UDSM continues setting its own standards

THE government slogan ‘KAZI IENDELEE’ reflects the initiatives taken by the University of Dar es Salaam to create a conducive working environment for their staff.

This includes promoting three members of the academic staff from Associate Professor to full Professor and 13 members from Senior Lecturer to Associate Professor.

In addition, the institution promoted 40 members of the academic staff from Lecturer to Senior Lecturer.

This accomplishment stands as a monumental achievement for the university and the Tanzanian academic community, showcasing the institution’s firm commitment to academic ability and research advancement.

The UDSM Council Chairperson, Ambassador Mwanaidi Maajar says the significant promotion milestone is a fruition of strategic initiatives that the government has been diligently implementing over the past few years.

Amb Maajar says promotion is part of incentive structure for university employees in order to increase their morale in performance and efficiency in their work.

It also aims to enable the university to compete successfully in the labour market by retaining good existing employees and attracting other professionals to join the college.

She said the Council in collaboration with the management of the university continues to set strategic plans for the university to expand its income to meet various needs in accordance with the Treasury Registrar document number 1 of August 2023, which requires public organisations, institutions and government agencies to organise themselves and operate independently from the central government.

“The Council will collaborate with the management to plan strategies to continue expanding the income spectrum to fulfil their various needs,” insisted Amb Maajar.

Meanwhile, the UDSM Vice Chancellor, Prof William Anangisye says the promotion of staff not only addresses a long-standing gap in academic ranks but has also raised the bar for academic excellence in the region.

Prof Anangisye says that their success was attributed to an array of strategic efforts encompassing strategic funding allocation, innovative management strategies and proactive government initiatives, saying such efforts have boosted UDSM into the limelight of academic distinction.

The promotion went in line with the achievement of college year after year.

Apart from the promotion of its staff, it has continued to be an example for other colleges with the increase in the number of female graduates.

UDSM Chancellor, former President Jakaya Kikwete was pleased with the increase of 54.7 per cent of girls who are qualified in the cluster three of 53 graduations.

This year in cluster three, women graduates led with 57.2 per cent compared to cluster three of 2022 where they were 55 per cent.

In cluster three of the 52 graduates, the institution had 2,091 graduates where men were 949 equals to 45 per cent and 1,142 women which is 55 per cent of the total and in cluster three of 2023, a total number of graduates were 2,609 among them men were 1117 and 1,492 women.

“In the history of graduation, there has never been a group as big as today. I am happy that 57.2 per cent are women. That is a challenge to young men that they should not accept defeat by women,” Dr Kikwete said.

The Chancellor encouraged the graduates to be patriotic in their country because Tanzanians expect many things from them.

“Tanzanian’s expectations are based on the fact that you have received an education with decent standards, from a university that is respected in the world,” Dr Kikwete told the graduates, insisting that they should be catalysts for change in the society.

He said taking into account that almost all the graduates were 21 to 45 years old, they should use the acquired education to bring positive influence to all people around them.

“Graduates should remember that the education that is acquired is for the public so they must bring positive changes to the society and Tanzania as a whole,” he said.

The Chancellor urged the graduates to look for opportunities instead of waiting to be overtaken by them.

Dr Kikwete said finding opportunities is not an easy thing to happen in today’s world which is a very competitive village.

“If job opportunities in the government or in the private sector are delayed, you should be quick to look elsewhere where your knowledge and skills can be used more effectively.” Dr Kikwete said.

He said because girls are doing their best in getting education, this should act as a catalyst for men to take it as an opportunity to strive and do better in their studies.

He said that education cannot bring benefits and be the catalyst for intended change if it is not used to solve society’s problems.

Prof William Anangisye on his part urged the graduates to be the catalyst for change in the society, telling them that they should remember that the education they acquired is public property.

“In that sense, education must bring benefits to Tanzanians, as Mwalimu Nyerere once said ‘Spend a lot of money that is not in line with our ability to educate a few people so that they will bring the same amount of profit to the country’,” he said.

He further said it is important for the graduates to keep up with the changes in the world because the world is changing fast so that they are not left behind.

He reminded them not to forget to adhere to laws, procedures, principles and guidelines of public service in order to serve the Tanzanian public.

USDM Proctor, Prof Evelyne Mbede said as ambassadors of the college, they should demonstrate their profession in practice so that every sector continues to cling to them.

She told them that whatever they do or say, they should act and speak with ethics and wisdom because wisdom is always freedom.

She asked them to prioritise patriotism so that the nation can continue to move forward.