The implementation of higher education cooperatlioin in the new East African Community: a case of Tanzania

This study investigated the need for implementing higher education cooperation in the EAC, particularly the mobility of students in universities for human resource development. The study also examined the cruciality of improving science and technology through Higher Education Cooperation. Purposive sampling was used to select population and documents to be studied. The research population comprised of some officials from the Ministry of East African Cooperation and the Ministry of Science, Technology and Higher Education. Others were some officials from the UDSM and individual stakeholders in the new EAC. The study showed that there are insufficient strategies and efforts on implementing higher education cooperation in the EAC, due to the following reasons. First, differences in education systems, second, lack of reliable funding programmes, third, poor strategies such as such as unreliable exchange programme for students in EAC Universities and poor awareness concerning the existence of the mobility of students in his EA Universities. The study suggested that new strategies should be made to improve mobility of students in the EAC. For example;- to have similarities in education systems and increasing awareness to individual's citizens about higher education cooperation. Another one include commitment of individual states on higher education matters like introducing regional funding programmes as it is in the EU, without depending grants and loans from developed countries.