Overview:

Community service is historically associated with the third pillar of Universities with different labels such as outreach, service-learning and community service learning, where the initiatives and processes in the areas of teaching and research are applied to address relevant community issues.

In addition to solving the socioeconomic problems of a community, community service helps promote pro-social development in the participants.  Universities can develop an intellectual foundation for community engagement by integrating the key aspects of the university’s Mission, teaching and research with the service providers and the community. One of the routes through which research findings are put into practice is through community service activities and it is one of the research output dissemination mechanisms as well. The staff will also use community service to develop their career and promotional purpose. More importantly, students through community service will practice leadership, problem-solving, collaboration with others, time management and communication which enables them improve self-esteem and develop a sense of responsibility and sensitivity to the needs of others and the community at large.

In Ethiopia, the issue of community service, as one of the three pillars of Higher Education Institution has been validated both in the Revised Higher Education Proclamation No. 1152/2019 as well as in the recently issued directives from Ministry of Education (Directive No. 988/2024 and Directive No. 991/2024).

Community Service at Unity University:

As an institution deeply committed to fostering holistic development and societal impact, Unity University recognizes the invaluable role of community service in shaping responsible citizens and contributing to the betterment of society. The Community Service Initiative of Unity University aims to empower students, faculty and staff to become active agents of positive change in their communities while advancing the university’s mission of promoting academic excellence, social responsibility and ethical leadership. Through strategic partnerships, innovative programs and a commitment to sustainable development, Unity University seeks to make a meaningful and better change in the lives of individuals and communities it serves.

Unity University, which aspires to be a quality house in academia and research, is always ready and responsible for providing planned and professionally tuned services to the community, and responds to other calls of national development platforms. The main objective of community service at Unity University is to nurture and apply knowledge, skills and practices of the academia and the research findings produced by the University to address immediate societal problems of communities. To this end, the management issued a directive to be used as a guiding map in delivering community services by the academic community of the University.


Community Service Priority Areas:

Unity University sets priority areas for its community service endeavors pertaining to the focus of its academic programs such as business and management, public health, and technology and urban development issues. Accordingly, the following are identified as priority areas of the university.

1. business enterprise development and management,
2. banking and insurance-related concerns,
3. infectious and non-communicable diseases,
4. sanitation and environmental protection,
5. urban engineering, infrastructure and beautification,
6. capacity building and technology transfer and
7. other cross-cutting issues.