Message from the Dean
It is my great pleasure to welcome you to the website of Hawassa University's College of Education and Behavioral Sciences (CoEBS). Established in 2007 as the Faculty of Education, the College was founded with a mission to serve Ethiopia’s education system by preparing qualified secondary school teachers through seven teacher education programs. Over the years, the College has grown with the aspiration of becoming a center of excellence in teacher education, educational management, behavioral sciences, research and training leveraging modern information and communication technologies to achieve its goals.
The College is dedicated to playing a pivotal role in societal development by producing competent educational and behavioral scientists capable of leading and contributing meaningfully. To this end, it has expanded its academic offerings, now hosting four undergraduate programs: Educational Planning and Management, Lifelong Learning and Community Development, Special Needs and Inclusive Education, and Psychology. Under the college therer is one school namely: School of Tecacher education which has been engaged in training secondary school teachers by working together with College of Natural & Computational Science (CoNCS), College of Social Science & Humanities (CoSSH), Institute of Technology (IOT), and College of Law & Governance (CoLG) in preparimg secondary school teachers and also post gradute program in teaching (PGDT). Moreover, through the School of Teacher Eduction the College is engaged in supporting professional development through induction programs and the Higher Diploma Program (HDP), which equip academic staff with contemporary ideas and practices to enhance their expertise.
To equip learners with advanced expertise and research skills, CoEBS operates 11 Master’s and 5 Ph.D. programs in diverse areas, including Educational Leadership, Lifelong Learning and Community Development, Special Needs and Inclusive Education, Counseling Psychology, Developmental Psychology, Social Psychology, Educational Measurement and Evaluation, and Curriculum and Instruction.
The College strives to foster an inclusive and diverse academic environment where every student has the opportunity for quality education, unlock their unique potential, and develop critical and creative skills for a successful life and career. Our comprehensive degree options, combined with multiple pathways and modalities, empower students to pursue careers as teachers, educational leaders, teacher educators, psychologists, and researchers. Joining CoEBS opens a wonderful world of opportunities for learners, enabling them to gain practical knowledge and skills in integrated learning strategies while engaging with exceptional educators and researchers.
Beyond its academic programs, the College actively engages in university-wide, community, and national initiatives. Thus, the College is in the process of establishing a Testing and Measurement Center, which will collaborate with international testing organizations to administer standardized tests, job placement assessments, and admission exams for government, NGOs, and businesses at various levels. The College is also going to establish two centers namely: “Center for supporting people with disabilities, and psycho-social support center with the intention of helping the university students, the staff and the wider community.
As part of its community engagement efforts, the College has established a secondary school and kindergarten on campus, providing quality education to over 300 students. These initiatives reflect our commitment to serving the local community and advancing educational opportunities.
The College’s contributions to Ethiopia’s educational development have earned it recognition by the Ministry of Education as one of the five national centers of excellence for teacher education and leadership. Through this designation, the College plays a pivotal role in coordinating the preparation of national textbooks and distance education materials, a notable accomplishment underscoring its impact.
As a research institution, the College’s academic staff actively engages in producing high-quality research, with findings published in reputable national and international journals. To further disseminate knowledge, the College launched the Ethiopian Journal of Education Studies, which provides evidence-based insights to academic communities, policy makers, and practitioners, supporting informed decision-making.
As you explore our website, I hope you will see our unwavering commitment to fostering a learning environment where students thrive through meaningful experiences. We believe that education is a cornerstone of societal progress, influencing health, justice, community development, and economic stability. At CoEBS, education comes alive through conversation, collaboration, and hands-on learning.
We invite you to visit us and discover the vibrant life at Hawassa University’s College of Education and Behavioral Sciences—a place where learning has purpose and possibility.
Warm regards,
Samuel Assefa (Ph.D.)
Telephone no. +251921452393/+251916578899
Email. samuelassefa@hu.edu.et /samuelassefa2014@gmail.com
Dean, College of Education and Behavioral Sciences
Hawassa University, Hawassa, Ethiopia.