Jimma University (JU) is a public higher educational institution established in December 1999 by the amalgamation of Jimma College of Agriculture (founded in 1952), and Jimma Institute of Health Sciences (established in 1983).The two campuses are located in Jimma city, Oromia Regional State, 335 km southwest of Addis Ababa with an area of 167 hectares.
JU is Ethiopia's first innovative Communisty Oriented Education Institution of higher learning. The University adopted the city's name for logically sound reasons. For one thing, Jimma is one of the biggest cities in the country noted for its coffee production. Secondly, Jimma was the seat of the King of the Five Gibe States during the 19th century. The Main Campus is situated in the neighborhood of the ex-palace of Aba Jifar, now an open museum. Jimma is known among other things for its year round green attractive landscape scenery and coffee production as mentioned above.
People in Jimma and its surrounding are naturally friendly and more so for the JU community (staff and students). One can easily walk out to the nearest community and get an enthusiastic welcome.
