Indian Economy News

An MoU for setting up of campus of IIT Madras in Zanzibar-Tanzania has been signed; the first-ever IIT campus to be set up outside India

In the presence of Dr. S. Jaishankar, the Indian Minister for External Affairs, and Dr. Hussein Ali Mwinyi, the President of Zanzibar, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the establishment of an Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras campus in Zanzibar, Tanzania, was signed on July 6, 2023. This is the first IIT campus ever to be established outside of India. It serves as a reminder of the long-standing friendship between Tanzania and India and the importance that India placed on forging relationships between its citizens and those across Africa and in the Global South.

According to Union Minister for Education, Skill Development, and Entrepreneurship Mr. Dharmendra Pradhan, the signing of the MoU to establish the IIT Madras-Zanzibar campus is a significant step towards the globalisation of higher education. He added that the effort is a physical representation of Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi's desire to bolster South-South cooperation and build stronger people-to-people ties with Africa. He continued, "National Education Policy 2020 is paving the way for knowledge to become a key element of bilateral relations as well as for advancing global good."

In recognition of the strategic partnership between Tanzania and India, the relationship of educational partnership has been formalised by the signing of the document that provides the framework for the parties to detail the setting up of the proposed IIT Madras campus in Zanzibar, Tanzania, with plans to launch programmes in October 2023.

Through this special collaboration, IIT-M's esteemed educational experience will be brought to a key African location to meet the urgent requirements of the area. IIT Madras will be in charge of the academic programmes, curriculum, aspects of student selection, and pedagogical details, while the government of Zanzibar-Tanzania would cover the capital and running costs. A degree from IIT Madras will be given to the students enrolling on this campus. Students from Tanzania and other nations will be among the diverse cohort drawn to cutting-edge interdisciplinary degrees. Indian students are also eligible to apply to these programmes.

The IIT campus in Zanzibar, Tanzania, is envisioned as a world-class institution of higher education and research with a broader goal to foster international understanding, promote regional research and innovation, and build capacities in response to evolving global requirements. It will act as a showcase for Indian higher education's innovative and aspirational qualities to the rest of the globe.

Disclaimer: This information has been collected through secondary research and IBEF is not responsible for any errors in the same.