November, 2025 — Mekelle University has secured a global partnership with China’s Tsinghua University, one of the world’s leading centers of higher learning in China, renowned for its advanced research and innovation excellence.
The two universities signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) during the Forum on Science and Technology Cooperation and Sustainable Development in the Global South, held on November 25, 2025. The MoU aims to strengthen academic collaboration, foster research partnerships, and expand knowledge exchange between the two institutions.
Fana Hagos (PhD), President of Mekelle University, and Professor Qiu Yong, Chairman of the Tsinghua University Council, formalized the agreement and expressed a shared commitment to meaningful cooperation. Speaking at the ceremony, both leaders underscored the need to translate the partnership into practical outcomes, stressing the importance of joint research projects, faculty and student exchange, innovation development, and capacity-building initiatives.
The signing was attended by senior government representatives and prominent academic figures, including former president of Mekelle University. Vice President for Research and Community Engagement at Mekelle University, Eyasu Yazew (PhD) and Director of MU-IME, Dr. Shi Yongsheng, who played a pivotal role in facilitating the partnership, were also present.
Members of university and college leadership also joined the occasion, reflecting the broad institutional support behind the collaboration. The partnership is expected to pave the way for groundbreaking research, technological advancement, and strengthened academic ties between the two universities, positioning Mekelle University as a rising hub for scientific innovation in Tigray.
