With its MSC Embedded and Mobile Systems course, the Nelson Mandela African Institution for Science and Technology (NM-AIST) in Arusha (Tanzania) is the core of the Centre of Excellence for ICT in East Africa (CENIT@EA), which has been established since 2017 and is being implemented by GIZ, DAAD, and IUCEA with funding from BMZ on behalf of the East African Community. Since 2022, the NM-AIST has also been a partner in the DAAD’s in-country and in-region scholarship programme. The programme is characterized by practical relevance and labor market orientation. As part of their studies, master’s students complete an internship of around six months with a company or organisation in the East African Community.

Meeting with students at NM-AIST and Arusha

Under the leadership of the University of Oldenburg (ZE), an academic consortium of German and East African universities implements the academic component of the dSkills@EA project (university centre and master’s programme), for which the DAAD is responsible. Proven partners of the university cooperation on the East African side are the University of Dar es Salaam and the University of Technology and Arts Byumba; new additions in the current project phase are Moi University and Kabale University. Discussions are currently taking place with the University of Burundi and Juba University with a view to further expanding the cooperation.

In the current project phase (7/2021 – 12/2023), the university centre and study programme are to be further developed and consolidated. Since accreditation in 2019, four cohorts have started and partially completed their studies with financial support (scholarships from project funds).

Beate Schindler-Kovats, the Director of the DAAD Regional Office in Nairobi, was given a warm welcome by NM-AIST. They also planned and organised the visit well. The agenda included an exchange with the project partners, an information session for the students, and a roundtable discussion with the deans and directors of the departments.