Exploring the Potential Success of the IIT Madras Zanzibar Campus: A Strategic Move or a Risky Gamble?
The establishment of the IITM Zanzibar campus is a bold move that has the potential to be a strategic success. However, there are also risks involved, and it is too early to say whether the campus will be a success or a failure. In this article, I will share my personal opinions based on my understanding of the market and IITM’s positioning.
First, who is IITM, and why should we care about their Zanzibar campus establishment?
IITM is the Indian Institute of Technology Madras, one of the most prestigious higher learning institutes in India. IIT Madras is headquartered in Chennai, the state capital of Tamilnadu, a southern state in India formerly known as Madras.
The institute is a renowned member of the IITs, India’s elite technology training institutions that have produced a line of global tech CEOs. The Institute bears the laureate title of being the #1 engineering university in India, and recently, IIT Madras has been given the title of Institute of Eminence, a scheme launched by the Government of India to empower higher educational institutions and help them become world-class teaching and research institutions.
Considering the fact that East Africa is a growing market with a young population, the establishment of the IIT Madras campus in Zanzibar will provide students in the region with access to world-class education and training, which could help boost economic development, create opportunities for young people in East Africa, and enhance the IIT brand in East Africa.
With more than 10,000 students from Africa going to India for studies almost every year and more African students looking for opportunities to study abroad, the move is strategic because it will allow IITM to tap into the growing demand for quality education in East Africa, and its presence in Zanzibar will make it more accessible to students in the region.
In today’s data driven world, it is essential for startups and companies to build data driven i.e AI and Data Science powered solutions. And one of the challenges that hinders Tanzanian startups and companies from tapping into the potential of AI and Data Science to build and scale impactful data driven solutions is talent. If the government of Tanzania is serious about empowering local companies and especially startups to tap in the potential of AI and Data Science it should highly prioritize making sure the IIT Madras Zanzibar establishment help train local talent. One of the campus success for us should be tagged in the number of local talent trained by the institute.
On the other hand, looking at Zanzibar’s position as one of the world’s best tourist destinations, the IIT Madras establishment can be a rare opportunity for non-African students to not only tour Zanzibar but also live in Zanzibar for two to four years. This, in turn, will pave the way for academic tourism and create more revenue opportunities for the Zanzibar tourism sector. However, this direction will only be successful if there are collaborative efforts between the government and the university to create a strategy for attracting foreigners to study in Zanzibar.
One challenge, though, is that the IITM brand is well-respected in India, but it is not as well-known in East Africa, which could make it difficult to attract students of East African origin to the campus.
Cultural differences are another potential challenge, especially when it comes to blending Indian (IITs) culture with Zanzibari culture, which is somewhat different. One aspect of that is the difference in the speed of doing things. IITs and Indian culture are fast-paced, while Zanzibari culture is Hakuna Matata, pole pole ndio mwendo, meaning “no worries” and “no hurry.”
While success for IIT management can mean strengthening their brand beyond India, creating another revenue channel, or whatever success means to them, it is crucial for the Zanzibar side to also clearly define what the IITM Zanzibar campus means to the government and the average Zanzibari and Tanzanian.
With the growing young population in both Tanzania mainland and Zanzibar, initiatives like the IIT Madras direction with a focus on Artificial Intelligence and Data Science may provide an opportunity for our young people to attain world-class skills that position them to compete globally. But this will only happen if there is a clear emphasis on ensuring that our young people are prepared to compete in the admission process and get the opportunity to be admitted.
Only time will tell whether the initiative will be a success or not. However, beyond everything I have highlighted, this establishment will position Tanzania and Zanzibar among active players in the AI field, rather than mere spectators as we have always been.
