Press Release

Students Loan Board Official Returns from U.S. Dialogue about Shared Challenges in Higher Education

November 20, 2008

The U.S. Mission in Dar es Salaam sent Mr. Firmat Tarimo, Assistant Director of Legal Affairs, Higher Education Students’ Loan, to participate in a study tour in the United States on Contemporary Challenges in Higher Education October 30-November 20, 2008.

According to the U.S. Embassy spokesperson, Jeffery A. Salaiz, Mr. Tarimo examined the U.S. system of higher education, its structure, administration, and support services. He explored the changing relationship between colleges and universities and government, the business community, and the nonprofit sector; and he engaged in a dialogue about shared challenges among educators and administrators of higher education.

Tarimo joined participants from Angola, Brazil, Egypt, Eritrea, Estonia, Gaza, Guatemala, India, Lithuania, Macedonia, Mexico, Nigeria, Oman, China, Russia, Slovak Republic, Turkey, Uzbekistan, and the West Bank. They began their programme in Washington, D.C., with an academic overview of higher education in the U.S. from historical and contemporary perspectives, and current challenges in university administration. They also met with officials from the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Congress.

The group met with officials from the American Association for Higher Education and Accreditation (AAHEA) and learned some strategies used to overcome current challenges in higher education for both institutions and stakeholders. Mr. Tarimo and other participants also met with representatives of the American Council on Education (ACE) regarding their policy advocacy work to protect the interests of higher education stakeholders, and they also met with the Association of American State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) and discussed the importance of public universities in the field of higher education.

Due to the timing of the visit, Tarimo was invited to view the general election results on the campus of George Washington University with several students from the Graduate School of Political Management, as well as with other political students associations who provided on-going commentary and analysis of the election results.

Tarimo and other participants also went to Chicago, Illinois (hometown of President-Elect Obama) where they met with staff of the office of the Provost and other centers at the University of Chicago, one of the top ten universities in the United States. The participants also visited the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship at the Graduate School of Business to learn about the administration of an MBA program; Illinois Institute of Technology (ITT) to discuss research in a university setting and how the research can contribute to the economic development of the community and the region; and Northwestern University to explore both the issues of accessibility for students and accessibility of information.

After Chicago, the group traveled to Portland, Oregon, where they spent a day at Portland State University and learned about a state-funded university and explored the financing and administration of the university and the university system.

Tarimo then traveled in a smaller group to Atlanta, Georgia, to learn more about historically black colleges and universities, community colleges and distance learning opportunities; athletics programs, recruitment and income; financing secondary education and student aid.

The entire group met again in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where they learned about Middle States association of schools and colleges; student and faculty administration; cooperation between the university and private sector, and community organizations. They visited women’s college high school education counseling, and had panel discussion about higher education abroad.

This programme was funded by the American people and is part of overall U.S. direct and multilateral assistance to Tanzania of more than 750 billion Tanzanian shillings in fiscal year 2008.

Due to the ongoing situation at the many institutions of higher education in Dar es Salaam and elsewhere in Tanzania, the U.S. Embassy will be holding a forum to recount Tarimo's observations from his trip to the U.S. and discuss issues of concern that several Tanzanian students, faculty, and administrators, may have at the moment.