Paper short abstract:

Ethiopia currently experiences an explosion of higher education institutions and can offer a minimal curriculum only with the help of incoming Indian scientists. The paper wants to inquire why Indian experts are interested in teaching in Ethiopia and if they can be considered a part of the Indian diaspora.

Paper long abstract:

Since several years now Ethiopia has been experiencing a boom in universities. Most of the 22 universities have not been existing for more than a decade and the establishment of 9 more has already been decided. From this emphasis on the expansion of higher education Ethiopia expects a general development impulse and the creation of a larger middle-class. However, the explosion of higher education institutions and the brain drain leave a vacuum of expertise at Ethiopian universities for the moment. Only with the help of foreign lecturers and a decrease of the qualification of much of the local university staff a minimal curriculum can be offered. Most of the foreign lecturers, who are in the country, are from India. As of the high demand for Indian lecturers several agencies have specialized themselves on the recruitment of new lecturers for Ethiopia.

By research in a northern Ethiopian university town and on expats forums in the web, the paper wants to inquire why Indian scientists are interested in filling this vacuum at Ethiopian universities and if the Indian scientists in Ethiopian can be considered a part of the Indian diaspora.