The SUSIE project revamped pedagogy in three Tanzanian universities. The idea behind the project is that innovations must be developed locally, and universities should open up to communities, allowing students to acquire work-life skills.

IIRIS
Photo: IIRIS

Today, Tanzanian students in three higher education institutions work very differently than before. They venture into the surrounding community to identify problems, which they then seek to solve in new hubs.

“They create small projects to solve problems,” says Getrude Ntulo, the country coordinator for the recently concluded SUSIE project. She works at Dar es Salaam Tumaini University (DarTU).

One student project explored methods to prevent monkeys and other wildlife from invading rice fields, with the animals traditionally having to be driven away manually with sticks and noise.

“The students developed a system where laser beams detect animals entering the fields at night, and the device turns on lights that scare away the animals,” Ntulo explains.

At another project university, students studied the problems faced by micro-entrepreneurs and ended up developing their online and social media marketing, clearer product labelling and even establishing a micro-loan initiative. As a result of the projects, students gain new work-life skills: networking, negotiation, communication and business skills.

Innovations Where the Problems Are

The SUSIE project aimed to foster this kind of innovation, says Ritva Hyttinen from Turku University of Applied Sciences.

What was important was that the innovations were not developed in some European laboratory and then brought to Tanzania to solve problems; rather, the solutions were found locally in Tanzania.

Hyttinen explains that integrating professional life into university was another crucial concept. When students solve real-world work problems, bridges are also built between studies and working life. Sometimes local companies are brought into the hubs to coach students.

“Opening up universities and building networks has been an important task for us,” says Hyttinen.

A More Motivating Way of Teaching

The SUSIE project was a continuation of the previous IRIS project, which also received HEI-ICI funding. In that project, a new pedagogy was developed for Dar es Salaam Tumaini University, and that has now been expanded to two other universities: Moshi Co-operative University and Mwenge Catholic University.

“The goal has been a comprehensive change in mindset,” Hyttinen says.

Getrude Ntulo explains that the IRIS project already created a “Fin-Tan model” combining Finnish and Tanzanian teaching cultures. This model, now widely popular, focuses on active, student-centred pedagogy that takes into account the surrounding society and its needs. Entrepreneurship and an entrepreneurial mindset are also key components of the model.

“I am very proud that this thinking has now been expanded to other universities,” Ntulo says.

“In traditional teaching, the teacher assumes they know everything, and the students’ job is just to copy the teacher’s words,” she adds with a laugh.

With the new teaching method, students are more motivated, they learn better and they also gain self-confidence.

“Some students may be very shy, but when they get to work on projects with communities, they open up more and realise they are capable of solving problems.”

Young students training to become teachers at Mwenge Catholic University also implemented a project where they introduced modern teaching methods to local primary schools.

“With these kinds of projects, communities also see that universities and students are beneficial to them.”

Leadership Training for University Leaders

The project also provided leadership training for university leaders. According to Ritva Hyttinen, the training exceeded expectations: the course could have been short and modest, but it ended up lasting almost a year and became quite popular.

The course covered topics such as strategic leadership skills, communication, administration, active pedagogy and opening universities to communities.

“There was a lot of experience-sharing in the course,” Getrude Ntulo says.

Participants shared experiences about, for example, developing the university’s strategy or other change processes.

“They learned from each other.”

The Same Model for the Entire Country

Getrude Ntulo says that although the SUSIE project has ended, much of it remains alive. Teaching methods have permanently changed, and the hubs are there to stay. Leadership has also improved following the leadership training. The digital learning environments created during the project are still in use.

“We recently renewed the university’s 10-year strategy, and it essentially follows the active pedagogy of the Fin-Tan model, even though the term itself isn’t used,” Ntulo says.

Active and competence-based pedagogy is also at the centre of the current process of updating curricula for all educational levels in Tanzania.

“Competence-based curricula are being developed for all levels, meaning that in the future, innovative teaching will be implemented at all levels.”

 

Text: Esa Salminen