IIT Madras opens its first international campus in Zanzibar, to have 50% Indian students

The expansion of the IIT Madras is part of an agreement signed between India’s education ministry and Zanzibar-Tanzania's ministry of education and vocational training on July 5 in the presence of Zanzibar President Hussein Ali Mwinyi and India's External Affairs minister S Jaishankar

Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras Zanzibar will have 50 percent Indian students and the rest from various African countries, Professor V Kamakoti, Director of IIT Madras announced during the virtual inauguration of the campus on November 6 making it the first IIT in India to establish an international campus.

With faculties recruited across the world, Kamakoti said the campus will cater to around 45 students with a majority (around 30) of them enrolling in the undergraduate (UG) programmes. Admissions will be done via an entrance exam and interview.

"The campus has started in its first semester with students from different countries including Zanzibar, India, Nepal and Tanzania Mainland. A total of 45 students have been admitted for a four-year Bachelor of Science degree in Data Science and AI and a two-year Master of Technology degree in Data Science and AI," Kamakoti said.

Courses offered

As of now, IIT Madras Zanzibar campus is only offering a four-year Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in Data Science and AI or a two-year Master of Technology degree in Data Science and AI. The fee for the UG course has been set at around $12,000/year. The institute plans to launch five more programmes in the next five years.

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Students at IIT Madras Zanzibar campus will also get the chance to explore opportunities in IIT Madras’ partner institutions in Australia and the United Kingdom (UK).

The expansion of the IIT Madras is part of an agreement signed between India’s education ministry and Zanzibar-Tanzania's ministry of education and vocational training on July 5 in the presence of Zanzibar President Hussein Ali Mwinyi and India's External Affairs minister S Jaishankar.

Earlier this year, Dr Preeti Aghalayam was announced to be the first woman director to lead an Indian Institute of Technology campus.

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Meanwhile, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan recently announced that IIT Delhi will begin offering its Master's programmes from its Abu Dhabi campus beginning January 2024.