Infrastructure facilities such as buildings, roads/highways, railways, bridges, tunnels, dams, and reservoirs for water supply and hydropower are fundamental for the development of any nation. With increasing population and growing demand for development, urbanization, and the related expansion of industries, the need for adequate and good quality infrastructure facilities increases. However, Ethiopia has been characterized not only by the low level of such infrastructural system facilities but also by multifaceted problems related to their design, construction, operation, and maintenance.
The provision of quality and comfortable infrastructural facilities is the key to accelerating and sustaining the all-round development of the country. Thus, the development of human resources with relevant knowledge, skills, and attitudes in selected and priority areas indicated above is important. To address these standing needs, Adama Science and Technology University has launched the College of Civil Engineering and Architecture (CoCEA) as one of its major academic and research faculty that specifically focuses on engineering sciences and technology.
This special mission was given to CoCEA after the renaming of Adama University to Adama Science and Technology University by the Council of Ministers in May 2011.
To address its mission of education and research in the areas of engineering science and technology, the school operates through four departments, namely, Architecture, Civil Engineering, Geomatics Engineering, and Water Resources Engineering. Except Geomatics Engineering other departments run undergraduate programs. Whereas, graduate programs in diverse specialization areas are run by all departments. Thus, there are three undergraduate and eleven graduate (nine MSc and two PhD) programs under the school. Two of the eight centers of excellence at the university, Institute of Irrigation and Engineering and Urban Housing Development, are strongly linked to the College of Civil Engineering and Architecture.