Dar es Salaam – University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) Vice Chancellor Professor William-Andey Lazaro Anangisye has urged young people to translate their academic knowledge into practical action, saying education should prepare them for active citizenship, responsible leadership and participation in national development.
He made the call on Monday during the closing ceremony of the East African Youth Summer School Programme 2026 (EAYSS 2026), held alongside a symposium titled ‘The Youth Question and Sustainable Development: Embracing Nyerere’s Legacy’ at the historic Nkrumah Hall on the university’s Mlimani Main Campus.
The programme, launched by the Mwalimu Julius K. Nyerere Professorial Chair in Pan-African Studies at UDSM in collaboration with the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation East Africa, seeks to nurture young leaders inspired by the ideals and legacy of Tanzania’s founding father, Mwalimu Julius K. Nyerere.
Speaking after awarding certificates to participants, Prof. Anangisye said universities must ensure that knowledge generated through teaching and research contributes meaningfully to public debate and helps address society’s challenges.
He drew attention to Nyerere’s 1967 essay, Education for Self-Reliance, which emphasised the need for education to prepare learners to participate actively in developing their communities and country.
“Education should prepare people to take an active and responsible part in society,” he said, stressing that learning should not be confined to academic qualifications or remain within university lecture halls.
“Formal degree programmes remain central to the work of the university, but learning does not have to end at the classroom door,” he added.
The six-week summer school brought together young people from 12 universities and higher learning institutions across Tanzania. Beyond classroom lectures, participants engaged in research, field visits, mentorship, debates and public speaking, activities designed to strengthen their critical thinking, leadership and problem-solving abilities.
Prof. Anangisye also encouraged programme organisers to consider participants’ proposal to establish an alumni network, which would allow graduates to maintain contact, share experiences and continue engaging with issues discussed during the programme.
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The Head of the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation East Africa Office, Katrin Voß, said the ability to think critically was becoming increasingly important in a complex world where young people have growing access to information but must learn to assess and use it responsibly.
“We have to really teach our next young generation in critical thinking, that they have a profound use of their access to knowledge,” she said.
Voß noted that today’s youth would eventually take up responsibilities in government and other sectors of society, making it essential to equip them with the knowledge and judgement required to serve effectively.
She praised the six-week collaboration with UDSM’s Mwalimu Nyerere Professorial Chair, adding that Nyerere’s socialist ideals of equity and equality continued to offer an important perspective on contemporary development challenges.
The symposium also provided a platform for participants to examine the relationship between Nyerere’s political thought, African unity and the social and economic conditions facing young people.
Delivering the keynote address on Mwalimu Nyerere and African unity, Dr. Abunuwasi Mwami offered a critical assessment of the vision of a united Africa, arguing that continental integration would remain difficult under what he described as a capitalist and neo-colonial order.
He said Nyerere’s vision depended partly on African ruling classes working together, but argued that their dependence on powerful foreign countries undermined that possibility.
“Being agents of imperialism, they can never unite,” he said.
Dr. Mwami maintained that meaningful African unity should instead be driven by working people, who must first understand how capitalism and colonialism influence their livelihoods and social conditions.
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Turning to university students, he challenged young intellectuals to revive independent thinking, cultivate a culture of wide reading and engage more deeply with the realities experienced by ordinary citizens.
“The youth have stopped thinking. I’m sorry to say that,” he said.
He cautioned against treating young people as a homogeneous group, noting that rural youth involved in food production and fishing face different economic pressures from educated young people, some of whom may benefit from the same structures that disadvantage others.
“The role of any university is to create critical thinkers,” he said, urging young intellectuals to question prevailing ideas and share their knowledge with working communities rather than keeping it within academic circles.
During the question-and-answer session, participants sought clarification on what a post-capitalist Africa might look like and how young people could challenge those in power without risking violent rejection or repression.
The symposium continued with lectures and panel discussions facilitated by Mwalimu Nyerere Professorial Chair Professor Makuliko. Topics included youth and social media influence, opportunities and responsible engagement; youth perceptions of feminism and the pursuit of gender equality; and carbon trade or colonialism, examining climate change, capitalism and justice for the Global South.
