Building a Unified Future: Tanzania at the Forefront of East Africa’s Higher Education Agenda
Kampala, Uganda, September 9, 2025
Tanzania, through the Tanzania Commission for Universities (TCU), is actively participating in the First Regional Ministerial Conference on the East African Common Higher Education Area (EACHEA), taking place from 9th to 11th September 2025 in Kampala, Uganda. The high-level event is accompanied by a mini-exhibition showcasing Higher Education Regulatory Institutions from all East African Community (EAC) Partner States.
The conference was officially opened today by the President of the Republic of Uganda, H.E. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, under the theme “Promoting Regional Integration through Harmonised Higher Education Systems for Sustainable Development in East Africa.”
This milestone gathering has brought together Ministers responsible for Higher Education from EAC Partner States, policymakers, regulators, and representatives of higher education institutions. It represents a historic opportunity to reaffirm political commitment and strengthen cooperation in the development of a harmonised higher education framework across the region.
Deliberations are focused on accelerating the implementation of regional mechanisms that enhance quality assurance, harmonisation of standards, and mutual recognition of academic and professional qualifications. These measures are considered essential for advancing student mobility, academic exchanges, and fostering an integrated, knowledge-based economy in East Africa.
Representing Tanzania at the conference are Prof. Daniel Mushi, Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology responsible for Science, Technology, and Higher Education, attending on behalf of the Minister of Education, Science and Technology, and Dr. Mwanakhamis Adam Ameir, Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training, Zanzibar, representing the Minister of Education and Vocational Training – Zanzibar.
In addition, TCU is participating as one of the key organisers of the conference, alongside several leaders from Tanzanian higher education institutions.
The three-day conference has been jointly organised by the Forum of Heads of Higher Education Regulatory Institutions and the Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUCEA). Its primary objective is to review progress in facilitating the free movement of students and academics across borders, strengthening skills and talent development, and aligning higher education systems with the region’s development agenda.
These discussions directly contribute to the implementation of the East African Community’s Common Market Protocol, which promotes the free movement of goods, services, capital, labour, and persons across the region. Harmonised higher education systems are regarded as a key enabler of this vision, particularly in equipping graduates with the skills necessary for sustainable socio-economic transformation.
By convening policymakers, regulators, and academic leaders, the conference is expected to produce concrete recommendations that will advance regional integration through higher education. The outcomes are anticipated to lay a solid foundation for building a competitive, inclusive, and sustainable East African Higher Education Area.
