Moshi Co-operative University – Faculties, Directorates, Programmes and More

Moshi Co-operative University’s history dates back to January 5, 1963, when the defunct Cooperative College Moshi was created. The primary duty of the college was to train human resources in the cooperative field under the old Ministry of Community Development and Cooperatives. Subsequently, the college was created as an independent institute with a Governing Board via the Cooperative College Act Number 32 of 1964.

In 2004, the Cooperative College Moshi became MUCCoBS as a component university college of the Sokoine University of Agriculture through Government Notice Number 172 (2004). Moshi Cooperative University came into existence due to the upgrading of MUCCoBS to a full-fledged university in September 2014. The Moshi Cooperative University has its own charter, and the charter is used to govern the university. The charter was created via the Universities Law Number 7 (2005). TCU accredited the Moshi Co-operative university on November 7, 2018.

Moshi Cooperative University is located on the foot of Mt. Kilimanjaro along Sokoine road in the municipality of Moshi. An institute of the university known as the Kizumbi Cooperative & Business Education Institute is located along Tabora Road in the Shinyanga Region. The university also operates thirteen regional offices that cater to all regions in the country. The offices are located in Mbeya (for Songwe, Rukwa, and Mbeya regions), Mtwara (for Lindi and Mtwara regions), Kigoma, Tabora, Tanga, and Ruvuma (for Katavi and Kigoma regions), Mwanza (for Kagera, Mara, Geita, and Mwanza regions), Iriga (for Njombe and Iringa regions), Coast (for Dar es Salaam and Coast regions; Pemba and Unguja Islands), Shinyanga (for Simiyu and Shinyanga regions), Kilimanjaro (for Arusha and Kilimanjaro regions), Dodoma (for Morogoro and Dodoma regions), and Singida (for Manyara and Singida regions).

Faculties and Directorates

Faculties

Faculty of Cooperative & Community Development

The Faculty of Cooperative & Community Development is the peak of cooperative and community development training in the university. The faculty achieves this by conducting research, training, advisory, and consultancy services. The academic unit currently has 4 undergraduate degree programs, 2 PGD programs, one master’s degree program, 1 Ph.D. (in research) program, a single diploma program, and a certificate program. These academic programs focus on economics, community development, finance, accounting, and management and maintain their uniqueness by combining cooperative skills with knowledge. The programs have attracted, enrolled, and enabled Tanzanian graduates and graduates from other east and southern African countries like Kenya, Botswana, and Lesotho, as well as other countries of the world.

The faculty uses a semester study system where the academic year is split into 2 semesters, with the exception of evening programs, which run under a modular system.

Core Responsibilities of the Faculty of Cooperative & Community Development

The faculty is in charge of coordination, management, collaboration, advisory, and linkage duties as one of the academic units of the Moshi Co-operative University. Thus, the faculty works to fulfill the vision, core values, and mission of the university. It works under and reports to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor in charge of academic affairs.

The faculty manages the overall academic affairs carried out in every department in the faculty. It supervises the quality of training facilities in the faculty, monitors examinations conducted in the faculty, prepares students’ transcripts, prepares and implements both long and short-term plans of the faculty, budgets and sources for money to fund its activities, and writes students on the progress of their appeals and application for rescheduling of their exams and evaluates the salability of programs in its departments. Through the faculty board, the faculty supplies tentative examination results for all academic programs in the faculty.

The faculty coordinates the development of academic programs; it also coordinates the graduation of students in its respective programs and other activities conducted by the departments in the faculty. Also, it coordinates the development of project proposals to generate revenues for its departments. The faculty is involved in the coordination of the development of the university’s almanac. Additionally, it facilitates advanced research education for its members of staff.

The faculty advises academic units on the enrollment of students in programs the faculty offers. It also plays an advisory role in matters related to the hiring of new operational and academic staff.

The faculty also has the responsibility of sourcing institutional academic collaborations and linkages with cooperative societies, other academic institutions, universities, and other international and local organizations.

Departments

To ensure the highest quality of training and education at the Moshi Co-operative University, the faculty was split into four academic departments, thus:

• Accounting Department
• Economics & Statistics Department
• Department of Gender and Community Development
• Department of Cooperative Development & Management

Faculty of Business & Informational Sciences

Overview

The Faculty of Business & Informational Sciences is one of the two faculties at the Moshi Cooperative University. It was created under the University’s Charter of 2014.

The faculty has grown quickly from two departments in 2012 to five departments in 2015. Its growth is primarily because of the need for competent graduates in the labor market and to facilitate self-employment.

Currently, the faculty has almost 1,500 students enrolled in the undergraduate and the PGD programs available in different departments. Presently, there are 67 academic staff on the faculty, helped by five non-academic staff.

Departments

There are five departments in the Faculty of Business and Informational Sciences. The departments are:

• Department of Procurement, Marketing & Supply Management
• Information Communications Technology Department
• Department of Finance, Banking, and Accounting
• Department of Law
• Department of Management

Each of the departments is headed by a Head of Department.

Directorates

Directorate of Postgraduate Studies and Research

Overview of the Directorate

The directorate was created after the division of the erstwhile Research and Consultancy Services Directorate into two: the Bureau of Consultancy Services and the Directorate of Postgraduate Studies and Research (DRPS). DRPS was created to improve the image of the Moshi Co-operative University as the leading research and academic institution of global standing.

