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<p>Tanzania faces a persistent skills mismatch between what universities teach and what employers require. Although higher education enrollment has increased, curricula remain theoretical and often outdated, producing graduates who struggle to translate academic knowledge into practice. This mismatch contributes to youth unemployment, which declined from 9.7% in&#xa0;2020/21 to 8.3% in&#xa0;2024 but remains higher for female youth and urban residents. Despite challenging job prospects, two-thirds of young Tanzanians express a desire to start their own business. Innovation hubs and pre-incubation programs have emerged as promising platforms for equipping students with practical and entrepreneurial skills. This study examines two cases at the University of Dar&#xa0;es&#xa0;Salaam: FinHub, a fintech-oriented innovation hub, and Startup&#xa0;101, an eight-week pre-incubation program. Using mixed methods, the research assesses how these initiatives enhance students’ competencies, foster venture creation, and influence entrepreneurial intent. Results show that participants developed practical ICT and business skills, formed 29 new ventures (41% of which generated revenue), and exhibited a 67 percentage-point increase in the intention to pursue entrepreneurship. The study discusses factors driving these outcomes, such as experiential learning, mentoring, industry collaborations, and supportive policy context, while highlighting challenges like gender disparities, resource constraints, and sustainability. Recommendations are offered to embed innovation training within curricula, strengthen university–industry partnerships, promote inclusivity, secure funding, and provide post-program support. Overall, innovation hubs and pre-incubation programs can play an important role in bridging skills gaps, boosting employability, and nurturing a generation of Tanzanian entrepreneurs.</p>

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The Role of Innovation Hubs in Addressing Skills Gap for Students in Higher Learning Institutions in Tanzania: The Case of FinHub and Startup 101

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年6月30日

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  • Angelina Misso,
  • Diana Rwegasira,
  • Moses Ismail,
  • Nassor Ally

摘要

Tanzania faces a persistent skills mismatch between what universities teach and what employers require. Although higher education enrollment has increased, curricula remain theoretical and often outdated, producing graduates who struggle to translate academic knowledge into practice. This mismatch contributes to youth unemployment, which declined from 9.7% in 2020/21 to 8.3% in 2024 but remains higher for female youth and urban residents. Despite challenging job prospects, two-thirds of young Tanzanians express a desire to start their own business. Innovation hubs and pre-incubation programs have emerged as promising platforms for equipping students with practical and entrepreneurial skills. This study examines two cases at the University of Dar es Salaam: FinHub, a fintech-oriented innovation hub, and Startup 101, an eight-week pre-incubation program. Using mixed methods, the research assesses how these initiatives enhance students’ competencies, foster venture creation, and influence entrepreneurial intent. Results show that participants developed practical ICT and business skills, formed 29 new ventures (41% of which generated revenue), and exhibited a 67 percentage-point increase in the intention to pursue entrepreneurship. The study discusses factors driving these outcomes, such as experiential learning, mentoring, industry collaborations, and supportive policy context, while highlighting challenges like gender disparities, resource constraints, and sustainability. Recommendations are offered to embed innovation training within curricula, strengthen university–industry partnerships, promote inclusivity, secure funding, and provide post-program support. Overall, innovation hubs and pre-incubation programs can play an important role in bridging skills gaps, boosting employability, and nurturing a generation of Tanzanian entrepreneurs.