Why Russia honoured Samia

MOSCOW: PRESIDENT Samia Suluhu Hassan has been awarded an Honorary Doctorate by the Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University) in recognition of her efforts to advance education, strengthen human capital development and deepen academic and diplomatic ties between Tanzania and Russia.

The honour, one of the university’s highest distinctions, was unanimously approved by the institution’s Academic Council and is reserved for individuals who have made outstanding contributions to education, peace, friendship and international cooperation.

According to the university, President Samia was recognised for her efforts in promoting education and human capital development, as well as strengthening the longstanding partnership between Tanzania and Russia. Speaking during the conferment ceremony in Moscow, President Samia said the honour reflected the shared commitment of the two countries to progress, cooperation and the advancement of humanity.

“When I received the news of this conferment, it dawned on me that this honour is not mine alone. Rather, it is a tribute to our shared commitment to progress, cooperation and the advancement of humanity,” she said.

The President noted that RUDN University has played an important role in educating African students and fostering international understanding through education.

She said the institution’s mission of bringing together students from different countries and cultures demonstrates how education can serve as a bridge for cooperation among nations. President Samia highlighted the long-standing educational ties between Tanzania and Russia, noting that more than 5,000 Tanzanians have studied in the former Soviet Union and later the Russian Federation.

Of those, about 1,100 graduated from RUDN University and have gone on to serve Tanzania in various sectors, including health, engineering, education, diplomacy and public service.

“A student leaves home with a dream, crosses borders in search of knowledge and returns with the tools to help build a nation,” she said.

The President also cited Tanzania’s continued investment in education and skills development as part of the country’s efforts to build a knowledge-based economy under Development Vision 2050. She highlighted the Samia Scholarship Programme, which supports academically gifted students pursuing studies in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, medicine and other strategic fields.

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“It is not merely an education programme. It is a conscious national investment in the future,” she said.

Russia’s Deputy Minister for Science and Higher Education, Konstantin Mogilevsky, said President Samia was being honoured for her contribution to strengthening relations between the two countries.

“Today, we have gathered here to confer the title of Honorary Doctor upon President Samia Suluhu Hassan, our great friend and a person who has made an enormous contribution to strengthening relations between Russia and Tanzania,” he said.

RUDN University Rector, Oleg Yastrebov, said the conferment also reflected the university’s strong relationship with Tanzania and Africa. He noted that the university has trained more than 16,000 specialists from African countries and that over 1,100 Tanzanian graduates are contributing to national development.

President Samia also welcomed the signing of cooperation agreements between Tanzanian and Russian institutions, expressing hope that they would expand scholarships, research partnerships, academic exchanges and specialised training programmes.

She reaffirmed Tanzania’s commitment to strengthening academic, cultural and people-to-people ties with Russia while encouraging students to use education to serve society and contribute to national development.