Curriculum Alignment with Labor Market Demand and National Development Goals: The Case of Civil Engineering Undergraduate Program at Addis Ababa University

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore the alignment of curriculum with labor market demand and national development goals, with particular focus on the civil engineering undergraduate program at Addis Ababa University (AAU). For this study, a qualitative research method was employed, particularly a single case study design. Purposive sampling technique was employed in order to collect the data from the target population. The primary data were collected through semi-structured interviews from four senior faculty members who served for more than 10 years of experience, one alumnus, one MOE official, one curriculum expert, one official acting as a client at MOE, and two project managers from construction companies through person-to-person interviews. Also, a focus group discussion was conducted with 4^th and 5^th year students. Besides, document analysis was also used as a secondary data source, such as published journal articles, books, and reports. The researcher systematically processed the interview data by transcribing, coding key words, grouping them into categories and themes, and summarizing the findings to prepare the research report. The findings of the study revealed that significant gaps in the AAU civil engineering curriculum leads to disconnect from national development goals and labor market demands, institutional and instructional challenges. The curriculum emphasizes theoretical knowledge but lacks practical skill training, which contributes to graduate skill mismatch with labor market demands. Institutional barriers and lack of organized feedback from stakeholders’ involvement further exacerbate the problems.