Guest Lecture: From Degrees to Impact – Lessons from Kepler College, Rwanda, and Bahir Dar University, Ethiopia

Professor Baylie Damtie Yeshita is an Ethiopian scholar and academic leader who currently serves as the Vice Chancellor of Kepler College in Rwanda. He has a strong connection to Finland, having earned his PhD in space physics from the University of Oulu in 2004. He was named the University of Oulu’s Alum of the Year 2025 in recognition of his work in advancing higher education in Africa.

Damtie is particularly known for promoting educational equity and for his belief that high-quality higher education should be accessible to everyone, regardless of background.

Before his current position, he served as President of Bahir Dar University in Ethiopia from 2011 to 2018. During his tenure, the university experienced significant growth, including the establishment of a medical faculty.

In Rwanda, he has focused on making higher education more aligned with the needs of the labor market. His goal is to ensure that graduates are directly employable in both international and local job markets. He has been recognized as “African Rector of the Year” (2017) by a pan-African student organization.

Welcome to hear Professor Damtie’s experiences and insights on the impact of higher education.