VP Mpango challenges personal secretaries to embrace technology, ethics at TAPSEA conference

Over 50 UDSM delegates join national efforts to strengthen administrative professionalism and institutional growth

By Joyce Mgimbe, CMU

Arusha, Tanzania — The Vice President of the United Republic of Tanzania, Dr. Philip Isdor Mpango, has called upon personal secretaries across the country to adopt emerging technologies and commit to continuous professional development as a means of enhancing both personal and institutional performance.

Officiating the 12th Annual Conference of the Tanzania Personal Secretaries Association (TAPSEA) at Ngurdoto Mountain Lodge in Arusha, Dr. Mpango—representing Her Excellency President Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan—delivered a powerful message that highlighted the critical role administrative professionals play in the country’s governance and service delivery.

“Let us not lag behind in a world of fast-paced digital transformation,” urged Dr. Mpango. “Investing in your professional development is not just for personal gain, but for the broader goal of national progress.” He also stressed the importance of upholding professional ethics, engaging citizens responsibly, and aligning training curricula with modern demands.

The conference, themed around innovation and professionalism in the administrative field, drew participants from both public and private sectors. Significantly, the University of Dar es Salaam made a bold statement of its dedication to human capital and institutional excellence by sending a delegation of over 50 representatives to the event.

Speaking on the sidelines, UDSM representatives expressed the institution’s enduring commitment to nurturing a highly skilled administrative workforce as a pillar of national development. Their participation underscored the University’s strategic vision of fostering professional standards in Tanzania’s public service.

Dr. Mpango concluded by encouraging all attendees to translate the insights gained from the conference into practical outcomes: “Embrace this conference by using the knowledge gained for the betterment of our nation.”

The TAPSEA Annual Conference continues to serve as a vital platform for skill enhancement, networking, and setting the national agenda for administrative excellence.

 Broadening professional knowledge, competencies 

Ms. Hilda Kinanga, UDSM’s Director of Human Resource Management and Administration, applauded the University’s participants and reiterated the strategic relevance of such engagements. 

“UDSM’s participation in this conference will significantly contribute to broadening professional knowledge, enhancing job-related competencies, and improving psychological well-being, factors that ultimately drive productivity and institutional value,” she stated.

Ms. Kinanga further emphasised UDSM’s institutional drive to increase participation in professional forums and training opportunities across all staff categories. 

“We are doing all we can to ensure a significant number of our staff access such platforms for continued professional development,” she affirmed.

Reflecting on the broader institutional gains, Ms. Kinanga underscored that knowledge and best practices gained at the conference will improve office operations, record-keeping, and administrative efficiency at UDSM. 

“Exposure to innovative technologies positions staff to actively support the University’s ongoing digital transformation agenda, enhancing our operational efficiency and service delivery”, she added.

Insights from participants

Reflecting on her engagement at the conference, Ms. Gloria Chiwaligo—UDSM’s delegate—described the experience as transformational. “My participation expanded my professional knowledge and reignited my commitment to institutional service. I return with renewed energy, purpose, and actionable insights”.

The conference equipped participants with competencies in modern ICT tools for office management, reinforced the importance of confidentiality and ethical conduct, and exposed them to inter-institutional learning experiences. These interactions fostered innovation, collaboration, and proactive engagement, catalysing personal and institutional transformation.

One participant from the College of Engineering and Technology (CoET) observed, “It is commendable to see a higher learning institution like UDSM sending its staff to national platforms. This indicates the University's commitment to professional excellence and public service delivery.”

Ms. Halima Mburilo, Chairperson of the UDSM Secretarial Staff Club, stated, “We are proud of our colleague’s participation at the TAPSEA conference. This marks a strategic step in strengthening the secretarial cadre at the University. We urge the management to upscale participation in such capacity-building opportunities”.

Through its participation in the 12th TAPSEA Annual Conference, the University of Dar es Salaam has again demonstrated its prioritisation of professional development, operational excellence, and national alignment. 

This initiative underscores UDSM’s unwavering commitment to nurturing a high-performing workforce and institutional excellence, aligned with its mission to be a centre of academic and administrative excellence within the country and beyond.