Tesfaye Bekele Necho

Head, Department of Sociology

Background

Salale University is one of the several public Universities in Ethiopia and the University is categorized as Comprehensive Universities in the Ethiopian Universities’ classifications. The University has six colleges and one school, and the College of Social Sciences and Humanities is one of the existing Colleges, and it takes the lion's share in teaching, learning, community engagement, and research. The College of Social Sciences and Humanities at Salale University has nine regular Undergraduate Programs as well as numerous non-regular programs, and Post Graduate studies. And the department of Sociology was one of the first three departments opened under the College of Social Sciences and Humanities in 2010 E.C.

The alumni data of the department clearly depicted the very fact that the first round graduate students were 29. The history of the department shows that the first batch of students graduated in 2012 E.C. after taking their courses successfully for three consecutive years. Then after, the department had three successive graduates from the years 2013-2016, E.C. and their numbers were 36, 23, and 30 as the second, third and fourth round graduates, and they specifically graduated in the years 2013, 2015 and 2016, respectively.

The academic maturity of the department is based on the existing academics of the department. Accordingly, the department of sociology has ten academic staff, in the academic rank range of assistant professor up to lecturer level. Moreover, the department has two academics that are in the midst of finalizing their PhD dissertation. Also, the department is actively running teaching-learning processes and has 67 students in two batches.

Presently, the Sociology Department at Salale University typically serves as a hub for the study of social behaviour, structures, institutions, and relationships. It emphasizes the systematic study of society, social institutions, and social relationships through various lenses and methodologies. It gives and enables students to have opportunities for hands-on experiences through fieldwork, allowing them to apply sociological concepts in real-world contexts. The department is strongly striving to prepare students for a wide range of careers, including positions in social services, community organizations, public policy, education, criminal justice, and research.

Needs confession on the topic of that the Academics of Sociology department at Salale University often reflects a commitment to diversity and inclusion, encouraging a variety of perspectives and voices in the study of social issues. Besides the teaching and learning endeavours, the academic staffs are involved in diverse research areas and often pursue research that addresses various social phenomena, resulting in publications that contribute to academic discourse and inform policy discussions.

In summary, the Sociology Department, through the efforts of academics and university management, plays a crucial role in understanding and addressing the complexities of human behaviours and social structures, contributing valuable insights to both academic fields and society as a whole.

Vision

• The Department of Sociology is opened with the vision of having sociologically literate graduates that employ sociological knowledge in understanding and appreciating all social processes in order to make good out of them while making development plans and policy decisions. The Department aspires to be a leading centre of excellence in sociological research and education among the Ethiopia Sociology departments by the year 2030.

Mission

• The mission of the Sociology Department is to provide a comprehensive and dynamic education in sociology, promoting scholarly inquiry and social engagement. Specifically, the department aims to:
• Producing and supplying problem-solving and insightful graduates to the national and international market after providing high-quality education that can equip students with a critical understanding of social issues, theories, and research methods.
• Conducting and promoting research that addresses pressing social concerns and contributes to knowledge in the field of Sociology.
• Nurturing the culture of interplay between academic scholarship and community needs, encouraging students and academics to engage in community-based research and service.

Objectives

• Produce qualified professional sociologists who are knowledgeable in sociological theories and methods to carry out research in the field for the purpose of building a body of data on the diverse social and cultural systems of Ethiopia;
• Produce Sociology graduates who are capable of integrating social theory, research, and practice;
• Produce a workforce knowledgeable of the objective conditions of the country and capable of contributing to further understanding of those conditions;
• Produce sociology graduates who are capable of participating in research aimed at the identification of the causes and consequences of poverty and related social problems and generate data as inputs to the process of formulation of appropriate social policies;
• Produce graduates who will have the basic preparation for participating in the formulation of appropriate social policies and programs designed to expedite the process of social and economic development in both rural and urban areas;
• Equip graduates with the knowledge, professional skills and ethics necessary for the purpose of mobilizing individuals, groups and communities from diverse cultures and multiple perspectives, for purposes of social development;
• Enhance the capacity of graduates for independent or collaborative and multidisciplinary research, and cross-cultural understanding promoting processes of economic and social development in the country. And also encourage students to develop and apply a “sociological imagination” in the systematic analysis of all things social. The department advances the use of the sociological approach in interpreting the causes and consequences of human social behavior, facilitating critical appraisal of social structures and cultures, and assessing public policy.

Staff profile

S.N.	Name	Phone Number	Email
1	Asefa Bayisa Fita	+251913391365
2	Bekila Ayele Seyoum	+251953889859	bikila_ayele@slu.edu.et
3	Belete Alemu Urgie	+251913216987	belete_alemu@slu.edu.et
4	Gemechu Feyisa Bedaso	+251921210601	feyissa_bedaso@slu.edu.et
5	Mahder Dadi G/Meskel	+251921022759
6	Mesfine Sitotaw Yohannes	+251916461515	Mesfine_sitotaw@slu.edu.et
7	Nibret Abeneh Tirune	+251964564814	Nibret_abenehe@slu.edu.et
8	Tesfaye Bekele Necho	+251904099912	tesfaye_.bekele@slu.edu.et
9	Workitu Hordofa Debele	+251923645120
10	Zelalem Tadese Feyisa	+251911360425	zelalem_tadese@slu.ed.et