News Addis Ababa Tech University Steps Closer to Nuclear Science Program
By Samuel Abate
May 3, 2025
Addis Ababa Science and Technology University (AASTU) will begin enrolling undergraduate students for its upcoming nuclear science program in 2026, according to Dereje Engida (PhD), university president.
Nuclear science educators from AASTU have been engaged in training programs hosted by institutions in China and Russia, and are set to lead the University’s Nuclear Science and Technology Center when it opens over the coming year.
AASTU is partnering with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and China’s Tsinghua University to establish the Center, according to Dereje.
Tsinghua University was founded in 1911—exactly a century before AASTU was established in 2011. Tsinghua is ranked first in China and 43rd globally, according to the 2024 Center for World University Rankings. Notable alumni include former President Hu Jintao, current President Xi Jinping, architect Liang Sicheng, and Nobel Prize-winning physicist Yang Chen-Ning.
The University is working with experts at Tsinghua to design a curriculum for the novel program, and an agreement with IAEA will allow the Center to admit students from other African nations.
The President added that discussions with Tsinghua University are ongoing regarding resources required and strategic planning for the next decade. Beginning in September 2025, ten Ethiopian students—particularly those with bachelor’s degrees in physics or related fields—will be sent to China to pursue advanced education in nuclear science, according to Dereje.
The initiative is part of the government’s ambition to establish 16 ‘centers of excellence’ for fields related to science and technology. Eight of the planned 16 are to be based at AASTU, while the remaining half will be under Adama Science and Technology University.
At present, the Nuclear Science Center hosts one Ethiopian PhD holder in nuclear science and technology and two Korean professors specializing in nuclear engineering. Additionally, five Ethiopian students are finalizing undergraduate programs in nuclear science and technology in Russia and China.
Dereje indicated that AASTU expects to enrol up to 25 students for undergraduate nuclear science courses in 2026, with the first cohort expected to graduate in 2030.
An estimated 200 million birr will be invested in establishing and operating the center, with the IAEA covering the cost. Dereje noted that additional support could be received from other international institutions, given the center’s pan-African mission.
There are also long-term plans to establish a nuclear power plant and a nuclear reactor research facility in Ethiopia, although the prospect is still far off.
The IAEA offers various programs to support nuclear science education and training. These include programs for teachers, students, and researchers, as well as initiatives for promoting harmonized curricula and resource sharing across different regions, like the African Network for Education in Nuclear Science and Technology (AFRA-NEST), says the IAEA. The IAEA also provides resources like NUCLEUS, the International Nuclear Information System (INIS), and the Power Reactor Information System (PRIS).
Several African nations have partnered with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for nuclear science education. These partnerships include regional hubs like Ethiopia, legislative assistance in countries like Kenya and Uganda, and various technical cooperation initiatives across the continent.
Specific examples of African nations participating in IAEA nuclear science education initiatives include:
Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Central African Republic, Chad, Ethiopia, Mali, Niger, Rwanda, Togo, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, for example, have been participating in IAEA nuclear science education initiatives, according to the IAEA.”These African Least Developed Countries (LLDCs) participated in postgraduate courses on Radiation Protection and the Safety of Radiation Sources.”
Ethiopia, it said, has been chosen as a regional hub for a continental bachelor’s degree program in Nuclear Science and Technology, while Kenya and Uganda received legislative assistance missions from IAEA to strengthen their nuclear legal frameworks and promote adherence to international agreements.
The African countries involved in a triangular partnership to promote the use of radiotracers in industry are Morocco, Egypt, Kenya, Sudan, and Zimbabwe, while Côte d’Ivoire and Morocco have been collaborating on the use of radioisotopes in conservation agriculture.
Ghana and Tunisia have been working together to establish digital radiography in non-destructive testing, said the IAEA, while Algeria and Burkina Faso are collaborating on the calibration of instruments used in occupational exposure control.
Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal, Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia, Namibia, and Rwanda are also part of emerging nuclear energy landscapes and are likely to engage in future partnerships with the IAEA, it said.