UDSM and Nasarawa State University Forge Strategic Alliance to Strengthen African Academic Integration
By Renancy Remmy, CMU
The University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) and Nasarawa State University Keffi (NSUK) have taken a significant step toward deepening Africa-to-Africa academic collaboration, following high-level strategic engagements aimed at formalising a comprehensive inter-university partnership.
The discussions, held between senior leadership of both institutions in Dar es Salaam recently, focused on building a structured framework for collaboration in joint research, postgraduate co-supervision, staff and student mobility, curriculum development, and collaborative innovation programmes.
At the core of the engagement was a shared commitment to leveraging complementary institutional strengths to address Africa’s pressing development challenges through knowledge production, policy engagement, and human capital development.
The UDSM delegation was led by Vice Chancellor Prof. William A. L. Anangisye, accompanied by Deputy Vice Chancellor for Research Prof. Boniface Nelson and Director of Internationalization, Convocation and Advancement Dr. Augustina Alexander.
They engaged with NSUK leadership led by the Chairperson of Council, Hon. Prof. Attahiru Muhammadu Jega, Vice Chancellor Prof. Sa’adatu Hassan Liman, and Deputy Vice Chancellor for Research Prof. Nghargbu K’tso.
Speaking during the meeting, Prof. Jega underscored the strategic importance of direct university-to-university cooperation in advancing Africa’s development agenda.
“Africa’s transformation will be driven by strong universities working collaboratively across borders. Partnerships such as this enable shared research, evidence-based policy engagement, and knowledge production that responds directly to our continent’s realities,” he noted.
Echoing this vision, Prof. Anangisye emphasised that the partnership reflects UDSM’s deliberate investment in strengthening continental academic integration.
“Our internationalization strategy places Africa at the centre. By partnering with NSUK, we are reinforcing an integrated African academic space, one that produces knowledge for the continent, by African institutions, and for African solutions”, he stated.
Mutual institutional growth and shared impact
Prof. Liman described the collaboration as a platform for mutual institutional growth and shared impact.
“This partnership provides an opportunity to co-create research, strengthen mobility programmes, and expand our collective academic footprint across the continent,” she said.
Both universities agreed to formalise the engagement through a Memorandum of Understanding that will operationalise joint research initiatives, collaborative grant applications, postgraduate training partnerships, and academic exchange programmes. The framework will also promote joint publications and structured research dissemination aimed at influencing policy and practice.
Dr. Augustina Alexander highlighted that the engagement advances UDSM’s strategic internationalization objectives by prioritising impactful, sustainable partnerships within Africa.
This emerging alliance signals a deliberate shift toward stronger South–South academic cooperation, positioning UDSM and NSUK as key contributors to the consolidation of a dynamic and integrated African higher education space – where collaboration, rather than competition, drives continental progress.