Capacity building can take easy forms!

Post by Ms. Tuija Alasalmi, Blended Learning Specialist

Capacity building is one of the cornerstones of Busco project. In Tanzanian context it means improving the network speed and accessibility in the university areas, improving the wifi connections and updating the computer classes and technology in the classrooms. So far, the Tanzanian universities have upgraded their internet fibre connection and taken measures to reduce power cuts by ensuring the power supply is functioning and has a back-up system.

During the first visit in Tansania in June 2017, it became clear that the wifi network must be strengthened in both of the partner universities. Of course the basic network speed needed to be fixed first. The basic improvements were done during the summer months, and by the intensive course in October 2017 the network connection was stable and held the network traffic load of the computer lab’s devices quite well.

Teaching online during the intensive course

The project key experts from Finland took a few old but functioning wifi routers with them, and the Tanzanian IT-specialists reset and configured the routers to work in the university network. They were able to widen the wifi network to include large areas of the library for the use of students and teachers during the intensive course.

During the October visit in Tansania we thought of simple and cheap ways to help the universities in network capacity building. After the intensive course it was discovered at Diak that we had one useless but working switch, and it was delivered to the University or Iringa in December with Diak employees who were working on another project. The switch replaced an old, broken switch, so more computers can be attached to the fibre connection with it. The key experts in Finland organized a collection of old routers, spreading information to Diak students and personnel in the organisation’s intranet and the learning environment Moodle as well as Facebook.

As a result, we got two functioning wifi routers which were reset and sent to Tansania in March with the key experts Ulla and Elsa. This time the routers went to the University of Sekomu, and they are now being used to strengthen the wifi network in the administration building.