Your vacation itinerary ought to include a visit to Addis Ababa University. It's a well-known local institute with a vibrant campus life.
If you like the word "free" as much as most do, you'll be glad to know this modern university is precisely that. Addis Ababa University is located in Addis Ababa. To keep your sightseeing schedule full while you're in these parts, also drop by Edna Mall, Holy Trinity Cathedral and National Museum of Ethiopia.