Prez Taye urges graduates to define success through national contribution

Addis Ababa, June 28, 2025 (FMC) – The FDRE President Taye Atske-Selassie has called on the 2025 graduating class of Addis Ababa University to measure their success not by personal gain, but by the extent of their contribution to Ethiopia’s development and the well-being of its people.

The remarks were delivered during the university’s 75th Diamond Jubilee graduation ceremony, where 6,849 students received their degrees. The cohort included 3,334 undergraduate students, 2,859 Master’s recipients, 304 PhD graduates, and 352 individuals awarded specialty and sub-specialty qualifications.

In his keynote address, President Taye hailed Addis Ababa University as a pillar of academic excellence that has shaped Ethiopia’s intellectual landscape for the past 75 years. He described the institution not only as a beacon of higher education but also as a repository of national heritage and wisdom.

The President urged the graduates to critically engage with the rapidly evolving global landscape and assume proactive roles in safeguarding Ethiopia’s national interests. “We need leaders who seek solutions, not those who assign blame,” he said, encouraging the graduates to become transformative agents in their communities and professions.

Also speaking at the ceremony, the University’s Interim President, Dr. Samuel Kifle, underscored the institution’s foundational role in shaping the nation’s higher education system. “Addis Ababa University is the face of Ethiopia. It has been entrusted with producing the minds that will steer the country toward broad-based prosperity,” he stated.

Dr. Samuel highlighted that the university has launched various initiatives to enhance student success and strengthen faculty competence in line with its mission to remain a center of academic excellence. He also noted that the recent transition to autonomous governance has revitalized academic freedom and expanded opportunities for impactful research and scholarly output.

As the university marks its Diamond Jubilee, both leaders praised its historic legacy while reaffirming the urgent need for graduates to align their achievements with Ethiopia’s collective progress.