1.      General Information

1.1 Background of Nursing

Ethiopia faces a severe health workforce crisis, as recognized by the World Health Organization. The country suffers from an acute shortage of trained health workers, an imbalanced distribution of healthcare professionals between urban and rural areas, and high levels of brain drain. The current ratio of doctors, nurses, and midwives stands at only 0.7 per 1,000 people—far below the minimum threshold of 2.3 per 1,000. Although expanding medical education is essential, increasing graduate numbers alone will not resolve these complex issues. The quality and relevance of training must improve to align with the country’s health priorities and epidemiological profile.

Medical and nursing education institutions in Ethiopia often operate in isolation from the health system, limiting their ability to produce graduates who are well-equipped for real-world practice. Curricula frequently fail to reflect local disease burdens and health system needs, and clinical training typically occurs in urban tertiary hospitals, far removed from the rural communities where professionals are most needed. Nursing, despite being critical for healthcare delivery—especially in remote areas—receives insufficient investment. Faculty shortages and outdated curricula contribute to poor alignment between nursing education and practical demands, resulting in inconsistent skill levels among graduates.

To address these challenges, Debre Berhan University launched a comprehensive nursing program in 2001 EC, producing over 600 nurses to date. The university’s Asrat Woldeyes Health Science Campus currently trains 91 comprehensive nursing students. The nursing education philosophy emphasizes lifelong learning, critical thinking, and adaptability in a dynamic healthcare environment. Its curriculum aims to prepare students not only with clinical competencies but also with the intellectual and ethical foundation to become responsible, productive members of society, capable of responding to evolving health system needs and contributing to broader social transformation.

2.      Mission and Vision of Debre Berhan University

2.1   Vision

·         Debre Berhan University aspires to be one of nationally leading universities in practice oriented teaching and research by 2030.

2.2   Mission

M1: To prepare knowledgeable, skilled and attitudinally matured graduates for the job market and entrepreneurship by providing practice oriented education.

M2: To enhance and promote applied research focusing on innovation and technology transfer to create sustainable and knowledge based industries and societies.

M3: To establish strategic partners to strengthen practice oriented education research and community engagement