THE Open University of Tanzania (OUT), through its Directorate of Consultancy Services (DCS), on 24th April 2025, hosted a virtual Consultancy Experience Sharing Discussion Forum.
The forum aimed to build staff capacity by equipping them with practical knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to thrive in consultancy engagements.
The session was held via Zoom and attracted over 50 academic and non-academic staff from various faculties, institutes, directorates, and regional centres.
The event directly supports one of the key strategies of the OUT Strategic Plan 2023/24–2025/26: “To strengthen consultancy culture and competence.”
By fostering a professional and solutions-oriented mindset, the forum positions OUT to meet growing national and regional demands for expert advisory services.In his opening remarks, Dr. Edephonce Nfuka, Director of Consultancy and Outreach Services and chair of the forum, underscored the importance of consultancy as a pathway to broaden both individual and institutional impact. “OUT should be known not only for academic excellence but also as a hub for consultancy services,” he said.
He also called on staff to actively share with the directorate and OCB their consultancy profiles, CVs, and contract records to strengthen institutional bidding capabilities via NeST and other related platforms.
The forum featured two engaging presentations in the form of sharing experiences:
Prof. Deus Ngaruko delivered a session on Fundamentals of Consultancy, covering the core attributes of effective consultants, including professionalism, ethical conduct, and emotional intelligence.
He discussed different consultancy models and emphasised the “3 Cs” of consultancy: Confidence, Competence, and Credibility. He urged staff to treat consultancy with the same rigour and visibility as teaching and research.
Dr. Janeth Kigobe presented on The Power of Collaboration in Research and Consultancy. She illustrated the importance of collaboration across various levels, peer, departmental, multi-sectoral, and international (North-South and South-South).
Practical advice was offered on teamwork, clear objectives, effective communication, cultural awareness, and financial transparency.
“Start from where you are,” she encouraged, highlighting how collaboration opens doors to funding, excellence, and societal impact.
The interactive Q&A session added valuable insights. Prof. Katani, Deputy Vice Chancellor for Planning, Finance and Administration, shared three practical tips for accessing consultancy opportunities: monitoring calls from platforms like NeST, forming peer collaborations, and responding to direct headhunting.
He emphasised the importance of timely delivery and high-quality outputs. Mr. Denis Semiono, from the Kilimanjaro Regional Centre, highlighted the untapped consultancy potential at OUT's regional centres and encouraged staff to pursue localised consultancy-related opportunities through teams.
In her closing remarks, Dr. Nasra Kara, Coordinator of the Consultancy Unit (COSU), expressed gratitude to the presenters and participants for their engagement.
She encouraged staff to implement the lessons learned and actively participate in consultancy and collaborative research initiatives to enhance individuals' and OUT's national visibility and competitiveness.