Madda Walabu University, one of the public universities in Ethiopia, was established in 2006 (1999 Ethiopian Calendar). The university is located in Bale Zone, in the town of Robe, about 430 km away from the capital city, Addis Ababa. The university has 42 undergraduate and postgraduate programs. The name "Madda Walabu" is given from a place where it is believed to be the origin of Oromo people.