IIT Madras Opens First International Campus in Zanzibar, Africa
The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras has recently inaugurated its first international campus in Zanzibar, Africa. The campus kicked off its academic programs with the first batch of courses in Bachelor of Science (BS) and MTech programs. In the upcoming year, more academic programs will be introduced.
The inaugural batch at IITM Zanzibar consists of students from Zanzibar, mainland Tanzania, Nepal, and India, with 40 percent of the students being women. A total of 45 students have been admitted for a four-year Bachelor of Science degree in Data Science and AI, as well as a two-year Master of Technology degree in Data Science and AI.
The campus was officially inaugurated by His Excellency Dr. Hussein Ali Mwinyi, President of Zanzibar and Chairman of the Revolutionary Council, in the presence of Tanzanian officials, Indian dignitaries, faculty, and students.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by various notable figures, including Prof Adolf F Mkenda, Minister of Education Science and Technology of the United Republic of Tanzania, Hon Binaya Srikanta Pradhan, High Commissioner of India to the United Republic of Tanzania, Lela Mohamed Mussa, Minister of Education and Vocational Training of Zanzibar, Prof M S Ananth and Prof Bhaskar Ramamurthi, former Directors of IIT Madras, Prof Preeti Aghalayam, Dean of School of Engineering and Science, and Director-in-charge of the Zanzibar campus, IIT Madras, as well as faculty, students, staff, and others.
The establishment of the Zanzibar campus aligns with the Indian government’s objective of extending the high-quality education system of India to international platforms. The campus is located in the Bweleo district, approximately 15 km south of Zanzibar town, and is equipped with modern amenities to cater to the students’ needs. A permanent campus will be constructed in collaboration with the Government of Zanzibar and the Government of India.
The campus is designed to provide dormitory accommodation for students, along with facilities such as offices, classrooms, auditoriums, dining areas, and a dispensary. The institute also has plans to develop sports facilities.
V Kamakoti, director of IIT Madras, expressed his enthusiasm about the initiative, stating that the programs at IIT Madras Zanzibar are open to students of all nationalities, including Indians. In addition to a comprehensive curriculum in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, students will have access to various opportunities during their studies. These include study abroad and semester exchange programs with IIT Madras’ partner institutions in countries like the UK and Australia, internships with relevant companies, and the chance to fulfill course requirements at the IIT Madras campus in Chennai, India. The first academic year’s classes commenced in October 2023.
Overall, the opening of IIT Madras’ international campus in Zanzibar marks a significant step towards providing quality education on a global scale and fostering academic collaborations between India and Africa.
