Makerere University and Tanzanian University of Dodoma partnered into a joint East African Master’s degree program in petroleum governance.

The program initiated by the Makerere University is set to commence in next academic year according to Tanzania’s Daily News Newspaper at UDOM.

The Newspaper reported that the Dean of Biological Sciences at UDOM, Professor Julius Nyahongo said that the 18-month program that is scheduled to start in the next academic year, envisages empowering students in sustainable management of resources and livelihood enhancement in the gas and oil reserves endowed region.

New gas and oil discoveries in the East Africa region have unfolded a limited capacity in the sector researches, prompting the two public universities to develop a curriculum that will address the social, cultural, economic and environmental issues associated with the natural resources in the region.

Norway, which is supporting exploitation of oil in Uganda and gas industry in Tanzania has provided funds for training two lecturers at PHD level and four other lecturers at Master’s degree level in petroleum and gas governance, Professor Nyahongo said.

The Master’s degree program, the first in the region, is slated to start in 2017/18 academic year, with an initial enrolment of 40 students from east Africa and other countries in the continent. Two weeks ago, lecturers from Makerere University and UDOM met in Dodoma over the curriculum for the newly introduced degree program.

Source: Daily News