Africa-Press – Tanzania. TANZANIA: THE Mkwawa University College of Education (MUCE) has been urged to become an engine of Innovation and research to come up with sulutions of the existing challenges in the society.
The call was made by the Tanzania Plant Health and Pesticides Authority (TPHPA) Director General, Prof Joseph Nduguru at the opening of the ninth Research and Innovation Week in Iringa.
Prof Nduguru said the universities are the centre of knowledge production where the best research on various social, economic and scientific issues are done and ideas of change are born.
“In this century, universities have a major role to play in being an engine of innovation and research. The university should show the way and in order for these ideas to bear fruit they must be properly translated into the real needs of the nation and the world in general through cooperation with partners from various sectors and industries,” said Prof Nduguru.
He said that various sectors and industries bring important resources, expertise and real challenges that both groups (academics and industry experts) have the responsibility to discuss and find solutions.
“Collaborating with universities, industries gain knowledge with new perspectives on industrial operations. Therefore, the collaboration of academics and experts in the industry helps to bridge the gap between theory and practice, turning abstract concepts into real solutions to challenges facing the nation and the world as a whole,” Prof Nduguru stressed.
However, Prof Ndunguru asked MUCE to further strengthen and expand the cooperation they have with industries and various associations in order to implement their plans.
Prof Nduguru said MUCE should ask themselves: “How their effots on research and innovation are in line with the needs and priorities of the industries and organizations they collaborate with? How can they prepare an environment that helps promote cooperation, creativity and entrepreneurship at every level of education of the students they produce?.
On his part the MUCE Deputy Principal, Prof Deusdedit Rwehumbiza said that currently the College has 6,189 undergraduate students, equal to 99.8 per cent of the expected 6,200 students, and 74 master’s degree students, equal to 72.5 per cent of the expected 102 students where the number of the students increased.
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He also added the total number of 374 employees made the College reach 78.7 per cent of the strategic goals of reaching 475 employees by June, 2025.
“The growth of human resources and the admission of students go in line with the improvement of academic programmes.
“Currently, the College in collaboration with the colleges and other departments of the University of Dar es Salaam is continuing with the review of the programmes taught in the college so that they are in line with the current needs of the labour market and the development of science and technology,” said Prof Rwehumbiza.
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