CABES-SPIBES MSc students Gaining Practical Experience through Internship Program

Addis Ababa – July 21, 2025

The Horn of Africa Regional Environment Center and Network (HoAREC&N) announced here that CABES-AAU-SPIBES MSc students have been participating in a one-month internship at national, regional, and international organizations based in Addis Ababa since July 1, 2025, following the completion of their first-year coursework.

The internship initiative, launched under CABES-East Africa program, is reportedly believed to provide students with professional learning experiences and boost conservation endeavors of biodiversity and ecosystem service careers in their respective countries.

Mr. Mekonnen Biru, CABES project coordinator at HoAREC&N-AAU, said that the internship exposure would enable students to interact with experts including people in various positions and foster collaboration essential for addressing pressing Biodiversity Ecosystem Services related challenges. The project coordinator also stated that the internship program gives students the opportunity to learn how host organizations operate, design, and carry out research in biodiversity science and policy related fields that help decision-making.

Furthermore, the coordinator stated that the internship programme enhances students’ knowledge and skills needed to contribute to the interface of science, policy-practice in biodiversity conservation and ecosystem service improvement, which is vital for achieving the IPBES objectives, the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030, and the goals of the African Union Agenda 2063. “The internship will also help the students acquire practical academic knowledge, which is important for their MSc research,” Mekonnen stated. Through this programme, students can broaden their understanding of applying nature-based solutions to improve biodiversity and ecosystem services, as well as deepen their knowledge of how their countries can utilize IPBES assessment products. These practical experiences not only strengthen their academic expertise but also help them build networks and gather valuable information for their career development.

HoAREC&N and Department of Plant Biology and Biodiversity Management-AAU seized the opportunity to extend appreciation and gratitude to the Ethiopian Biodiversity Institute (EBI), the Alliance of Biodiversity International and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), the Center for  International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry (CIFOR-ICRAF), and the Global Green Growth Initiative (GGGI) Addis Ababa Offices that hosted the internship program.