A bill that requires the appointment of presidents through an internationally open competition after proving non-allegiance to political organizations was approved by Parliament last week. It also ushered in a new position entitled university chancellor to execute appointments of presidents, oversee charitable operations, and serve as high ambassador at the university.

It comes amidst advancing requirements for selective academic and administrative categories under the presidents of higher education institutions was put forth by the Ministry of Education last month.

Signed by Samuel Kifle (PhD), state minister for Education, the modalities presented by the Ministry cater for employees grouped under academic, technical and administrative support staff, while the academic category is restricted to the vice president, academic directors, college deans and their immediate subordinates.

While no immediate decision has been passed on working presidents of higher institutions, deputies with less than three months left will have to compete with new applicants to proceed with a second term, according to the letter.

Their reign is also capped under two terms, while their number is limited to three with specific responsibilities depending on the types of universities.

This reshuffling of employment structures falls within the current administration's sustained effort to reform several aspects of the country's education policy, including exit exams for university students for the first time this year and employing cost-effective solutions to human resources.

The operation manual suggests that one of the methods to cut down on costs will be using temporary employment contracts more frequently, especially for projects, usually up for grabs by academic staff within most of the campuses.

Yikoyalem Dessie (PhD), dean of the College of Educational & Behavioral Sciences at Addis Abeba University, remarked that reforms to appointments in higher education are a necessary development.

He suggested that a degree of localization in appointments within universities restricts the free flow of ideas necessary to foster a good environment.

"It had led to academic inbreeding," he said.

Yikoyalem cautions that the degree of intervention by the Ministry in terms of appointment should not go past vice presidents, instead allowing for organic developments.

He used the U.S. university system, which offers dean positions for people who bring in the highest grants, as an example to explain that this allows for experiences from different places to be interchanged on campuses.