Dr. Jakaya Kikwete confers degrees to DUCE graduates and urges continued excellence in research and publication
On December 11th 2024, DUCE community celebrated its 17th graduation ceremony, officiated by UDSM Chancellor and former President, Dr. Jakaya Kikwete. The event took place at the College grounds involving graduands, parents, academicians and invited guests.
Dr. Kikwete conferred degrees to graduates and applauded their resilience and hard work. He also encouraged graduates to continue striving for excellence. “Your degrees symbolize not only your academic achievement but also your potential to contribute meaningfully to the nation”. He said.
On the other hand, Dr. Kikwete commended DUCE’s progress, noting the increase in PhD qualified lecturers to 128. However, he emphasized the need for further efforts in research and publications on the reputable academic journals. “Universities are evaluated by various standards, including the number of PhDs, quality of research and the volume of internationally recognized academic publications, not articles in newspapers like Mwananchi. You are making progress, but more effort is needed to elevate the university’s global ranking.” He stated.
The Chairperson of the University Council, Ambassador Mwanaidi Sinare Maajar, commended College Management for adhering to regulations and achieving academic excellence. “The government’s support, including funding for transformative projects such as the HEET project, has been instrumental in the progress we are celebrating today”.
The College Principal, Prof. Stephen Maluka shared updates on DUCE’s investments in staff development and infrastructure. “This year alone, we have invested over Tsh. 554 million to train 359 staff members in short courses and 87 in long-term programmes”. He revealed. He also acknowledged the government’s allocation of over Tsh 10 billion for constructing new buildings and renovations, which will address the challenges of inadequate teaching facilities.
Correspondingly, the Chairperson of the DUCE Governing Board, Prof. William Anangisye, emphasized the importance of continued investment in infrastructure and staff development. Addressing the graduates, he urged to use their knowledge for societal betterment urging that their degrees are tools for transforming lives.
