015.

published in akzente 1/15