Author(s)

Tamrat Dina Teressa

Department of Management, Gambella University, Gambella, Ethiopia.

The purpose of this study was to review the function of UIL in implementing FBL in HEIs in Ethiopia. A total of twenty studies which were published between 2020 and 2021 were analyzed to examine the function of UIL in implementing FBL in Ethiopian EHEIs. The resources were collected through online and offline means. The results of the study revealed that the UIL, in the implementation of FBL, was not properly practiced vis-à-vis the UIL implementation guidelines. Even though, there are major enabling conditions for the UIL to implement FBL such as availability of policies on the UIL; UIL implementation guidelines developed by the HELIs, MoU made between Universities and industries; commitment and to offer logistics by the universities for the FBL, universities didn’t play a leading role in facilitating the implementation of the FBL. It also reveals that the major challenges in the implementation of FBL were: inability of the two parties to translate the MoU into practice; shortage of industries. Therefore, although UIL is crucial to implementing FBL, UIL, is not implanted as stipulated in the implementation guidelines, and thus, the function of the UIL in the implementation of the FBL was below the expected standard. Thus, it is suggested that the two parties should renew and strengthen their partnership for the mutual benefit. In this regard, universities should play a leading role as the UIL primarily provides students with first-hand learning and employment opportunities.

Field-Based Learning, Higher Education Institutions, University-Industry Linkages, Internships, Recruiting

Teressa, T. (2022) The Function of University-Industry Linkages in the Implementation of Undergraduate Field-Based Learning in Higher Learning Institutions in Ethiopia. Creative Education, 13, 1811-1825. doi: 10.4236/ce.2022.136114.