Tanzania is seeking a deeper partnership with South Korea’s Hanyang University ERICA to strengthen digital skills, research and innovation as the country prepares its workforce for a technology-driven economy.
The proposed cooperation could open opportunities for student exchanges, lecturer training, joint research and the development of technology laboratories, with artificial intelligence (AI), data science, robotics and cybersecurity among the areas being considered.
The proposals were discussed during a visit by Finance Minister Khamis Mussa Omar to Hanyang University ERICA in Seoul, where he was accompanied by Minister for Communication and Information Technology Angellah Kairuki.
The visit took place on the sidelines of the Korea-Africa Economic Cooperation (KOAFEC) Ministerial Conference.
Ms Kairuki said Tanzania needed to turn its growing relationship with South Korea into practical programmes that could improve skills and support innovation.
She said AI and digital transformation were becoming central to Tanzania’s development ambitions, particularly as the country seeks to equip young people with skills required by a changing economy.
“AI and digital transformation are key pillars of Tanzania’s development,” she said, highlighting the need to strengthen youth skills, data infrastructure and innovation systems under the country’s Development Vision 2050.
The minister proposed nine areas of cooperation, including the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU), student exchanges, lecturer training and joint research.
A major proposal is the establishment of a Korea-Tanzania Digital Innovation Lab, which could provide a platform for research, technology development and collaboration between Tanzanian and South Korean institutions.
Ms Kairuki said Tanzania wanted the proposed partnership to produce tangible results rather than remain at the level of agreements.
She cited skills training, laboratory development and the creation of startups as some of the areas where results could be seen.
The minister also invited Hanyang ERICA Vice President Baek Dong-hyun and his delegation to visit Dodoma, Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar to explore investment and other opportunities available in Tanzania.
Prof Baek said the proposals were important and could provide a basis for stronger cooperation between the university and Tanzania.
He said some of the initiatives could be implemented relatively easily because the South Korean government had already set aside funds for cooperation with Tanzania.
He said the university would study the proposals and identify practical ways of implementing them.
Hanyang ERICA has built expertise in areas including AI, data science, robotics, cybersecurity and semiconductors, while maintaining close links with industry.
Its Industry-Coupled Problem-Based Learning (ICPBL) model is designed to connect university education with real-world industry challenges.
For Tanzania, such an approach could help address the gap between university training and the skills demanded by employers, particularly in technology and other emerging sectors.
The proposed cooperation also comes at a time when Tanzania is seeking to expand its digital economy and increase opportunities for young people through technology, innovation and entrepreneurship.
Mr Omar thanked the university for its engagement and reaffirmed Tanzania’s interest in strengthening the partnership.
The next challenge will be to translate the proposals into programmes that can deliver skills, research capacity and business opportunities for Tanzanians.