# Addis Ababa University

> national university in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

**Wikidata**: [Q1238770](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1238770)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Addis_Ababa_University)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/addis-ababa-university

## Summary
Addis Ababa University is the national university of Ethiopia, located in its capital city, Addis Ababa. Founded on March 20, 1950, it serves as an academic institution for further education. The university operates with the motto "Seek Wisdom, Elevate Your Intellect and Serve Humanity."

## Key Facts
*   Addis Ababa University was founded on March 20, 1950, by Lucien Matte.
*   It is located in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, at coordinates 9.046613 latitude and 38.7587357 longitude.
*   The university's motto is "Seek Wisdom, Elevate Your Intellect and Serve Humanity."
*   From 1962 to 1975, it was known as Haile Selassie I University.
*   It is a member of the African Research Universities Alliance, the Association of African Universities, the Agence universitaire de la Francophonie, and the Consortium of Ethiopian Academic and Research Libraries.
*   Notable individuals affiliated with the university include computer scientists Genet Asefa Gesese, Betelhem Dessie, and Rahel Bekele Teklegiorgis.
*   The university encompasses several research institutes, including the Institute of African Studies, Institute of Gender Studies, Institute for Peace and Security Studies, and Institute of Governance Studies.
*   The Open Society Foundations have provided funding to support the Institute for Peace and Security Studies' work on peace, security, and development.

## FAQs
### Q: What is Addis Ababa University?
A: Addis Ababa University is the national university of Ethiopia, situated in Addis Ababa. It is an academic institution offering further education and conducting research across various fields.

### Q: When was Addis Ababa University founded?
A: Addis Ababa University was founded on March 20, 1950. It was established by Lucien Matte.

### Q: Where is Addis Ababa University located?
A: Addis Ababa University is located in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Its geographical coordinates are approximately 9.046613 latitude and 38.7587357 longitude.

### Q: What is the motto of Addis Ababa University?
A: The motto of Addis Ababa University is "Seek Wisdom, Elevate Your Intellect and Serve Humanity."

### Q: What was Addis Ababa University previously called?
A: From 1962 to 1975, Addis Ababa University was known as Haile Selassie I University, named after Haile Selassie I.

## Why It Matters
Addis Ababa University holds significant importance as the national university of Ethiopia, playing a crucial role in the country's higher education and research landscape. Its establishment in 1950 marked a foundational step in providing advanced academic opportunities within Ethiopia. The university's diverse array of institutes, such as the Institute for Peace and Security Studies, Institute of African Studies, and Institute of Gender Studies, highlights its commitment to addressing critical regional and global challenges through academic programs, research, and dialogues. Notably, its Institute for Peace and Security Studies has received substantial funding from organizations like the Open Society Foundations to generate and deepen African knowledge about peace and security, contributing to conflict prevention, management, resolution, and peacebuilding efforts across the continent. By fostering intellectual growth and serving humanity through its motto, Addis Ababa University contributes to the development of skilled professionals and research outputs vital for Ethiopia and the broader African community.

## Notable For
*   **National University Status**: It is recognized as the national university of Ethiopia, serving as a primary institution for higher education in the country.
*   **Historical Renaming**: The university operated under the name Haile Selassie I University from 1962 until 1975, reflecting a significant period in Ethiopian history.
*   **Specialized Research Institutes**: It houses several dedicated research institutes, including the Institute for Peace and Security Studies, which focuses on critical issues of peace, security, and development in Africa.
*   **International Affiliations**: Addis Ababa University is a member of prominent continental and international academic bodies, such as the African Research Universities Alliance and the Association of African Universities.
*   **Significant External Funding**: Its Institute for Peace and Security Studies has received substantial grants from the Open Society Foundations to advance African knowledge and education in peace and security.

## Body

### General Information
Addis Ababa University is a national university in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. It was founded on March 20, 1950, by Lucien Matte. The university's motto is "Seek Wisdom, Elevate Your Intellect and Serve Humanity." Its native label is አዲስ አበባ ዩኒቨርስቲ. The university is also known by several aliases, including AAU, University College of Addis Ababa, Haile Selassie I University, and Université d'Addis Abeba. From 1962 to 1975, it was named after Haile Selassie I.

