Tanzania’s higher education institutions have continued to score poorly in international major ranking surveys, with stakeholders noting financial limitations and a lack of publications in globally recognized journals as some of the main reasons.
The University of Dar es Salaam, at number 42 in a recent Webometrics Ranking of World Universities study, is the only local university to make it into the top 50 finest universities in Africa.
Tanzania has three institutions in the top 100: the University of Dar es Salaam (number 42), Sokoine University of Agriculture (number 51), and Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (number 100). (position 91).
The University of Nairobi is rated 13th in East Africa, followed by Makerere University in 14th place, and the University of Dar es Salaam in 42nd place.
Yesterday, the disparity between the institutions had stakeholders scratching their heads, unsure of what was causing it.
Tanzania has three institutions in the top 100, Kenya has six, and Uganda has two, according to the July webometrics survey.
Ranking universities is considered one of the most recent advances in quality assurance procedures in the effort to compare universities on a national, regional, continental, or worldwide level.
Despite many universities’ dissatisfaction with the ranking outcomes, especially in Africa, institutions have privately aspired to enhance their worldwide ranks.
Dr. Simboja, on the other hand, believes that a lack of internet presence and exposure is one of the reasons Tanzanian institutions have continuously failed in international rankings.
Global agencies, she added, evaluate institutions based on the amount of their web-based content, as well as the exposure and effect of their publications.
However, Prof William Anangisye, Vice-Chancellor of the Institution of Dar es Salaam, said that his university was dissatisfied with the position and that they were working to upgrade their status so that they could assume the position that they really deserved.
“In terms of increasing our online profile, we’ve formed a management team dedicated only to IT issues; we now have a director in charge of this, which includes making sure we’re more visible,” he said.
He said that they have been encouraging their employees to write in foreign journals, which has resulted in the institution allocating more than Sh2 billion for research.
