A cornerstone for a new Heritage & Tourism Research Studies Institute has been laid at Lalibela Church. It will serve as a branch of Woldiya University, which is undertaking the construction. During the ceremony, state minister for Higher Education & Science, Afework Kassu (PhD), noted the government is initiating research and tourism and heritage research institutions to promote the country’s benefit from the sector. The Institute will enhance tourism flow by creating ways of preserving heritage, according to Afework. The launch was also attended by Hirut Kasaw (PhD), minister for Culture & Tourism, who stated that Lalibela still has a lot of untapped tourist attraction sites and that preservation and research on history should be developed further. The Institute will play an important role in alleviating the shortage of skilled manpower in heritage maintenance, according to Hirut.