On 3rd September 2025, the Embassy attended the MoU Signing Ceremony between Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS) and Kumamoto University (KU), where Prof. Appolinary Kamuhabwa, Vice Chancellor of MUHAS, and Dr. Hisao Ogawa, President of Kumamoto University, officially signed the MoUs to renew their decade-long collaboration and establish the Kumamoto University Liaison Office in Tanzania. The two MoUs signed are scheduled to last five years are:
i) the MoU on Academic Exchange between Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS) and Kumamoto University to Strengthen Institutional Collaboration; and 
ii) the MoU on the Establishment of the Kumamoto Laison Office at MUHAS in Tanzania.
After the signing ceremony, the Embassy together with MUHAS delegation had an opportunity to have a meeting with Dr. Hisao Ogawa, President of Kumamoto University, explored possibilities to expand the research focus beyond infectious diseases such as HIV, to include non-communicable diseases like heart disease. The discussions also considered further support for laboratory infrastructure, including the provision of additional PCR machines and other critical equipment, to enhance MUHAS’s capacity for advanced research.
Since the inception of the collaboration in 2016, the partnership between MUHAS and Kumamoto University (KU) has significantly strengthened research capacity, academic exchange, and infrastructure development in Tanzania. Under this collaboration, eight MUHAS faculty members have earned PhDs at KU, with nearly ten short-term research visits by Tanzanian students and staff to KU for laboratory work. Currently, nine MUHAS PhD students are enrolled at KU, with two new students selected to start in 2025, some accompanied by their families. Additionally, MUHAS hosts three PhD students on-site who benefit from the program’s support.
To date, the collaboration has facilitated extensive faculty exchange and mentoring, with MUHAS faculty serving as visiting professors and lecturers at KU, and KU faculty providing technical guidance at MUHAS. Numerous MUHAS students and staff have benefited from short-term research visits to KU, fostering skill transfer and professional growth. MUHAS has also received substantial laboratory and equipment support, including PCR machines, gel electrophoresis systems, centrifuges, freezers, and advanced molecular biology instruments, strengthening research infrastructure in areas of national importance. This partnership continues to advance Tanzania’s health and scientific research capabilities while deepening academic ties with Japan.