University. Specifically, it is to discuss on how knowledge, experiences and skills acquired from higher diploma training is linked to quality teaching-learning. Higher diploma training is effectively undertaking in Mizan_Tepi University. About 572 academic staff have completed this training program within the last ten years. However, there is no study on the impact of this training via the effectiveness teaching of academic staff. Hence, researches that have been done by different universities on this regard has been reviewed and compared with real practices. Session observations of higher diploma trained academic staff classrooms, focus group discussion with the program candidates and teaching experiences were used as a base for this review. In general, the long period of teaching experiences in the university and frequent session observations made indicate that the real practice of teaching and learning situation in Mizan_Tepi university appears to be similar with the traditional teaching approach in which students are considered as passive listeners. Most teachers failed to make their lesson active and increase students’ engagement by blaming the mismatch between the contents of the subject in terms of its scope and the modular teaching approach. In practice it is observed that instructors are not using their skills and experiences they gained from higher diploma training. Some instructors being less reflective of themselves, attribute every failure to students. Even though the program is based on the constructivist teaching approach, which is supposed to help the teachers to reflect and realize their effectiveness as teachers. Student engagement is most powerful in the process of quality teaching. To make such culture happen, it is important for teachers to believe that students learn better when they become active participant and create an environment which gives an opportunity to engage into learning. And also students must take responsibility for their learning and work hard to achieve the desired objectives. Lastly, it is recommended that the academic community to realize the usage of knowledge, skills and experiences gained from their training to be genuine focus, concern and commitment towards the quality teaching in the University.

Keywords: Higher Diploma Training Experiences, Quality of Teaching