Haramaya University Launches Advanced Training in Hydro-Geophysical Groundwater Mapping
As part of a strategic effort to enhance Ethiopia’s groundwater exploration capacity, Haramaya University, through its School of Water Resources and Environmental Engineering at Haramaya Institute of Technology, conducted an intensive hands-on training from October 5–10, 2025, focused on advanced hydro-geophysical technologies.
The workshop focused on Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) and Transient Electromagnetic (TEM) methods, two advanced technologies revolutionizing subsurface exploration and aquifer characterization.
Dr. Asfaw Kebede, Project Coordinator and Technical Lead of the Rapid Groundwater Resource Mapping (RGWRM) Project, emphasized that the training was designed to deepen participants’ theoretical and practical understanding of hydro-geophysical approaches. The curriculum covered the principles and applications of ERT and TEM, survey design using remote sensing and modern instrumentation, and field-based data acquisition, processing, and interpretation. Participants engaged directly with STEM 10 and Syscal instruments, gaining valuable exposure to real-world data collection techniques.
This initiative is part of the RGWRM Project for Integrated Water Resource Management in Ethiopia, funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark. It is jointly implemented by Haramaya University and Aarhus University, Denmark. The training builds on a recent academic exchange, where Haramaya University faculty visited Aarhus University for capacity development. Now, that foundational knowledge is being translated into local practice.
Experts from Aarhus University, in collaboration with specialists from Haramaya University, HiT, facilitated the sessions, sharing cutting-edge expertise and mentoring participants to strengthen national capacity in groundwater exploration. The program reflects a growing commitment to international collaboration and knowledge transfer in the field of water resource management.
Dr. Asfaw Kebede further noted that this training marks the beginning of a four-year capacity-building initiative. Similar programs will be conducted annually over the next four years, targeting students, academic staff, and researchers. The goal is to institutionalize advanced hydro-geophysical competencies and foster a new generation of experts equipped to address Ethiopia’s groundwater challenges.
Haramaya University Public & International Relations Directorate
Tags: academic research, advanced training, Environmental Science, Ethiopia, geophysical survey, groundwater mapping, Haramaya University, Hydro-Geophysics, Sustainable Development, Water Resources