### Affiliations and Memberships
Addis Ababa University is a member of several academic and research organizations:
*   Consortium of Ethiopian Academic and Research Libraries (as of December 2023)
*   Agence universitaire de la Francophonie (as of November 2022)
*   Association of African Universities (as of December 2022)
*   African Research Universities Alliance (as of March 2025)

Individuals affiliated with the university include:
*   Genet Asefa Gesese (computer scientist)
*   Betelhem Dessie (Ethiopian web and mobile technologies developer, computer scientist)
*   Rahel Bekele Teklegiorgis (Ethiopian computer scientist)

### Organizational Structure
Addis Ababa University is the parent organization for several institutes and schools:
*   Addis Ababa University Institute of African Studies (research institute, headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia)
*   Addis Ababa University Institute of Gender Studies (research institute, headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia)
*   School of Earth and Planetary Sciences
*   Addis Ababa University Institute for Peace and Security Studies (research institute, headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia)
*   Addis Ababa University Institute of Governance Studies (research institute, headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia)

### Funding
The university has received funding from the Open Society Foundations:
*   **2023**: $1,000,000 to support the Institute for Peace and Security Studies’ work on peace, security, and development through academic programs, research outputs, and dialogues.
*   **2020**: $510,000 to support the Institute for Peace and Security Studies to generate and deepen African knowledge about African peace and security through education, professional development, and research to advance conflict prevention, management, resolution, and peacebuilding.

### Identifiers
*   **ISNI**: 0000000121693326, 0000000112505688
*   **GND ID**: 1017356-0 (Haile Sellassie the First University, 1962-1975), 120141-4 (Addis Ababa University, from 1975)
*   **ROR ID**: 038b8e254
*   **VIAF ID**: 138983253, 134889530
*   **IDREF ID**: 030382459
*   **KISTI ID**: K000198411
*   **NUKAT ID**: n01070265
*   **SNARC ID**: Sindhagi
*   **Bibsys ID**: 90013534
*   **Unirank ID**: 7247
*   **Freebase ID**: /m/02806x
*   **Geonames ID**: 7874611
*   **Ringgold ID**: 37602
*   **Yale LUX ID**: group/fce2e5ac-5f82-4c63-897d-288a356a9d5a
*   **HAL Structure ID**: 313390
*   **RERO ID (legacy)**: A009481814
*   **Cinii Research ID**: 1140282266822022272
*   **Dialnet Author ID**: 3734548
*   **ARWU University ID**: addis-ababa-university
*   **NACSIS CAT Author ID**: DA04639107
*   **Index Herbariorum Code**: ETH
*   **Libraries Australia ID**: 36183094
*   **Canadiana Name Authority ID**: ncf11135888
*   **Open Funder Registry Funder ID**: 501100007941
*   **Library of Congress Authority ID**: n80125878
*   **National Library of Israel J9U ID**: 987007436097605171
*   **Encyclopædia Britannica Online ID**: place/Addis-Ababa-University
*   **Hill Museum & Manuscript Library ID**: organization/409824730850
*   **Bibliothèque Nationale de France ID**: 12180809k
*   **Microsoft Academic ID (discontinued)**: 4537092

### Online Presence
*   **Website**: http://aau.edu.et/
*   **Twitter**: @addisababauniv (as of December 31, 2020)
*   **Image**: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/Parco_dell'università_di_addis_abeba,_09.jpg (Entrée du campus principal, près de Siddist Kilo.)
*   **Wikipedia Title**: Addis Ababa University (available in languages such as Amharic, Arabic, German, English)
*   **Commons Category**: Addis Ababa University
*   **Topic's Main Category**: Category:Addis Ababa University
*   **Category for Employees**: Category:Academic staff of Addis Ababa University
*   **Category for Alumni**: Category:Addis Ababa University alumni
*   **Quora Topic**: Addis-Ababa-University

### Location
The university is located in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, with coordinates 9.046613 latitude and 38.7587357 longitude.

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## References

1. [Source](https://www.4icu.org/reviews/7247.htm)
2. Virtual International Authority File
3. CiNii Research
4. [Source](https://web.archive.org/web/20231222103848/https://www.eifl.net/sites/default/files/resources/CountryMemebers/list_of_member_of_cearl.pdf)
5. [Source](https://www.eifl.net/country/ethiopia)
6. [Source](https://web.archive.org/web/20221123144401/https://www.auf.org/les_membres/nos-membres/)
7. [Source](https://www.aau.org/subs/membership/)
8. [Source](https://arua.org/member-universities/)
9. [AAU at a glance](http://www.aau.edu.et/about/aau-at-glance/)
10. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
11. [Source](https://www.unirank.org/et/uni/addis-ababa-university/)
12. GeoNames
13. [Source](http://aau.edu.et/)
14. GRID Release 2015-12-14
15. GRID Release 2016-12-06
16. Quora
17. Aligned ISNI and Ringgold identifiers for institutions
18. Microsoft Academic Knowledge Graph
19. HAL
20. [Source](https://ror.org/038b8e254)
21. [Open Society Foundations - Awarded Grants, Scholarships, and Fellowships](https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/grants/past?grant_id=OR2023-90754)
22. [Open Society Foundations - Awarded Grants, Scholarships, and Fellowships](https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/grants/past?grant_id=OR2020-68935)
23. HMML Authority File