Dynamics of university-industry linkages in Ethiopia examining determinants and challenges through Triple Helix perspective

University-Industry Linkage (UIL) is globally recognized as a critical catalyst for innovation and economic growth, and directly contributes to the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 9), which aims to build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization, and foster innovation. Within this global agenda, Ethiopia’s UIL experience presents both opportunities and persistent barriers that require closer examination. Building on this context, the study explores the determinants and challenges of UIL through a phenomenological approach, based on 22 key informant interviews with 30 senior stakeholders from government, industry, universities, and intermediary institutions. The findings reveal a critical paradox: while current UIL policy frameworks are more comprehensive than in the past, actual collaboration has regressed compared to the “Golden Era” of the 1980s. The study identifies that trust, leadership commitment, and industry motivation are the primary drivers of effectiveness, yet these are currently undermined by systemic mistrust and a lack of shared financing mechanisms. While the government attempts to drive UIL through a “statist” Triple Helix model, the absence of implementation capacity and the reliance on mandates rather than incentives have created a significant policy-practice gap. These concrete solutions for trust-building, financing mechanisms, and leadership support sustainable innovation ecosystems in developing contexts.