The Tanzania Commission for Universities (TCU) is a body corporate established on the 1st
July 2005, under the Universities Act 2005 (Chapter 346 of the Laws of
Tanzania) with mandate to recognise, approve, register and accredit
Universities operating in Tanzania, and local or foreign University
level programmes being offered by registered higher education
institutions. It also coordinates the proper functioning of all
university institutions in Tanzania so as to foster a harmonised higher
education system in the country.
The Tanzania Commission for Universities succeeded
the former Higher Education Accreditation Council (HEAC) which was
established in 1995 under the Education Act 1995 with a legal mandate to
regulate the establishment and subsequent accreditation of private
university institutions in the country. Being limited only to private
universities, such mandate was considered unfavourable for the promotion
of a viable public-private partnership in higher education as
stipulated in the National Higher Education Policy of 1999.
Therefore, such circumstances prompted the
government to establish a harmonized higher education system in the
country which led into the establishment of the Tanzania Commission for
Universities. In order to ensure such a harmonious higher education
system does not compromise institutional peculiarities and autonomy,
each University has the legal right to operate under its own charter.
The mandates and core functions of the Commission
are provided under section 5(1) of the Universities Act Cap. 346. These
functions can be clustered into the following three major areas.
