Overview

According to the African Development Bank’s Country Strategy Paper 2016‐2020, African countries such as Tanzania have embraced international commitments aimed at ensuring green growth and promoting conservation and sustainable use of the natural resources.

However, although the Tanzanian ministerial 5‐year National Development Plan (2016‐2020) places emphasis on several interventions to protect biodiversity, the National Biodiversity Strategy of Tanzania (2015) identifies in the lack of research capacity and knowledge dissemination the main challenges facing biodiversity conservation in the country. In particular, capacity building is required to improve curricula and integrate appropriate biodiversity knowledge. Inadequate funding and capacities for biodiversity research and institutional capacity are clear barriers to the successful implementation of initiatives to halt biodiversity loss.

In this scenario, the CONTAN project aims to boost the capacities of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in Tanzania to deliver in their teaching up-to-date knowledge on biodiversity assessment and conservation by building a strong collaboration between a network of leading Universities and natural science museums in the EU and relevant leading HEIs in Tanzania. This is expected to result into a more qualified generation of professionals with greater access to relevant job positions.

The CONTAN project addresses two relevant priorities set by the Programme for the ACP countries, namely:

• Curriculum Development (Category 1), as it will contribute to improve the quality of education and training, hence the scientific offer of partner HEIs, by updating existing curricula in the field of ENVIRONMENT, in response to the emerging global challenges related to biodiversity conservation. This will be achieved through the introduction of innovative learning and teaching tools, including ICT‐based practices
• Knowledge Triangle, Innovation (Category 3), by involving professionals from protected areas and other relevant agencies to contribute reinforcing linkages between education, research and the business sector. The goal is to facilitate the adoption and diffusion of biodiversity monitoring techniques and to build long lasting cooperation between HEI’s and relevant Government agencies and NGOs. This too adheres to the Bologna process, whereby employability of graduates has been an important focus all along

The CONTAN project and its results will contribute to the objectives primarily by supporting the modernization, accessibility and internationalization of the HE field in the partner country and supporting the partner country itself to address the challenges facing its HEIs and systems, including those of quality and relevance.

It will as well promote cooperation between the EU and the partner country and assist the partner country in terms of finance and teaching resources for effective delivery of the e-learning and field training.

E-learning will be formally integrated into current curricula, amplifying accessibility and promoting inclusion and equity of access by a broad target of students well beyond those directly involved during project implementation.

In line with Targets of the Sustainable Development Goals (in particular Goal n.5, promoting gender equality and women empowerment), HEIs are striving to strengthen female representation among enrolled students, that has recently increased in Tanzania reaching an average of 30-35% on the total of enrolled students. The project will support these intentions by setting targets of gender balance and ensure that at least 40% of target students are women.