Abstract
Kebede Michael, a prominent Ethiopian intellectual, is celebrated for pioneering academic cooperation between Ethiopia and Japan in the 20th century. His book "Japan Indemin Seletenech" stand out as reflections of his vision for Ethiopia's development and his admiration for Japan’s modernization model. This review focuses on his strategic efforts to foster bilateral relations through educational and cultural diplomacy, emphasizing his vision of learning from Japan's rapid modernization while maintaining Ethiopia's national identity. We conducted historical and contextual analysis, content analysis of Kebede’s works, comparative educational diplomacy framework, based on the books, articles, research papers, and archival documents authored by Kebede and other relevant scholars to analyze his role in shaping Ethiopia-Japan academic relations. The findings highlight his advocacy for Ethiopian students to pursue higher education in Japan, particularly in science and technology fields, positioning Japanese education as a model for Ethiopia’s modernization efforts. By critically assessing these sources, the review demonstrates how Kebede’s intellectual diplomacy—based on education and cultural exchange—laid the foundation for lasting academic cooperation. Furthermore, it evaluates the long-term influence of his contributions, revealing how his ideas continue to impact current partnerships between Ethiopian and Japanese universities, with important implications for research collaborations, student exchanges, and capacity building.
Author Information
Hoang-Nam Tran, Tokushima University, Japan
Cheng-Hai Jin, Tokushima University, Japan
Afework Kassu Gizaw, Armauer Hansen Research Institute, Ethiopia
Paper Information
Conference: IICE2025
Stream: Educational policy
This paper is part of the IICE2025 Conference Proceedings (View)
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To cite this article:
Tran H., Jin C., & Gizaw A. (2025) Kebede Michael and the Ethiopia-Japan Academic Partnership: A Review ISSN: 2189-1036 – The IAFOR International Conference on Education – Hawaii 2025 Official Conference Proceedings (pp. 623-638) https://doi.org/10.22492/issn.2189-1036.2025.53
To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.22492/issn.2189-1036.2025.53
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