Tanzania – Going Global TVET Partnership in Renewable Energy

In 2025, Edinburgh College was selected to participate in a TVET capacity-building project with Tanzania, funded by the British Council as part of its Going Global Partnership programme. The College partnered with Arusha Technical College (ATC) and Tanzania’s Vocational Education and Training Authority, Singida Region, to build institutional capacity in Technical and Vocational Education and Training, with a particular focus on renewable energy fields — including electrical, hydro, and solar technologies — all of which are national priorities in Tanzania. 

This initiative built upon earlier investments through the VET Toolbox project — funded by the EU and German government and delivered in Tanzania by GIZ in collaboration with ATC and the Tanzania Renewable Energy Association — which helped strengthen systems for demand-driven technical education in sectors such as renewable energy. The Edinburgh College project introduces best practices, focusing on employer engagement frameworks, shared quality assurance practices, and the upskilling of teaching staff in technical content, digital tools, and entrepreneurship. 

Edinburgh College’s Engineering Head of School, Sandy Bruce, and Engineering Lecturer, Audrey Mukora, initially collaborated with colleagues in Tanzania on a range of scoping activities in Arusha during a first-phase visit in April 2025. This included focus groups with staff and students, a visit to the newly built Kikuletwa Renewable Energy Training and Research Centre, and meetings with two local solar energy companies to explore opportunities for student placements and employer collaboration. 

The partnership continued with a reciprocal visit to Edinburgh in September 2025, during which a delegation from partner institutions in Tanzania participated in training and workshops to further deepen the exchange of knowledge and best practices. The British Council’s Going Global Partnerships supports universities, colleges, and other education stakeholders around the world to work together towards stronger, more equitable, inclusive, and more internationally connected higher education, science, and TVET.