Welcome to St. Mary’s University (SMU) – a pioneer private higher education institution with commendable achievements in teaching-learning, research and outreach activities. The driving motto of our institution has always been, “ If education goes right, nothing can go wrong; if education goes wrong, nothing can go right.” Our achievements over the last 16 years are the source of pride and motivation for both the institution and the sector at large. So far, we have managed to graduate more than sixty thousand students in the conventional and distance modes. In our continuous quest for improvement, we are increasingly building on our institutional profile, strengthening the quality of our provisions, and the support systems created to respond the ever augmenting student needs. The Center for Education Improvement and Quality assurance (CEIQA) and the Academic Development and Resource Unit (ADRU) are but two units entrusted with the task of spearheading our efforts in this direction. Our involvement and achievements in research-related activities are also remarkable, to say the least. The National Conference on Private Higher Education Institutions in Ethiopia, which SMU hosts annually, was held in 2014 for the twelfth time in a row. The institution has also been holding annual student research forum exclusively devoted to student researchers since 2007 and an annual Multi-disciplinary Seminar since 2009. Moreover, the Business Faculty, the Faculty of Law and the Institute of Agriculture and Development Studies regularly publish their journals which have won wide acceptance both locally and internationally. The Teacher Education Faculty’s quarterly bulletin is also another bi-annual publication with wider circulation. In a similar vein, we have embarked on a wide-ranging publication scheme which includes publication of reference books for higher education institutions and school textbooks and supplementary books aside from the twenty regular publications that come through our International Relations and Communication Office. SMU’s institutional links with local and foreign institutions are consistently and encouragingly on the rise. Our membership at such fora as the International Network for Quality Assurance in Higher Education, African Quality Network, International Council for Distance Education, Association of African Universities and our partnership with numerous international and local institutions is a clear indication of our strong commitment to share and learn from others. We have very close relationship with the surrounding community, NGOs, neighbouring schools, business and industry which in many ways is enriching the training we offer to our students. In this regard the Career and Placement Office of the University is contributing a lot. Our faculty, support staff and students are one large family committed to ensure that St. Mary’s cherishes continuous improvement and keeps its vibrancy, transparency and accountability for which we are well known. We feel that we are strategically poised to demonstrate excellence in the years ahead. It is always a pride to be part of such an institution. We invite you to join us in this challenging but rewarding journey. Wondwosen Tamrat (Assoc. Prof.) Founder and President 
