The initiative, launched on February 4, 2026, at the university’s Upanga campus in Dar es Salaam, seeks to bridge the long-standing gap between academic learning and the realities of the labour market
Dar es Salaam. At a time when youth unemployment remains one of Tanzania’s most pressing socio-economic challenges, the Aga Khan University (AKU) has launched an entrepreneurship club aimed at equipping students with practical skills to create jobs rather than wait for them.
The initiative, launched on February 4, 2026, at the university’s Upanga campus in Dar es Salaam, seeks to bridge the long-standing gap between academic learning and the realities of the labour market.
By focusing on hands-on entrepreneurship, AKU is responding to growing concerns that many graduates leave university with strong theoretical knowledge but limited capacity to translate it into income-generating ventures. Tanzania has made notable progress in expanding access to higher education over the past two decades.
However, studies by institutions such as the World Bank and the International Labour Organisation consistently show that graduate unemployment and underemployment remain high, particularly among young people entering the labour market for the first time.
Each year, universities and colleges produce thousands of graduates, yet the formal job market absorbs only a fraction of them.
It is within this context that AKU’s entrepreneurship club takes on national significance.
According to the university, the club is designed to expose students to real business opportunities while they are still studying, enabling them to learn entrepreneurship through practice rather than theory alone.
AKU specialises in health sciences—medicine, nursing, midwifery—as well as education and entrepreneurship, making it uniquely positioned to link professional training with enterprise development.
Speaking during the launch, AKU lecturer Prof Tumbwene Mwansisya, an expert in health and entrepreneurship, noted that the health sector itself holds vast untapped business potential. “There are many opportunities in the health sector, but people have not fully discovered them,” he said.
“Our desire is for students, when they graduate, to be able to employ themselves and even employ others.
To achieve that, they must have the skills to create those jobs.
”He explained that while AKU already offers entrepreneurship courses, the university realised that classroom-based learning alone was not enough.
“We reached a point where we asked ourselves: if students study entrepreneurship only in theory, what value does it add? That is why we decided they must learn it practically, here at the university,” Prof Mwansisya said.
The Vice Chancellor of AKU, Prof Eunice Pallangyo, said the entrepreneurship club was initiated by students themselves, with the university providing support and guidance.
One of the club’s flagship projects is a shop established on campus, where students design, produce and sell various products to staff and the wider university community.
“What we have done as AKU is to give them space and hold their hand a little so they can fulfil their idea,” she said.
“They are producing juices that have health benefits for the body.
”Beyond the shop, students have also established a small garden where they grow crops used in their entrepreneurial activities.
Prof Pallangyo said the initiative encourages students to think creatively and apply science to solve everyday problems. “We want someone who gets an A in chemistry to actually use that knowledge meaningfully,” she said. “Our goal is to produce graduates who are solutions to the challenges facing society.
”The national relevance of such initiatives is hard to ignore.
According to government data and labour market assessments, youth unemployment and informal employment continue to affect social stability, income security and national productivity. While the government has invested heavily in education and skills development, experts agree that universities must also adapt their teaching models to prepare students for a changing economy.
Principal of the Aga Khan Medical College, Prof Paschal Ruggajo,said entrepreneurship is deliberately integrated into training to prepare graduates for life after university.
“The government is making efforts to improve employment opportunities, but they have never been enough,” he said.
“When our students graduate with various skills, including the ability to innovate and employ themselves, they help ease pressure on the job market.
”Students involved in the club say the experience has already changed how they view their education.
Elfraha Masawe, one of the founding members, said the initiative has helped students turn challenges into opportunities.
“We looked at our environment and the challenges around us and turned them into opportunities,” she said.
“This shop allows staff to access services within the campus without going outside, while also creating income for us.”
