Dar es Salaam. Tanzania’s push to position itself as a digital economy has taken a decisive step forward, with the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) launching an ambitious digital transformation agenda that could redefine the country’s higher education landscape.
At a time when global universities distinguish themselves through digital delivery, UDSM is reclaiming its historical leadership role by setting a benchmark for smart, technology-driven learning.
The initiative, supported through the Higher Education for Economic Transformation (HEET) project, includes signing 12 contracts worth Sh10.3 billion to install ICT infrastructure and smart furniture across 21 buildings within its main and constituent campuses in Dar es Salaam, Lindi, Kagera and Zanzibar.
The investment, according to Vice Chancellor Prof William Anangisye, who spoke during the signing ceremony on November 29, 2025, is central to the university’s decade-long Smart Campus Roadmap (2022–2032), which aims to increase efficiency in teaching, learning and service delivery.
“This project supports 60 percent of our Smart Campus Roadmap. Our goal is to strengthen ICT infrastructure so that teaching and learning can take place anywhere, anytime,” he said.
Tanzania’s higher education sector has for many years struggled with overcrowded lecture halls, some holding over 1,000 students, compromising learning outcomes in key disciplines.
The shift to digital delivery, analysts say, offers the most realistic pathway to solving space shortages without incurring heavy construction costs.
Higher education expert Dr Joyce Maganiko argued that UDSM’s move “marks a structural change in how universities approach access.
A single online lecture can serve thousands without diminishing quality, provided digital pedagogy is properly strengthened.”
The National Digital Education Strategy (2024/25–2029/30), released by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, directly supports such transitions.
The strategy emphasises ICT infrastructure expansion, digital content development, capacity building for educators, and the adoption of emerging technologies to improve inclusiveness, equity and quality across all levels of education.
The document outlines seven core pillars, among them, ICT infrastructure and access, digital content development, digital assessment and emerging technologies, all aimed at transforming how learning is designed, delivered and monitored.
It further identifies soft infrastructure such as Learning Management Systems (LMS), data analytics and digital libraries as critical enablers of quality teaching and administration.
How UDSM aligns with the national vision
UDSM’s investments mirror the strategy’s directive that every higher education institution must modernise ICT infrastructure, expand online and blended learning, upgrade digital libraries, and implement data-driven management systems.
The strategy underscores that ICT must be used to “enhance access to quality teaching, learning and administration… enabling every learner to contribute significantly to national development.”
Furthermore, the National ICT Policy 2016 emphasises nationwide development of reliable broadband, digital skills, and digital research capabilities.
This aligns with UDSM’s ongoing upgrades to campus-wide WiFi, expanded bandwidth, digital administrative systems and integration of platforms such as MOODLE and MOOCs.
Digital education specialist Catherine Mushi said UDSM’s progress “mirrors what leading global universities have done, using technology to create flexibility, stimulate innovation and reach international learners. Tanzania is finally entering that competitive space.”
She added that universities today “do not compete by the size of their buildings but by the strength of their digital ecosystems,” emphasising that completing the Smart Campus Roadmap would place UDSM among Africa’s few institutions with fully digitised learning, research and administrative systems.
Globally, universities that digitalise their academic delivery, such as Singapore’s NUS, South Africa’s UNISA, and the UK’s Open University, attract international enrolments and score higher on rankings that assess innovation, research access and teaching quality.
Political and international relations analyst Dr Petro Mutashobya noted that UDSM’s shift “has diplomatic and reputational value.
A university that offers globally accessible programmes becomes an academic bridge for international students and researchers. It increases Tanzania’s visibility and soft power.”
The National Digital Education Strategy stresses research, innovation and entrepreneurship as a core pillar, calling for universities to create digital learning environments that enhance competitiveness in regional and global education markets.
If implemented at scale across all institutions, the digital shift will support government aspirations under the Tanzania Digital Economy Framework, the Education Sector Development Plan and Dira 2050, all of which emphasise modernising teaching and developing a tech-skilled population.
According to Ms Mushi, “UDSM’s transformation gives Tanzania a model. It proves that digital education is no longer a future ambition but an implementable reality.”
The strategy also emphasises inclusivity through digital access, ensuring that geography, disability or classroom shortages no longer limit learning opportunities.
With improved digital infrastructure, backed by the National ICT Broadband Backbone and the National Internet Data Centre, universities can deliver content anywhere in the country.
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