EUSMS and UDSM Forge New Partnership for Entrepreneurship and Sustainable Development
By Renancy Remmy, CMU
A transformative Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to launch the Tanzania-Germany Partnership for Entrepreneurship and Sustainable Development (TZ-GE PSD) has been officially signed between the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) and Universal Ethical Principles Stoicism Mindfulness Scepticism (EUSMS) GmbH of Germany.
The MoU, signed at UDSM by Vice-Chancellor Professor William A. L. Anangisye and EUSMS Founder and CEO Mr. Kerim Bilgiç on 8 September 2025, marks the beginning of a long-term commitment to foster a vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem in Tanzania. The collaboration has a strong focus on empowering women, promoting environmental sustainability, and strengthening capacity building across sectors.
Prof. Anangisye expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership, highlighting the University's ongoing efforts: “We are working to strengthen the University’s connection with the wider community through outreach and University-Industrial Linkage. This aims to extend the University’s knowledge, expertise, and impact beyond campus”.
He stressed that UDSM and EUSMS GmbH will implement a range of joint initiatives, including workshops, training sessions, and mentorship programmes for students and community entrepreneurs. The partnership will also provide pro bono consultancy services from EUSMS experts to support start-ups.
EUSMS GmbH CEO, Mr. Kerim Bilgiç, explained how the program is designed to integrate the organization’s five core principles, namely, Entrepreneurship, Universal Ethical Principles, Stoicism, Mindfulness, and Scepticism into roles and decision-making.
“The partnership seeks to identify and nurture promising entrepreneurial initiatives through seed funding and connections to investment networks. In addition, it will support joint research in key areas such as microfinance, social entrepreneurship, and inclusive innovation, and will roll out pilot programmes focused on economic empowerment”, he said.
Empowerment of women entrepreneurs as key focus
A central pillar of the partnership is the empowerment of women entrepreneurs. Dedicated networking platforms and mentorship opportunities will be created to support women in business, helping them gain the essential skills, confidence, and connections needed to succeed.
Environmental sustainability is also a priority. The initiative will promote green entrepreneurship by supporting eco-friendly businesses and sustainable models in areas like renewable energy, waste management, and eco-tourism. Furthermore, the partnership will facilitate joint research on local environmental challenges to develop sustainable, entrepreneurship-led solutions.