Strategic plan assignment

Introduction
1. Planning is a rational approach to accomplish objectives. Planning is looking ahead.
Unless we plan, we are leaving events to chance. Rift Valley University prepares its
annual plan every year, to improve its performance and stimulate forward thinking and
clarify the future direction. As the popular saying goes, “If you don’t know where you’re
going, you’ll probably end up some place else.” This indicates that plan is a systematic
means of implementing certain activities within the given time frame work. It guides an
institution where to go and actually in what ways to achieve the stated objectives of that
particular organization. Accordingly, Rift Valley University has prepared
comprehensive, inclusive, informative, integrated, logical and transparent plan for the
year 2017/18.

2. General Objectives strategic plan

The general objective of this annual plan is to enhance excellence in the planning pillars:
Academic affairs; Quality enhancement; Research & community services; student admission and
support services; Admin and finance; and public relations & promotions

Targets of the annual plan

1. Getting accreditation by one shot.
2. Improving customer satisfaction.
3. Fulfilling necessary manpower and other educational resources and facilities.
4. Getting accreditation by one shot.
5. Supporting academic programs with relevant resources
6. Engaging students and staff in extra curricula activities.
7. Increasing profitability.
8. Motivating academic staff to participate in research and community service
9. Creating links with public and private HEIs
10. Providing quality service
The Planning Pillars of RVU

The plan is organized based on the following planning pillars of RVU.

1. Pillar 1: Academic Affairs

2. Pillar 2: Quality Enhancement
3. Pillar 3:Research and Community Services
4. Pillar 4: Student admission and Support
5. Pillar 5: Public Relation and Promotion
6. Pillar 7: Administration and Finance

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF THE UNIVERSITY

When the first eager students set foot on the campus in Adama in October 2000, they beheld
a very different setting from the spacious and forested compound with one modern building,
and a number of blocks that house administrative offices, laboratories, libraries and quite a
number of classrooms students see today. Ato Dinku Deyasa, a renowned investor and
owner of NAFYAD PLC and Ato Reta Bekele, former President of Adama and Jima High
Courts envisaged the necessity of founding a private higher education institution mainly
aimed at curbing the country’s death of qualified human resources. Needs analysis was
conducted to identify the fields of study most desired by the community in and around
Adama and Asella towns. On the basis of the findings, the founders made all the necessary
preparations that would enable them to begin academic programs at a diploma level in five
fields of study – namely, Accounting, Computer Science, Law, Marketing Management, and
Secretarial Science and Office Management.
The Oromia Justice Bureau officially registered RVU as a PLC under Registration No.
W/D/0001/93 on August 3, 1993 EC. The Company’s authenticity was publicized in the Addis
Zemen, August 10, 2000 GC issue, by the Oromia Bureau of Trade and Tourism, which issued a
Trade License No. 13/W/D/DH/YE/002/93 and a Registration ID No. 13/D/DH/I/093/93 to the
organization. The first accreditation by the Ministry of Education in five diploma level programs
of study was earned in the year 1993 EC. Currently the Ministry of Education and the Oromyia
Regional Government Bureau of Education in collaboration with the Ministry of Health accredit
RVU.
Rift Valley University began operations in October 2000 in Adama Town, with a capital of
1,300,000 Eth. Birr, a total number of 154 evening program students, and five part time faculty
staff. The Asella branch campus was begun three months later with Accounting, Law and
Marketing Management being the fields of study. This new "learning community" was housed in
just one rented block that consisted of a single administrative office and a few classrooms; by the
end of the year 2000/2001 academic year, total enrolment at the two locations was about 250
students in the five diploma programs of study.
In September 2003 and 2004, Gotera and Batu branch campuses came into being respectively;
Bishoftu campus was created two years later followed by two other branch campuses – namely,
Dire Dawa and Chiro, which went functional in August/September 2005. Bole and Gulele came
into being in October 2005. Harar campus was created in October 2006. When the institution
was empowered to grant a bachelor’s degree, accounting, business management and law were
the first academic programs on offer on the campus in Adama. Rift Valley University is intended
to create education access across various Ethiopian Regional States. Tullu Bollo is one of
campuses under establishment in 2017/18.

Vision of RVU
“RVU aspires to be one of the leading private universities in teaching, research and public
engagement in East Africa and beyond by 2025.”

Mission of RVU
As a higher education institution, RVU is committed to sustain excellence in teaching, research,
and public engagement.

RVU’s Strategic Objectives

RVU has the following strategic objectives:

 Establish and sustain organizational structures and management systems that promote
and support academic excellence;
 Enroll, educate and graduate students based on criteria set by MOE and HERQA
every year;
 Provide all students with an innovative and highest education and training
 Maintain and enhance excellence in academic research and public engagement;
 Recruit and retain qualified staff and leadership to improve customer satisfaction;
 Increase profitability to be sustained in business industry;
 Minimize cost through wise resources utilization;
 Offer short term trainings to diversify education/training programs.

University Core Values

The following are the core values cherished by RVU:
1. Commitment to quality of services
2. Gender Sensitivity
3. Governance responsiveness and effectiveness
4. Academic freedom
5. Public engagement
6. Student access
 7. Excellence in teaching, research and community services
8. Recognition and tolerance of difference and diversity
9. Dignity, respect and fairness for all individuals

Expected Challenges to the plan

 Market inflation (rising costs of resources)
 Lack of updated text/reference books and lab equipment for some fields of study.
 Lack of skilled manpower in Research and publication office.
 Lack of qualified academic staff in some fields of study especially in accounting &
finance.
 Lack of awareness and willingness in supporting the research process
 Lack of pedagogically skilled academic staff.