Dear Members of Wollega University Community and Esteemed national and international Partners,

It is with great pride and a profound sense of responsibility that I extend my message to you as the current head of the institution. Wollega University (WU) is one of the public higher learning institutions in Ethiopia located in the Oromia Region in the western part of Ethiopia. The University was established 17 years ago with three campuses located in Gimbi, Nekemte, and Shambu, and a specialized comprehensive teaching hospital. WU is located in a resourceful and strategically important area of Ethiopia. The area is known for its huge yet untapped potential for agriculture, mineral resource, nature-based as well as manmade tourism, indigenous institutions, and for its geopolitical importance including for its proximity to the Grand Ethiopia Renaissance Dam (GERD). The latter would contribute towards facilitating economic integration in the Horn of Africa and beyond.