What is MaDE-for-UASs?
The Methodology and Didactic Education for Universities of Applied Sciences (MaDE-for-UASs) is a three-year Erasmus+ funded project designed to bridge the gap between academic education and real-world industry demands in Ethiopia. By equipping lecturers at Universities of Applied Sciences (UASs) with immersive digital tools: including Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), and simulation-based learning. The project enhances teaching quality and practical relevance to make sure their students gain hands-on, industry-aligned learning experiences that prepare them for real-world professional challenges and increase their employability in Ethiopia’s evolving job market. Instead of relying solely on theory, lecturers gain access to virtual industry environments that replicate actual workplace processes, enabling them to bring real-life professional experiences directly into the classroom.
The Challenge
The Central Challenge: “Bridging the Experience Gap…”
Ethiopia’s higher education system is undergoing a vital transformation, shifting its focus to produce graduates with practical, industry-ready skills. However, this creates a fundamental challenge: How can university lecturers effectively teach the hands-on skills demanded by the modern workplace when they themselves have limited access to industry experience? This is the core problem MaDE-for-UAS is built to solve. Traditional solutions like industry sabbaticals are scarce and cannot scale to meet the needs of thousands of educators. This results in a critical gap between academic theory and the real-world application required by the World of Work (WoW), impacting student employability. MaDE-for-UAS tackles this challenge head-on by creating a scalable, immersive, and accessible alternative, using virtual and augmented reality to bring the workplace experience directly to the educators.
Why is it Important?
Ethiopia’s growing economy demands a highly skilled, job-ready workforce. Yet, many graduates lack hands-on experience due to limited industry exposure during their studies. MaDE-for-UASs addresses this challenge by:
The result? More confident, competent, and employable graduates ready to contribute to Ethiopian and global industries.
How Does MaDE-for-UASs Work?
The project is structured around seven key Work Packages (WPs) covering coordination, curriculum development, technology integration, training, and sustainability. These ensure a comprehensive and systematic approach to building capacity across partner institutions. Through a blend of training workshops, peer learning, and co-development, MaDE-for-UASs supports Ethiopian universities in:
This empowers lecturers to transform theoretical knowledge into dynamic, work-oriented learning experiences.