Study Visit to the University of Alicante Reinforces Commitment to Advancing Internationalisation in Tanzanian Universities

As a continuation of the successful kick-off meeting, the Erasmus+ Capacity Building in Higher Education project (TANZIE) proceeded with a two-day study visit hosted by the University of Alicante on 8th and 9th May, 2025. The visit brought together TANZIE partner institutions to explore effective institutional practices and strategic approaches to internationalization in higher education.

The study visits convened representatives from Tanzania Commission for Universities (TCU), Mzumbe University (MU), Muslim University of Morogoro (MUM), Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology (NM-AIST), Catholic University of Health and Allied Sciences (CUHAS), the University of Saarland (USAAR), the European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD), and the host institution, the University of Alicante (UA).

During the visit, the Executive Secretary of TCU, Prof. Charles Kihampa, paid a courtesy visit to the President of the University of Alicante. In addition, he toured the University’s Lifelong Learning Centre (CFP) and the Quality frameworks that promote academic quality and international engagement.

The programme commenced with a series of comprehensive presentations delivered by staff of the University of Alicante, which provided an in-depth overview of the institution’s internationalisation agenda. Key areas of focus included student and staff mobility, implementation of the Erasmus+ KA171 programme, and the benefits of international partnerships for academic and professional development. 

Contributions from EFMD representatives offered a broader global perspective, with sessions addressing quality assurance, accreditation processes, and strategic network-building to support internationalisation. A practical workshop on stakeholder identification further enabled participants to reflect on strategies for engaging key actors within their respective institutional and national contexts.

The second day of the programme provided an operational perspective on attracting and supporting international students. This included case studies of best practices from previous Erasmus+ initiatives. The visit concluded with a collaborative session dedicated to planning forthcoming training activities under the TANZIE project and identifying the specific capacity-building needs of Tanzanian partner institutions.

The study visit constituted a critical milestone in the implementation of the TANZIE project, equipping participants with practical knowledge, peer experiences, and a collaborative platform to support the advancement of internationalisation strategies in their home institutions.

Based on the lessons learned during the study visit, TCU is committed to implementing the following strategic actions:

• Strengthening the capacity of quality assurance units in universities to enhance their effectiveness in supporting institutional sustainability;
• Expanding internationalization strategies across all Tanzanian higher education institutions through targeted capacity development initiatives; and
• Engaging a broad range of stakeholders to promote awareness of the significance of micro-credentials and to support the development of robust quality assurance frameworks to govern their implementation.

The visit reaffirmed the shared commitment of all TANZIE partners to promoting innovation, collaboration, and global competitiveness in the Tanzanian higher education sector.