UDSM expands international reach with Hunan University partnership

Dar es Salaam. The strategy of the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) to expand its international scope through various collaborations with foreign universities has continued to bear fruit, as has been shown.

The university entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Hunan University of China.

The MoU, signed on Monday, May 6, 2024, at UDSM, marked the commencement of a strategic partnership between these prestigious institutions and represented a significant milestone in fostering international collaboration in education and research.

In these collaborations, the two universities have agreed to promote academic exchange, research collaboration, and cultural understanding, which are the foundation of partnerships between universities from different countries.

This step comes at a time when the Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology has been emphasising the need for universities in the country to establish relationships with foreign universities in order to enhance competitiveness and find better ways to address common social challenges among nations.

This also enables universities in the country to be heard internationally at a time when the world is increasingly becoming a global village and the level of workforce preparedness needs to be uniform.

Experts say international partnerships between universities are beneficial to all, from the staff and students to the institutions as a whole. UDSM’s Vice Chancellor, Prof William Anangisye, said during the MoU signing that the pact had come at the right time.

“You have come at the right time, when we need each other the most. I would like this collaboration to benefit our people,” he said, adding that UDSM’s aim was to strengthen its global partnerships as the world demands currents.

The new partnership only cements the already existing partnership between Tanzania and China, including through the Confucius Institute at the University of Dar es Salaam (CI-UDSM). This institute serves as a beacon of cultural exchange and academic collaboration, enriching both nations and strengthening ties on multiple fronts. It has facilitated scores of scholarships and student exchanges between the two countries.

The Vice President of Hunan University, Wang Weibin, said his institution has a long history that surpasses that of UDSM, and thus, entering into cooperation agreements is a significant part of the vision to enhance academic collaboration between the universities and to address challenges facing the community.

“We are happy to be at the best university here in Tanzania to discuss many opportunities for collaboration that will benefit our people. We believe that our visit here is a great opportunity for internationalisation,” said Mr. Wang, accompanied by a delegation of five other leaders from his university.

Experts say that international collaboration in higher education is increasingly seen as a key feature of “global” universities. “Global” is often used to signify quality in higher education institutions and to denote the interconnectedness and interdependence of higher education systems.

“UDSM has been doing well in this arena in recent years, and the fruits will eventually be seen. This is a good step towards showcasing yourself as a top university; people must hear and see you collaborating with universities from developed countries,” said education expert Dr Thomas Jabir.

A&C Tanzania Company Limited, a consultancy firm dedicated to enhancing communication channels between China and Tanzania, is the local representative of Hunan University.

“Under this MoU, we undertake the pivotal responsibility of overseeing the execution of Hunan University’s operations,” said Hunan University local representative, Mr Benard Semen.

“Within the esteemed UDSM, Hunan University has inaugurated the China-Africa Economic and Trade Cooperation Research Institute office. This strategic collaboration promises to foster academic excellence and facilitate meaningful exchanges between China and Tanzania in the realms of economics and trade,” he noted.