Bankers’ body, varsity seek closer ties

The Open University of Tanzania (OUT) has signed an agreement of collaboration with the Tanzania Institute of Bankers (TIOB).

Open University Tanzania Vice-Chancellor, Professor Elifas Bisanda, has said in Dar es Salaam “this collaboration will enhance efficiency in service provision and resource sharing between OUT and TIOB and provide the students with access to knowledge and resources provided by both institutions.”

He further noted “the signing of this Memorandum of Understanding, gives OUT an opportunity to demonstrate the diversity of the programmes it offers and sets grounds for building efficiency through partnership for better and easy access to learning materials as well as physical and online resources.”

For his part, TIOB’s Executive Director, Mr. Patrick Mususa, said: “This partnership is very important in ensuring that professional bankers and TIOB members receive trainings, skills, and knowledge for sustainable development of the financial industry and the country’s economy at large.”

He further said that the partnership will enable TIOB members to have access to TIOB e-learning and online learning platforms through the computerised infrastructure at the OUT centres countrywide, and will also give an opportunity for banking certificate and diploma students to have progression into degree programmes offered by the OUT.

OUT is a public institution established by an Act of Parliament No. 17 of 1992 to provide higher education through open and distance learning.

The university has a large footprint of 30 branches in all regions of Mainland Tanzania and in the Unguja and Pemba islands.

TIOB was established in 1993 under the Companies Ordinance (Cap 212) of the laws of Tanzania, with the mandate of promoting the banking profession by providing professional banking education and skills development to bank staff in Tanzania, aimed at strengthening and enhancing skills and knowledge for banking industry executives.