Aerospace

In pursuit of producing competent technical graduates, the Aerospace Engineering Department, formerly known as the “Aviation Department” during its early stages and later renamed as the “Aeronautical Engineering Department,” was established in 1997 to fulfil the professional requirements of the Ethiopian Air Force. A collaborative effort involving local stakeholders from the Air Force, as well as experts from India, China, and Addis Ababa University, was undertaken to develop a curriculum. Initially, the department primarily focused on Electrical and Mechanical Power Technologies, with the Aviation department falling under the Mechanical Power Technology category.
The curriculum designed during that time aimed to address the demand for skilled aircraft maintenance professionals within the Ethiopian Air Force. The first phase of graduates specialized in aircraft mechanical systems, power plants, and body and frame maintenance. However, in 2009, a curriculum revision led to the transformation of the department into Aeronautical Engineering, with a shift towards a more design-oriented approach. The revised curriculum offered specialization streams in Aircraft Structure, Aircraft Propulsion, and Aircraft Mechanical Systems. This new curriculum, spanning a 5-year duration, was developed to meet the demand for innovative, highly skilled, practical-oriented, entrepreneurial, and ethically conscious manpower in the field of Aeronautical Engineering. While students have the option to choose their specialization, the final decision is based on the interest of the Ministry of National Defense (MoND).
The department has successfully graduated students from Rwanda, Sudan, Somaliland, Djibouti, and Burundi in its undergraduate program. Presently, it offers postgraduate programs in Aircraft Gas Turbine Engine, Aircraft Structure, and Aerodynamics and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) specializations, catering to students from Rwanda and Sudan, in addition to local students. Furthermore, the department conducts short-term training programs on various topics of interest for practicing engineers, technicians, as well as Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) teachers from different organizations, colleges, and schools.