UDSM PhD Milestone: 62 Academic Staff Earn Doctorates, Expanding University’s Academic Strength
By Selemani Nambimbi, CMU
The University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) has strengthened its academic workforce after 62 members of its academic staff successfully attained Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degrees from various universities between December 2025 and June 2026.
The achievement marks a significant addition to UDSM’s pool of highly qualified academics and reinforces the University’s commitment to expanding its academic scope, strengthening human-resource capacity and maintaining excellence in teaching, research, innovation and public service.
The newly qualified scholars completed their doctoral studies in diverse fields, further broadening the range of expertise available within the University and enhancing its capacity to respond to emerging national, regional and global challenges.
Commenting on the milestone, the Deputy Vice Chancellor–Academic, Prof. Rose Upor, said the increase in the number of PhD-qualified academic staff would strengthen UDSM’s academic capacity while enabling the University to expand and diversify its teaching, supervision and research programmes.
“The attainment of PhDs by 62 members of our academic staff is an important achievement for the University because it expands our pool of highly qualified academics and strengthens our human-resource capacity. These scholars bring new knowledge, expertise and perspectives that will enable us to broaden our academic programmes, improve teaching and supervision, and respond more effectively to emerging needs in society,” said Prof. Upor.
She added that strengthening academic staff capacity was essential to sustaining the quality and relevance of UDSM’s programmes as the University continues to expand its academic scope.
“A strong university is built on the quality and diversity of its academic staff. As we continue to develop new programmes and strengthen existing ones, having more academics with doctoral-level qualifications gives us the capacity to support postgraduate education, interdisciplinary scholarship and innovative research that addresses national development priorities,” she said.
For the wider academic community
The Chair of the University Academic Staff Assembly, Prof. Eligius Ichumbaki, said the achievement was significant not only for the individual scholars but also for the wider academic community.
“Every PhD earned by an academic staff member represents an addition to the intellectual strength of UDSM. These scholars return with new knowledge, research skills and professional networks that can enrich teaching, mentorship and scholarship across the University,” said Prof. Ichumbaki.
He noted that the continued growth of the academic workforce should go hand in hand with creating opportunities for academics to translate their qualifications into impactful teaching, research and engagement with society.
“Our responsibility now is to ensure that this growing academic capacity is fully utilised. We need to encourage these scholars to publish, supervise students, develop innovative research and contribute evidence-based solutions to the challenges facing our country and the wider world,” he said.
The Deputy Vice Chancellor–Planning, Finance and Administration, Prof. Bernadeta Killian, congratulated the academic staff for their dedication and resilience, noting that the achievement reflects the University’s sustained investment in human-capital development.
“The University remains committed to creating an enabling environment that supports academic staff to pursue higher qualifications and professional growth. Investing in staff development is investing in the future of UDSM and the nation because highly qualified academics are essential for quality teaching, impactful research and effective public service,” said Prof. Killian.
She added that the growing number of PhD-qualified academic staff would strengthen UDSM’s capacity to deliver world-class education while advancing its strategic vision of becoming a leading centre of excellence in teaching, research, innovation and public service.
The 62 new PhD holders are expected to contribute to strengthening postgraduate supervision, expanding research output, developing innovative solutions and enhancing UDSM’s contribution to national development and global scholarship.
Their achievement also adds to the University’s pool of researchers capable of generating knowledge and expertise in areas including climate change, health, technology, natural resources, education, governance and sustainable development.
For UDSM, the milestone therefore represents more than individual academic success. It is a strategic investment in the University’s academic workforce, intellectual capacity and ability to expand its academic scope while maintaining the quality and relevance of higher education.
As UDSM continues to pursue its ambition of becoming a leading centre of excellence in teaching, research, innovation and public service, the 62 newly qualified scholars represent a valuable addition to the academic strength required to turn knowledge into solutions and research into meaningful societal impact.