TANZIE strenghtens internationalisation capacity for Tanzanien Universities through ToT Training in Arusha

The Tanzania Internationalisation Strategies for Higher Education (TANZIE) Project has commenced the second three-day Training of Trainers (ToT) programme aimed at strengthening internationalisation practices across Tanzanian higher learning institutions. The training is taking place at the Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology (NM-AIST), Arusha from June 15 to 17. The ToT II is a capacity development workshop which brings together academic and administrative leaders from TANZIE project partner institutions to enhance their capacity in advancing global engagement within higher education. The initiative seeks to equip universities with the knowledge, structures, and skills necessary to effectively plan, implement, and evaluate internationalisation efforts while fostering intercultural competencies among staff and students. The TANZIE project consortium includes Mzumbe University (MU), Muslim University of Morogoro (MUM), Catholic University of Health and Allied Sciences (CUHAS), and NM-AIST, Tanzania Commission for Universities (TCU), University of Alicante, Saarland University, and European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD) Global.

On Day 1, participants engaged in sessions focusing on the overview of Internationalisation at Home (IaH), support services for incoming international students through Welcome Centers, and mechanisms for supporting outgoing students through GoOut Service Centers. Discussions explored why internationalisation matters in today’s higher education landscape, highlighting its role in enriching teaching and learning, enhancing student experiences, and preparing graduates to thrive in an increasingly interconnected world. Participants also examined the core dimensions of internationalisation in Tanzanian higher learning institutions; and shared experiences on integrating global and intercultural perspectives into universities operations.

The sessions were facilitated by Bettina Jochum from Saarland University (USAAR), who emphasized the critical role of institutional leadership in driving successful internationalisation agendas. She noted that effective Internationalisation at Home requires a clear institutional strategy, measurable performance indicators beyond student mobility, adequate resource allocation, strong quality assurance mechanisms, and continuous human resource development. The discussion among others stressed on the following:

• Internationalization is everyone’s job not only international office.
• Internationalization at home is not only mobility but it includes the core mission of the university (teaching and learning, research) whereby successful internationalization should promote innovation in teaching and learning, research collaboration, and curricula should reflect enabling global learning. 
• Non-academic staff (admission, security, student support, services, language support, counselling, and others are invisible internationalizers who should not be excluded in internationalization initiatives