20/07/2026
EAS conducted a five-day workshop on Transitioning from Policy to Practice for Self-Reliant Institutions
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The Ethiopian Academy of Sciences (EAS), in collaboration with the U.S. Embassy in Addis Ababa and the Ministry of Labor and Skills, successfully concluded a five-day capacity-building workshop titled "Transitioning Self-Reliant Governance from
Policy to Implementation: Systems and Strategic Thinking". Held from July 13 to 17 at the Public Sector Innovation (PSI) Lab of the Ministry of Labor and Skills, the workshop brought together institutional leaders, policymakers, and experts to strengthen leadership capacity and translate national policies into practical strategies that promote institutional self-reliance.
The intensive training focused on equipping participants with practical tools and innovative approaches to improve governance, strategic planning, organizational transformation, and sustainable institutional development.
Professor Belay Kassa, President of the EAS, welcomed participants and emphasized the importance of strengthening institutional capacity to translate policy into sustainable practice. Dr. Jonathan Koehler, Public Diplomacy Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Addis Ababa, followed with opening remarks, reaffirming the Embassy's commitment to supporting collaborative initiatives that foster innovation, institutional resilience, and self-reliance. Dr. Hassen Hussien, Director General of the Entrepreneurship Development Institute (EDI), then outlined the policy foundations for institutional self-reliance, underscoring the need to bridge policy and implementation through effective governance and strategic leadership. Participants subsequently toured the Public Sector Innovation (PSI) Lab and explored practical case studies that demonstrated successful institutional transformation and innovative approaches to building self-reliant institutions.
Throughout the workshop, participants engaged in interactive lectures, case studies, group discussions, practical exercises, and executive project development under the guidance of distinguished facilitators, including Dr. Walter McCollum, Yonatan Yilma, and Dagmawi Yohannes.
As part of the day's program, workshop participants also visited the FDRE Ministry of Labor and Skills to observe the practical implementation of its PSI Lab.
Dr. Walter McCollum, former President of the Fulbright Association and current President of McCollum Enterprises, LLC, traveled from the US to facilitate the training. Building on his previous sessions regarding alumni engagement and endowment fundraising for autonomous universities.
Over the five days, participants explored systems thinking, strategic planning, change management, design thinking, project management, and the application of artificial intelligence in strengthening institutional resilience. Through collaborative teamwork, they developed strategy maps, stakeholder impact analyses, institutional transition roadmaps, design-thinking solutions, and comprehensive project management plans tailored to the needs of their respective institutions. The workshop culminated in executive project presentations that integrated the knowledge and practical skills acquired throughout the program, demonstrating participants' readiness to translate policy into measurable institutional action.
The training emphasized practical implementation rather than theoretical discussion. Participants worked throughout the week to identify institutional bottlenecks, design evidence-based solutions, develop implementation strategies, and create sustainable project management frameworks to advance autonomous and self-reliant governance. Their final presentations showcased integrated strategies combining systems thinking, strategic planning, stakeholder engagement, design thinking, and project management principles to address real institutional challenges.
Participants expressed their commitment to applying the knowledge and practical tools gained during the training to strengthen institutional effectiveness, improve public service delivery, foster innovation, and build resilient organizations capable of sustaining long-term development.
H.E. Mrs. Muferihat Kamil, Minister of the FDRE Ministry of Labor and Skills, attended the workshop's closing ceremony and emphasized the importance of strengthening partnerships to sustain future collaborative initiatives.
Professor Teketel Yohannes, Executive Director of the EAS, stated in his closing remark that the successful completion of the workshop reflects the shared commitment of the Ethiopian Academy of Sciences, the U.S. Embassy, and the Ministry of Labor and Skills to promoting institutional excellence, innovation, and evidence-based leadership. The initiative represents another important step toward supporting Ethiopian institutions as they transition from policy formulation to practical implementation while strengthening governance systems and advancing sustainable institutional self-reliance.
