Quality Assurance Unit

Prof. Donatha Damian TibuhwaDirector,QAU

Message from Director – QAU

Welcome to the Quality Assurance Unit (QAU) of the University of Dar es Salaam. As a key pillar of academic excellence, the QAU is dedicated to promoting a culture of continuous improvement across the University. We oversee and support quality enhancement in three critical areas; Teaching and Learning, Research, Publication & Innovation, as well as Support Services. Our goal is to ensure that all university functions meet national and international standards. We invite staff, students and stakeholders to collaborate with us in upholding and advancing the quality and reputation of our great institution. Let us join hands in upholding the values of excellence, integrity and innovation as we work together to advance the mission of the University of Dar es Salaam for the benefit of entire academic community and beyond.

QAU Vision

Embracing and instilling quality culture among UDSM community so that UDSM becomes a quality center of intellectual wealth spearheading the quest for sustainable and inclusive development.

QAU Mission

To ensure the promotion of high quality culture in all university activities through excellent teaching and learning, research, innovation, knowledge exchange, and support services.

History and Background of QAU

Since the inception of the Quality Assurance Bureau (QAB) in 2007, UDSM has made great achievements towards monitoring and evaluation of undergraduate and postgraduate teaching and learning. Through the Bureau, UDSM established a number of guidelines for assessing staff performance, student admission procedures, as well as internal/external examiners. The university formulated UE standard format, guidelines for establishment of research centers, staff code of conduct and consultancy policy. To this end, the university has an internal self-evaluation system for assessing its performance on regular basis.

QA Policy of 2007 had been guiding QA interventions/activities for more than 13 years with enviable benefits/success. During the intervening period, a lot of changes with far-reaching implications took place in teaching and learning, research and public services. Evolving terrain led to inevitable option/choice of reviewing QA policy to cope with the current national, regional and global trends. Revised Policy aim at extending the scope of activities into research, publications, consultancy, continuing education, outreach services and support services.

The revision of QA policy took into account TCU Standards and Guidelines for University Education in Tanzania (TCU, 2019), Tanzania Vision 2025 (Planning Commission, 1999), National Research Policy (URT, 2012), Sustainable Development Goals 2030 (UN, 2016), IUCEA and AU initiatives. The revised QA policy will guide the Bureau to realize the UDSM Vision 2061 Vision (UDSM, 2014) through UDSM Corporate Strategic Plan 2014–2023 (UDSM, 2014) and UDSM Five-Year Rolling Strategic Plan-2020/2021 to 2024/25 (UDSM, 2019).

QAU Services and Objectives

The overall objective of Quality Assurance Unit (QAU) is to provide principles and guidelines to ensure relevant and appropriate quality in teaching and learning, research, consultancy, continuing education, innovations, outreach services and administrative services. QAU strive to realise the following specific objectives, which are to:

  1. Safeguard and monitor the academic standards, quality of education and academic awards at the University;
  2. Monitor, evaluate and report on the quality of research input, process, output and relevance;
  3. Monitor and ensure that consultancy inputs, processes and outputs are of high quality and contribute towards supporting the realisation of University Vision and Mission;
  4. Monitor and evaluate continuously to ensure that all programmes are of high standard and of continued relevance to graduate labour markets and the needs of the workforce in the country and beyond;
  5. Monitor and improve quality of community service programmes offered by the University continually;
  6. Develop and refine internal quality assurance and enhancement mechanisms that are appropriate across all services rendered to students and staff;
  7. Devise mechanisms for monitoring, evaluation and reporting of the quantity and quality of ICT services at UDSM;
  8. Develop and instil a culture of quality seeking and quality assurance among members of the University community;
  9. Devise mechanisms for ensuring tracer studies are conducted for a specified period; and
  10. Ensure acceptable quality standards in entrepreneurship and innovations are maintained.

Policies, Plans & guidelines

Institutional Quality Assurance projects/efforts/interventions are informed by general university policies and spearheaded/guided by area-specific policy – the recently revised and approved - Quality Assurance Policy and Operation Procedures 2nd Edition of June 2021.