TOFI delegation trip to the partner university Institute of Finance Management (IFM), Tanzania

From 5 to 8 March, an important delegation trip took place from Bonn-Rhein-Sieg University of Applied Sciences to the Institute of Finance Management (IFM) in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The trip was led by Prof. Dr Jürgen Bode, Vice President for Internationalisation and Diversity.

Members of the delegation were Dr Wang Yi (Head of the International Office), Paulina Hinz (Coordinator for Partnerships and Cooperation in the International Office), Christine Freitag (Research Associate in Department 01), Dr Barbara Hillen (Equal Opportunities Officer), Prof. Dr Rainer Herpers (Academic Director of the Graduate Institute and Professor in Department 02 Computer Science), Prof. Dr Kerstin Rosenow-Williams (Professor of Social Sustainability in Department 06), Prof. Dr Tanja Köhler (Professor of Digital Journalism and Audiovisual Media in Department 03), Prof. Dr Kerstin Rosenow-Williams (Professor of Social Sustainability in Faculty 06), Prof. Dr Tanja Köhler (Professor of Digital Journalism and Audiovisual Media in Faculty 03), Brian Mathebula (Programme Coordinator for the Master's in Social Protection) and Ogehenekome Umerri (Head of the ART4Dev project). The trip was organised as part of the TOFI project. The IFM is one of the selected partner universities of the TOFI project and has a long history of cooperation, particularly in the area of the Social Protection degree programme, which is now to be further developed in terms of depth and breadth.

Dr John Kingu (left), Dr Faraja T Igira (centre) and Prof. Dr Jürgen Bode (right) welcoming the delegation to the IFM

The trip offered a fascinating insight into the university context in Tanzania. During the visit, discussions took place at management level between Prof Dr Jürgen Bode and Dr Faraja T Igira, Deputy Rector for Academic, Research and Advisory Services at the IFM. The aim was to introduce the universities to each other and explore potential similarities.

In addition, a variety of discussions were held between the representatives of the departments and the IFM contact persons. In addition to maintaining existing relationships, new contacts were made and joint projects were identified that will further strengthen cooperation between the two universities in the future. New ideas and projects for cooperation were discussed, including the organisation of joint events, the exchange of students and staff and the development of a new Master's degree programme at the IFM, supported by the H-BRS.

The delegation participants in front of the National Museum of Tanzania

The delegation also gained exciting insights into Tanzania's rich history and the country's cultural diversity. A visit to the National Museum offered the opportunity to learn more about the country's heritage. A crash course in Kiswahili was also offered, led by Dr Michael Noel Sam from the IFM.

Dar es Salaam, an impressive harbour city, impressed the delegation with its cultural diversity and friendly people. The culinary offerings and the breathtaking sunsets by the sea left a lasting impression.

The visit to the German Embassy in Dar es Salaam, where the delegation was received by Deputy Ambassador Dr Kathrin Steinbrenner, deepened the understanding of cooperation between Germany and Tanzania. Particular attention was paid to the potential in the field of information technology.

Brian Mathebula (third from left) during a panel discussion

A workshop organised as part of the joint DAAD project ART4Dev (Applied Research and Teaching for Sustainable Development in Africa) enabled participants to discuss social security issues in Tanzania with various interest groups. In addition to Bonn-Rhein-Sieg University of Applied Sciences, representatives from the UN, the Worker Compensation Fund and the Institute of Finance Management in Tanzania were also involved.