Today, the Ministry of Education (MoE), Government of India, IIT Madras, and the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training (MoEVT) of Zanzibar-Tanzania signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish a campus of IIT Madras in Zanzibar. The signing took place in the presence of S. Jaishankar, the External Affairs Minister of India and Hussein Ali Mwinyi, the President of Zanzibar. This milestone marks the first-ever establishment of an IIT campus outside of India. It emphasises India’s commitment to fostering people-to-people connections across Africa and the Global South, according to an official release.
Signing of the MoU for the IIT Madras-Zanzibar campus signifies a historic step towards internationalising higher education. The National Education Policy 2020 plays a pivotal role in integrating knowledge as a key element of bilateral relations and promoting global welfare, Dharmendra Pradhan, union minister, education skill development, entrepreneurship, said.
The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 emphasises internationalisation and recommends that high-performing Indian universities should be encouraged to establish campuses in other countries. In light of the strategic partnership between Tanzania and India, an educational collaboration has been formalised through the signing of a document, outlining the framework for the establishment of an IIT Madras campus in Zanzibar, Tanzania. The campus is scheduled to launch its programs in October 2023, the release mentioned.
The partnership aims to bring the renowned educational expertise of IIT Madras to a prominent destination in Africa, addressing the region’s current needs. IIT Madras will oversee the academic programmes, curricula, student selection processes, and pedagogical aspects, while the government of Zanzibar-Tanzania will provide the necessary capital and operational funding. Students enrolled in this campus will be awarded degrees from IIT Madras. The state-of-the-art interdisciplinary programmes are expected to attract a diverse cohort, including students from Tanzania and other countries. Additionally, Indian students will also have the opportunity to apply for these programmes, as per the release.
The establishment of the IIT campus in Zanzibar-Tanzania will not only enhance India’s global reputation and diplomatic relationships but also expand the international presence of IIT Madras. The presence of a diverse student and faculty body from the international campus is likely to further enrich the quality of education and research at IIT Madras. Moreover, it will foster deeper research collaborations with other top-ranked academic institutions worldwide, the release said.
The envisioned IIT campus in Zanzibar-Tanzania aims to become a world-class institution for higher education and research. Its broader mission is to develop competencies that align with emerging global requirements, strengthen ties between nations, and support research and innovation in the region. It will serve as an exemplary model of India’s aspirational qualities in higher education and innovation to the world, it added.