In the current era of unprecedented biodiversity crisis, which is disproportionally acute in the tropics, many ACP countries have embraced international commitments to ensure green growth through conservation and sustainable use of natural resources. In Tanzania, the project Partner Country, the National Biodiversity Strategy identified in the lack of capacity and inadequate curricula by its Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) major barriers to mainstream biodiversity conservation in the country’s development. Meanwhile, the EU recognizes that actions to avert the environmental crisis need to be taken within the EU but also at global level. Applicants targeted Tanzania because of its outstanding biodiversity importance and the long-standing presence in biodiversity conservation by EU proponents. The project aims at building a network of HEIs and natural science museums in the EU and the 3 major Partner Country HEIs to implement state‐of‐the‐art HE training so to boost capacity and curricula in biodiversity science, hence improving the country’s HE offer. Activities will (1) strengthen the academic scientific knowledge and improve the HE offer by delivering modern training approaches, through introducing e‐learning courses and facilitating the upgrading of formal curricula; (2) build the capacity of HEI’s lecturers and technicians on biodiversity approaches so to deliver effective training, by targeting trainers for capacity building, producing a toolkit and providing adequate equipment; (3) boost skills of students, and update the capacity of professionals, to implement standardised biodiversity monitoring techniques in the field by organizing field training courses. Impacts generated will include the activation of new course programmes to shape an increased number of future competitive biodiversity experts for relevant professional positions, increased research, scientific production, and biodiversity programmes that adopts international standards.
Main objectives are building networks between European and Tanzanian HEIs to implement state‐of the art HE training to boost capacity and curricula in biodiversity science, hence improving the country’s HE offer. Primary target groups are HEI's students and lecturers in biology, environment, and wildlife management courses. Secondary targets are selected professionals of Protected Areas and professionals of local conservation agencies, where trained students may land after their degrees.
In the current era of unprecedented biodiversity crisis, international commitments to ensure green growth through conservation and sustainable use of natural resources, specially in the tropics, are urgently needed. Upgrading inadequate curricula and enhancing capacity are among the major demands identified by the project Partner Country: Tanzania, outstanding for its biodiversity importance and the long-standing presence of EU proponents in the field of biodiversity conservation.
<< Background >> In the current era of unprecedented biodiversity crisis, international commitments to ensure green growth through conservation and sustainable use of natural resources, specially in the tropics, are urgently needed. Upgrading inadequate curricula and enhancing capacity are among the major demands identified by the project Partner Country: Tanzania, outstanding for its biodiversity importance and the long-standing presence of EU proponents in the field of biodiversity conservation. << Objectives >> Main objectives are building networks between European and Tanzanian HEIs to implement state‐of the art HE training to boost capacity and curricula in biodiversity science, hence improving the country’s HE offer. Primary target groups are HEI's students and lecturers in biology, environment, and wildlife management courses. Secondary targets are selected professionals of Protected Areas and professionals of local conservation agencies, where trained students may land after their degrees. << Implementation >> The implementation of the project has foreseen activities to (1) introduce new e‐learning courses, by using modern training approaches, and upgrade formal curricula; (2) target trainers for capacity building, produce a Toolkit and provide adequate equipment to build capacity of HEI’s lecturers and technicians; (3) organize field training courses to implement standardized biodiversity monitoring techniques in the field in order to boost skills of students and update those of professionals. << Results >> The project enhanced 3 Tanzanian HEIs by integrating cutting-edge biodiversity science into B.Sc. and M.Sc. curricula, ensuring updated knowledge and coherence across institutions. Lecturer skills, material, and professional equipment were improved for effective, field-based training. Students gained hands-on experience, while professionals strengthened their capacity to implement biodiversity monitoring aligned with national and international targets, fostering a sustainable education system.