The future is looking bright in Tanzania, a country renowned for its natural beauty and human legacy stretching back millions of years. Located in Eastern Africa and bordering the Indian Ocean between Kenya and Mozambique, Tanzania is comprised of the mainland of Tanganyika and the island archipelago of Zanzibar. Students studying abroad in Tanzania will be intrigued by the cultural and ecological diversity of this country, where the traditions of dozens of ethnic groups blend with an emerging sense of modernity.

The country views higher education as integral to national development, with the goal of producing a skilled workforce and a competitive economy. Higher education in Tanzania continues to develop, with new universities opening and existing institutions increasing their student intake. Tanzanian higher education emphasizes gender equity and much progress has recently been made in this area.

Children in Tanzania are taught English as a second language, and higher education classes are conducted in English. Although Swahili serves as a common language for most Tanzanians, English-speaking students who study abroad in Tanzania do not have to master Swahili in order to get by in the country.

The city of Dar es Salaam is the historic capital of the country, although the National Assembly moved to Dodoma in 1996. Dar es Salaam, known as the "Haven of Peace," is a modern harbor city of more than two million featuring bustling markets and tree-lined avenues. It is Tanzania's center of commerce, economics and education.

Established in 1970, the University of Dar es Salaam is Tanzania's largest and oldest university. Students interested in exploring geology and African studies will find excellent programs here. The Ngorongoro Crater and Conservation Area is a must for visitors and especially geology students, who can investigate the 12-mile-wide extinct volcano. Students of anthropology and the sciences will enjoy a visit to the Olduvai Gorge, the site where Louis and Mary Leakey discovered the fossils and artifacts that date human habitation of Tanzania back nearly two million years.

Wildlife and conservation students will find a haven in Tanzania, as well as an excellent program at the University of Dar Es Salaam. One of the essential ways to experience Tanzania is to visit the famous Serengeti National Park, where the largest wildlife migration in the world unfolds twice each year, composed of native wildebeest herds, giraffes, lions and cheetahs.

The 21,235-square-mile Selous Game Reserve, which features hippos, elephants, zebras, lions and the rare African wild dog, will fascinate students who come to Tanzania to focus on wildlife, conservation or ecology. Tanzanians are extremely proud of their country's natural bounty, and the Jozani Forest on Zanzibar is a prime example. This untouched rainforest provides a home to many bird species, as well as the Red Colobus monkey and the Duiker antelope.

In addition to being a haven for zoology and biology students, in recent years, Tanzania has recognized a need to enhance its capacities in the other sciences and technology, and a plan to develop those fields through 2025 is currently in its early stages.

Students can also study at Zanzibar University, located on the archipelago comprised of Zanzibar, the Pemba Islands and numerous inlets in the Indian Ocean, 25 miles from the mainland. Students interested in religious studies can learn about the role of Islamic law, or Sharia, in Tanzanian society. Sharia offers guidelines for everything from eating and sleeping to politics and government.

In Zanzibar, students can also learn about Tanzania's many indigenous cultures and history. Stone Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home of richly decorated Arab-style dwellings, is in the old city portion of the island.

Tanzania's economy has seen an upturn in recent years, and is poised for a period of growth under the recently elected President Jakaya Kikwete. Mzumbe University offers a strong economic planning and policy program in which students can discover the atmosphere of reform in the country. They will investigate how African, Arabian, European and Indian interests have shaped the economy of Tanzania.

Whether or not they make it to the Serengeti, students in Tanzania will experience a safari, the Swahili word for "journey." While out of the classroom they can visit the tropical beaches of Zanzibar, or Mt. Kilimanjaro National Park (which boasts the highest peak on the continent), or they can catch one of many indigenous performances. Music and dance are paramount in Tanzanian culture. The traditional music of Zanzibar is known as "ngoma," and Tanzania's many ethnic groups practice a wealth of traditional and modern dance styles.

Students in Tanzania will be exposed to vast cultural diversity, whether they encounter the ancient Masaai tribes or the Makonde people who are so famous for their ornately carved ebony masks and figurines. Tanzania offers students the opportunity for solid university instruction, and the experience of living in a transitional society that is at once ancient and focused on the future.

Resources -

IIEPassport: http://www.iiepassport.org
Tanzanian Government: http://www.tanzania.go.tz/government/
Ministry of Science, Technology and Higher Education: http://www.tanzania.go.tz/science.htm
Tourism: http://www.tzonline.org/utalii.htm
Open University of Tanzania: http://www.out.ac.tz/
Mount Meru University: http://www.mmu.ac.tz/
Benjamin A. Gilman International Schoarship Program: http://www.iie.org/gilman/
National Security Education Program: http://www.www.iie.org/NSEP/

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