Chennai: The Indian Institute of Technology Madras recently set up an international campus in Tanzania’s Zanzibar, making it the first Indian Institute of Technology with a campus outside the nation. India and the East African nation signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Monday.
The Zanzibar Campus of IIT Madras will be located in Zanzibar Island, off the East African mainland, and is a part of the Tanzanian Republic. The campus was inaugurated by Hussein Ali Mwinyi, President of Zanzibar and Chairman of the Revolutionary Council, attended by Tanzanian officials, Indian dignitaries, faculty and students.
This move comes as a part of the Indian government’s initiative to impart India’s top-quality education system into international arenas. The existing campus in the Bweleo district, 15 kms south of Zanzibar Town, is designed to cater to the current needs of students, with international amenities.
The Government of Zanzibar and the Government of India are jointly building the permanent campus, which will be completed soon. The Institute will initially offer BS and MTech programmes in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, adding more programmes in the coming year.
IITM Zanzibar campus has already admitted students from Tanzania, Nepal and India, out of which 40 per cent are women.
Students will be provided with dormitories and other facilities on the campus. Offices, classrooms and auditoriums have already been prepared with dining facilities and a dispensary available on campus. A sports facility is currently being planned.
Students of all nationalities can enrol at IIT Zanzibar. They will also have the opportunity to opt for a semester exchange programme with institutions that have partnered with IIT Madras’ in the UK and Australia.
Internships that are relevant to the course will also be provided to the students with various companies, along with a chance to complete a few of the course requirements in the IIT Madras main campus in Chennai.
In October 2023, IITM Zanzibar commenced its classes for the first Academic Year of 2023-24.
V Kamakoti, Director of IIT Madras, said, “Today, as we inaugurate the IIT Madras Zanzibar Campus, we embark on a journey of knowledge and innovation that transcends borders. Together, we will nurture excellence, foster collaboration and inspire generations to dream beyond horizons.”
The campus’s inaugural semester saw students from nations such as Zanzibar, India, Nepal, and mainland Tanzania. A total of 45 students have enrolled in two distinct programs: a four-year Bachelor of Science degree in Data Science and AI and a two-year Master of Technology degree in Data Science and AI.
Preeti Aghalayam, Dean of the School of Engineering and Science and Director-in-charge, Zanzibar campus, the first ever woman to be an IIT director, said, “It has been an honour to bring IITM’s academic excellence to this beautiful island of Zanzibar. We have started on such a wonderful and positive note with a lovely campus and amazing students. We are grateful to President Mwinyi for the faith reposed in us and look forward to scaling great heights at IITM Zanzibar.”
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