First international campus has been set up by Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras in the Tanzania’s Zanzibar

By opening a campus in Tanzania, the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras became the first Indian Institute of Technology to establish an international campus. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was recently signed between India and the country in East Africa.

The Zanzibar Campus, IIT Madras, will be on Zanzibar Island, off the East African mainland and part of the Tanzanian Republic. At a ceremony held at the Zanzibar campus in front of Tanzanian officials, Indian dignitaries, teachers, and students, Mr. Hussein Ali Mwinyi, President of Zanzibar and Chairman of the Revolutionary Council, officially opened the IIT Madras Zanzibar.

The Government of India is pursuing this historic project as part of its efforts to export India's world-class educational system. The current campus is situated in the Bweleo district, 15 km south of Zanzibar Town, and is furnished with modern amenities that cater to the demands of international students. The Government of India and the Government of Zanzibar will shortly work together to construct a permanent campus.

The Institute's initial offerings will be Bachelor of Science (BSc.) and Master of Technology (MTech.) programmes in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and data science. In the upcoming year, there will be more academic programmes available. Students from Zanzibar, mainland Tanzania, Nepal, and India have been admitted to the inaugural batch of students at IITM Zanzibar; women make up 40% of the student body.

The campus will have the capacity to accommodate students in dormitories and provide various facilities. Arrangements for offices, classrooms, and auditoriums have been made. Dining facilities and a dispensary are available on campus, and sports facilities are also being planned.

Students from various countries, including India, are encouraged to participate in the programmes offered at IITM Zanzibar. In addition to a thorough curriculum covering every facet of data science and artificial intelligence, students will have access to a number of engaging experiences during their studies. These include the opportunity to complete some course requirements at the IIT Madras campus in Chennai, India, internships with various relevant firms, and study abroad/semester exchange programmes with partner colleges in the UK and Australia, among other nations. In October 2023, classes for the first Academic Year (2023–24) started.

According to Mr. V. Kamakoti, Director of IIT Madras, with the inauguration of IIT Madras Zanzibar Campus, the idea is to foster the journey of knowledge and innovation that transcends borders. Together, the vision is to nurture excellence, spark collaboration and inspire generations to dream beyond horizons.

In its inaugural semester, the college has welcomed students from a variety of nations, including Tanzania's mainland, India, Nepal, and Zanzibar. For a four-year Bachelor of Science in Data Science and AI and a two-year Master of Technology in the same field, 45 students have been accepted.

Ms. Preeti Aghalayam, Dean of the School of Engineering and Science and Director-in-charge of the Zanzibar campus says that it’s been an honour to bring IITM’s academic excellence to the beautiful island of Zanzibar. The journey has started on a positive and beautiful note with a lovely campus and amazing students.

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