Visit of the staff of the Department of Spatial Management and Landscape Architecture to Ethiopia

From 24.11.2024 to 1.12.2024, employees of the Department of Spatial Planning and Landscape Architecture from URK's Department of Environmental Engineering and Geodesy participated in a week-long internship at Wolkite University (Ethiopia) funded by the ERASMUS+ KA171 project.

From 24.11.2024 to 1.12.2024, employees of the Department of Spatial Planning and Landscape Architecture from URK's Department of Environmental Engineering and Geodesy participated in a week-long internship at Wolkite University (Ethiopia) funded by the ERASMUS+ KA171 project.

As part of their stay, Prof. Dr. Józef Hernik, Dr. Eng. Tomasz Noszczyk, Prof. URK, Dr. Eng. Anita Kukulska-Koziel, Prof. URK, Dr. Eng. Katarzyna Cegielska and Dr. Julia Gorzelany gave numerous lectures and participated in many inspiring and fruitful meetings and engaged in numerous didactic and scientific discussions.

The following activities were carried out during the employees' stay in Ethiopia:

1. to carry out lectures for students of Wolkite University,
2. holding talks and discussions with the President and Vice Presidents of Wolkite University regarding further cooperation and the education system in Ethiopia and Poland, including the possibility of doctoral studies,
3. presenting the existing teaching facilities of Wolkite University and the campus facilities under construction,
4. participation in an international seminar entitled “Spatial Planning and Landscape Protection for the Development of the Green Economy” and presentation of a paper entitled “Green Space Resources in the City of Kraków and the Suburban Zone: Needs and Challenges”,
5. A study tour to Jefore and participation in a meeting with the Gurage community, which allowed to learn about the extraordinary culture of the people of the area along with its unique landscape,
6. study tour to Addis Ababa during which:
   - realized a meeting at the Parliament of Ethiopia and the Adwa museum,
   - explored the emerging green transportation corridors of the city,
   - a meeting with the staff of Addis Ababa University, Center for Environmental Science was realized, where the         educational and scientific structure of the University was learned, scientific projects carried out and discussions were held on the possibility of cooperation,
   - visited Addis Ababa City Hall, where a meeting was held with the Director of the Mayor's Office of the city on the possibility of cooperation in the implementation of green corridors in the city. Projects by WIŚiG students in the field of public space development were also presented,
   - at the invitation of the Minister of Natural Resources of Ethiopia, the Ministry of Agriculture was visited and discussions were held about opportunities for cooperation in land management in Ethiopia and Poland.

The cooperation agreement between URK and Wolkite University is the University's first with a foreign university.

Photos: private archives of KGPiAK staff
Photo authors: Dr. Abreham Berta and Mr. Solomon Abirdew