A group of academics from the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) are visiting the University of Aberdeen as part of a European Union project to develop Tanzania's oil and gas sector.
Both universities have been awarded two million euros in EU funding to help develop higher education in Tanzania and create a sustainable oil and gas sector in the East African country, which is home to significant reserves.
The eight-strong group of academics from UDSM are spending two weeks at the University, where they will be based at the Business School, the Law School and the School of Engineering, depending on their area of expertise.
Kathy Fowler, who is coordinating the programme for the University of Aberdeen, said: “We are delighted to welcome our UDSM colleagues to Aberdeen, where they will spend the week learning about our approach to teaching and research in energy-related disciplines, including our partnerships with industry.
"There are significant gas reserves in Tanzania, and the Tanzanian government wants to develop its home-grown expertise in order to develop a sustainable oil and gas industry and establish the country as a major energy influence in the region.
“The EU’s decision to select us for this important project is testament to the expertise that we have here at the University of Aberdeen, and we are proud to be playing an important role in building capacity in Tanzania’s energy industry alongside our partners at UDSM.”
Professor John Paterson, Vice Principal for Internationalisation at the University of Aberdeen, said: “Internationalisation is a key part of the University’s strategy, and this project is a perfect fit to our expertise and experience of 50 years of the North Sea energy industry.
“I am delighted that we are working with academic colleagues and students at the University of Dar es Salaam to help Tanzania develop a sustainable oil and gas sector that will benefit the country and its people.
“The University is committed to supporting the development of research, teaching and business networks in Africa, and this project underlines that ambition.”