Background
Wachemo University School of Law was launched in 2016 (2009 E.C) with five instructors and fifty students placed in the school by the Ministry of Education. Currently, the school is undertaking teaching-learning activities and engaged in research and community service activities, having about 19 academic and 2 administrative staff members.
The school has a dean at the top and head of the department, which is directly accountable to the dean. There are also other coordination units under the school dean, such as Undergraduate, postgraduate, and CEP Coordinator; Research and Community Service Coordinator; Free Legal Aid Service Coordinator; and Environment and Natural Resources Science, Policy and Law Center Coordinator.
In terms of academic programs, the school has both undergraduate and postgraduate students in a regular and extension program. The school has launched the CEP program (weekend in 2017 and summer in 2018) with a view of making higher education accessible to the community. The school has also launched a Masters (LL.M) Program in Environmental Law and Policy in 2020 to help the legal profession advance their legal knowledge in the area.
Currently, there are 270 undergraduate students in regular admission, and about 370 students are studying in both weekend and summer programs. There are also about 45 students in the master's program in both regular and weekend admissions. In total, the school has 685 students enrolled in both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. However, the number of students is more likely to increase due to high demand in the field.
The staff of the school are also engaged in demand-driven and problem-solving research budgeted by the university and are also providing community service. Having received the license from the SNNPR Justice Bureau to provide advocacy, court representation, and other legal services, the school has been providing such services for free to the poor and disadvantaged people who cannot afford such services.