• The University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) has digitized over 1,000 online courses accessible to 39,000 students across multiple campuses.

• The initiative is part of the Higher Education for Economic Transformation (HEET) program, which is over 80% implemented.

• UDSM’s digital infrastructure now includes a 10 Gbps high-speed network to support hybrid and remote learning.

Tanzania is accelerating the integration of information and communication technologies (ICT) to drive socio-economic development, with education at the forefront of this shift.

Speaking at a meeting with the Tanzania Editors Forum in Dar es Salaam on October 21, William A. L. Anangisye, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM), said the Higher Education for Economic Transformation (HEET) program represents a new stage in higher education reform.

Already more than 80% implemented, HEET aims to make digitalization a strategic tool for academic competitiveness and innovation.

The project reached a milestone with the launch of more than 1,000 digital courses, now available to 39,000 students across UDSM campuses in Dar es Salaam, Lindi, Kagera, and Zanzibar.

This digital offering relies on a 10 Gbps broadband infrastructure designed to support hybrid learning platforms and strengthen remote teaching capabilities.

Liberato Haule, Deputy Coordinator of the program, said the infrastructure “modernizes learning environments and enhances partnerships between universities and businesses.”

HEET, funded by both public and private partners, aims to foster collaboration between universities and the private sector in designing curricula focused on digital skills, engineering, and innovation.

Deodatus Balile, President of the Tanzania Editors Forum, praised the program as “a national benchmark in educational transformation.”

This initiative comes as the World Bank reports that only 9% of young Africans have access to higher education. By equipping its universities with cutting-edge digital tools, Tanzania seeks to position itself as a regional hub for training and innovation, aligning education more closely with employment and industrial growth.

This article was initially published in French by Félicien Houindo Lokossou

Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum