Yomif Feye Senbeta

Head, Department of Geography and Environmental Studies

Background

Geography has been broadly accepted as a bridge discipline between human and physical sciences. In the beginning, Geography focused on the physical aspects of the earth, however, modern Geography is an all-encompassing discipline that seeks to understand the earth and all of its human and natural processes as integrating elements. Geography has emerged through time as a trans-disciplinary subject integrating the regional diversity with the concepts of the timing of space and the spacing of time. Its history is closely connected with the history of human society and its development. However, as a science, Geography is relatively young and many of its fundamentals appear during the nineteenth century.

In Ethiopia, the teaching of Geography at the tertiary level started in 1950 at the then University College of Addis Ababa (UCAA). By then, Geography was offered as an important field of study to students from social sciences stream. Since 1958, the department of Geography, now renamed Department of Geography and Environmental Studies as of 2002, has been offering the program in different public universities leading to the Bachelor of Arts Degree in Geography and Environmental Studies. Nowadays, the program is given in majority of the public Universities in Ethiopia and it is one of popular program, which is most preferred by most undergraduate students from both social as well as natural science streams.

At Salale University, teaching Geography and Environmental Studies at BA level has been started in 2018 where as MA level in MA in Environment and Climate Change Management in 2022 and MA in Urban and Regional Development Planning 2023.

Today, Geography as a field of study currently focused on Human Geography, Physical Geography and technical/skill based courses. Accordingly, the department of Geography and Environmental Studies is working reviewing the curriculum in order to incorporate the current contemporary issues in the field.

Vision

• The vision of department of Geography and Environmental Studies is to be a center of academic excellence in the field of Geography and Environmental Studies through innovative teaching of recent perspective of Geography and enhance awareness of the earth as a living planet with reference to human-environment interaction and resulting physical and human phenomena and their spatial variation amongst students of the discipline and allied sciences.

Mission

• Producing academically qualified experts who can work research and community based activity on geographically diverse areas of the country.
• Implementation of Ethiopia’s short and long socio-economic development plans by producing the necessary skilled manpower in both quality and quantity for the country’s development.
• Enhancing the quality of geographical education for broader applications and its implementation for the resolution of human problems.

Objectives

• Impart current knowledge and practical skills to Geography graduates through theory, practices and field exercises;
• Prepare qualified professionals who engage in local, national, and global issues;
• Provide relevant, up-to-date, and integrated theoretical and practical skills that can be applied to solving community issues and problems;
• Integrate the curriculum with marketplace and societal needs and to prepare students for careers in the public and private sectors or for advanced graduate study;
• Provide optimum community service;
• Conducts high quality research on relevant issues;
• Conducts high quality professional training; and
• Instill in students ethical and moral values related to citizenship and community.

Staff profile

S.N.	Name	Academic Rank	Email
1	Getachew Mekonnen	Assist. Prof. With PhD	mekonneng31@gmail.com
2	Getachew Megersa	Assist. Prof. With PhD	mehanit27@gmail.com
3	Habtamu Atlaw	Assist. Prof.	hagjju2000@gmail.com
4	Yomif Feye	Lecturer	yomiffaye@gmail.com
5	Hailu Muleta	Lecturer	hailumuleta12@gmail.com
6	Gadisa Worku	Lecturer	gadisaworku98@gmail.com
7	Usman Gedalas	Lecturer	usmangedu@gmail.com
8	Selamawit Kebebew	Lecturer	selamawitkbw@gmail.com
9	Mitiku Tamir	Lecturer	mitikutamir10@gmail.com
10	Emebet Dagne	Lecturer	emebetdagne23@gmail.com
11	Mekdes Matiwos	Lecturer	Mekdesm06@yahoo.com
12	Tesfahun Endale	Lecturer	tesfayedri@gmail.com
13	Kebebew Ambaye	Lecturer	kabnafyad@gmail.com