In his opening remarks, Dr. Lemi Guta, President of ASTU, emphasized that these projects will significantly contribute to enhancing the quality of education by creating an enabling environment for university staff. According to Dr. Lemi, the establishment of the community school within the university compound will allow staff members to educate their children in a safe, nearby location, enabling them to focus more on their institutional duties. Furthermore, he highlighted that the newly inaugurated staff residence building reflects ASTU’s ongoing efforts to address housing challenges for its community. Dr. Lemi also noted that the staff lounge will improve employee satisfaction by providing quality services, allowing staff to spend their time on campus more effectively. Additionally, he remarked that the ASTU Business Center, inaugurated after rigorous renovation, is expected to play a crucial role in advancing ASTU’s journey towards autonomous status, in alignment with national ambitions.

H.E. Mr. Melaku Alebel, Minister of Industry and Board Chairperson of ASTU, congratulated the university community on this milestone achievement. He commended ASTU’s exemplary investment in education, emphasizing its sustainable impact on future generations. Stressing the importance of education, he remarked, “To leave children without education is to let birds fly without wings.” H.E. Mr. Melaku urged the university community to cultivate a generation capable of addressing the current world evolving challenges. He specifically underscored the need to prioritize research and technology transfer. Additionally, he called on the Ministry of Education to allocate resources to universities in accordance with their national mandates. He also urged contractors working on ongoing projects to complete their work on time.

State Minister of Education, Kora Tushinie, for his part expressed appreciation for ASTU’s renovated projects, highlighting their role in improving the quality of education that the country aspires to achieve.

Similarly, Dr. Tola Beriso, Head of the Oromia Education Bureau, and Hailu Jeldie, Mayor of Adama City, acknowledged ASTU’s contributions in benefiting the local community. Dr. Tola emphasized that ASTU’s community school could serve as a model, recalling the university’s role in establishing a special boarding school in the region. Mayor Hailu, drawing on his experience visiting Kigali, Rwanda, encouraged ASTU to actively work on developing technologies that modernize cities.

The inaugural ceremony also included visits to key projects under construction at ASTU, including the Data Center, the Research Park, and the multipurpose hall named after the late renowned Oromo artist Hachalu Hundessa. The Data Center and Research Park, equipped with state-of-the-art technology and advanced laboratory equipment, respectively, are considered the first of their kind in East Africa. Additionally, it is worth noting that ASTU recently signed a historic contract with the international Samsung C&T Consortium to establish five Centers of Excellence with fully furnished research laboratories equipped with cutting-edge technology.