ACEWM Presents Revised MSc Programme Curricula to CNCS Academic Commission for Review and Approval
The Africa Center of Excellence for Water Management (ACEWM), Addis Ababa University (AAU), has presented its revised Master of Science (MSc) programme curricula to the College of Natural and Computational Sciences (CNCS) Academic Commission for review and approval.
The presentation was part of a broader curriculum review process in which all 14 academic units under CNCS presented their respective curricula to the College Academic Commission. Dr. Bikila Warkineh, Executive Dean of CNCS, appreciated the heads of academic units for their hard work and commitment to improving the quality and relevance of academic programmes.
Representing the Director of ACEWM, Prof. Feleke Zewge, Prof. Brook Lemma presented the revised curricula, highlighting four MSc programmes and their respective specialization tracks. The programmes have been designed to strengthen multidisciplinary education and respond to emerging challenges and opportunities in water management.
The first programme is the MSc in Water Management, which offers five specialization tracks: Hydrology and Water Resources, Water Quality Management, Water and Development, Water Governance (newly proposed), and Intelligent Water Systems (newly proposed).
The second programme is the MSc in Water and Wastewater Technology, which focuses on developing advanced knowledge and skills in water and wastewater management technologies.
The third programme is the MSc in Water, Sanitation and Health (WASH), which comprises two specialization tracks: Water Supply and Sanitation, and Public Health and Water.
The fourth programme is the MSc in Aquatic Resources Management and Ecohydrology, which offers two specialization tracks: Aquatic Ecology and Ecohydrology, and Aquatic Governance and Ecohydrological Policy.
During the presentation, Prof. Brook Lemma noted that the revised curricula had undergone evaluation by high-level internal and external reviewers. The evaluation results reflected strong academic quality and future readiness, with all evaluators assigning scores ranging from 4 to 5 out of 5 in both areas. The reviewers particularly commended the multidisciplinary integration of the programmes and the inclusion of forward-looking Artificial Intelligence (AI) courses.
The evaluation also identified areas requiring further improvement, including inconsistencies in course codes and missing Programme Learning Outcomes (PLO) matrices. In response, programme coordinators are undertaking a systematic review and harmonization of course codes and completion of the required mapping matrices before the curricula are submitted to the AAU Senate for further consideration.
Following the presentation, members of the College Academic Commission and the college-level task force engaged in discussions, providing comments and recommendations on the proposed curricula.
In his closing remarks, Dr. Bikila Warkineh, Executive Dean of CNCS, delivered general reflections on the curriculum presentations and appreciated the efforts made by the academic units.
The curriculum revision marks an important step in ACEWM’s ongoing efforts to strengthen its postgraduate academic programmes, promote innovative and multidisciplinary approaches to water management, and prepare graduates with the knowledge and skills needed to address evolving water-related challenges in Africa and beyond.