The university’s mission, core values, and vision guide the affairs of the directorate. It coordinates, organizes, and monitors PGD programs, publications, and research of the university. The activities of the directorate are adapted to align with the university’s teaching program preparation and advancements. This allows the university to create and deliver relevant and up-to-date programs that meet societal and global needs.

Core Responsibilities of the Directorate

The directorate is in charge of the general management of postgraduate programs at all levels (P.h.D., Master’s, and Postgraduate Diploma), including supervision of the academic development of postgraduate students. The directorate also develops and oversees the enforcement of strategies, regulations, guidelines, and policies associated with postgraduate research and training at the university and by its staff.

Departments

A director manages the Moshi Co-operative University directorate. To make it easier to manage, the directorate is further divided into two departments. Each of these departments is led by a Head of Department. The departments are the Department of Publications and Research and the Department of Postgraduate Studies.

Research Priority

Moshi Cooperative University’s areas of research include (i) community development, (ii) cooperative development, (iii) business studies, (iv) rural transformation, (v) information technology, (vi)microfinance development, (vii) entrepreneurship (viii) organizational development (ix) financial planning and management (x) participatory evaluation and monitoring (xi) business and strategic planning

Directorate of Undergraduate Studies

Overview

The Directorate of Undergraduate Studies at Moshi Cooperative university was created in 2014. The directorate was created to manage all affairs related to handling the registration and admission of undergraduate students, handling the administration of examinations, issuing certificates, and coordinating and facilitating research and field attachments for undergraduate students.

Core Responsibilities

The Directorate of the Moshi Co-operative University Undergraduate Studies carries out these core responsibilities and duties:

• Implementation, review, development, and coordination of diploma, certificate, and undergraduate degree curricula
• Review and preparation of the academic catalog
• Guaranteeing provision of standard undergraduate programs
• Encouraging interdisciplinary cooperation at the undergraduate level
• Promoting optimal and coherent use of resources with regard to teaching
• Developing ways of assessing the efficiency of learning and teaching
• Creation and audit of Moshi Co-operative University course timetabling and scheduling
• Coordination of regulation and rules by various departments, institutes, schools, or faculties guiding the diploma programs, certificate curricula, and undergraduate degree

Units

Admissions Unit

The Admissions Unit is a unit under the Directorate of Undergraduate Studies saddled with these responsibilities and duties:

• Coordination of registration and admission activities of student
• Managing students’ helpdesk
• Formulating and reviewing procedures and policies for initiating new academic courses and programs at the Moshi Cooperative University
• Coordinating the university’s marketing programs for undergraduate studies

Timetabling and Examination Unit

This unit is responsible for:

• Preparing the Moshi Co-operative University examinations and teaching timetables
• Monitoring the conduct of examinations in the university
• Helping institutes and faculties prepare their budgets and handle undergraduate examinations

Research and Field Attachment Unit

The Research and Field Attachment unit is in charge of the research and field attachment activities of students. These are the responsibilities and duties of this unit:

• Assisting institutes and faculties in organizing research projects/field attachments for undergraduates and preparing their respective budgets
• Appraising field attachment and research operations and making recommendations to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academics) accordingly.

Directorate of Cooperative Library & Archives (DCLA)

Overview

The Directorate of Cooperative  Library & Archives was created by the Moshi Cooperative University Charter (2015) after the Moshi University College of Cooperative and Business Studies was upgraded to an independent university in 2014. The directorate was referred to as the Directorate of Library & Information Services when it initially became a full-fledged university. This was also because the erstwhile Cooperative College Moshi was upgraded to MUCCoBS. Before the college became a full-fledged university, it was simply known as the library unit that was created in 1963. Subsequently, it became a department functioning under the Office of the Director of Programs and Studies.

Objectives and Goals

The DCLA’s primary goal is to aid consultancy, teaching, and research activities for members of the  Moshi Co-operative University and the community. The directorate’s objectives are: to provide library services to meet the academic community’s information needs by storing, acquiring, preserving, processing, and distributing important materials, maintaining information databases, training and educating library users on accessing, searching and utilization of information services; to process, preserve, acquire, collect and offer access to cooperative archival information for academic and historic intents; and to offer teaching, consultancy, and research related to information science, archival and library studies.

Structure of DCLA

The Directorate of Cooperative Library and Archives is one of the five directorates at the Moshi Cooperative University. Administratively, the directorate is under the Deputy Vice-Chancellor Academics’ office. The directorate consists of one unit and two departments. They are The Archives Unit, Readers’ Service Department, and Knowledge Management Department. Kizumbi Institute of Cooperative and Business Training Library is also a component of the directorate.

DCLA Departments

• Department of Readers’ Service
• Department of Knowledge Management
• Archives Unit
• KICoB Library

Institute of Continuing Cooperative Education

Overview

The Institute of Cooperative Education is one of the functional units of the Moshi Cooperative University. The institute’s history dates back to 1964 when it was referred to as the Cooperative Education Center. It was created by the agreement between the Nordic Cooperative Consortium and the Tanganyikan government on the Cooperative Union of Tanganyika’s behalf. The Cooperative Education Center became the Technical Education Department of the Cooperative Union of Tanganyika in 1972. The Cooperative Education Center (CEC) was strategically placed at the former Moshi Cooperative College to become a twin organization under a single leadership. The goal of creating CEC was to give cooperative training and education to board members, staff, committee, and members of primary cooperative societies. CEC was changed to the Department of Field Education in 1993. When Moshi Cooperative College became Moshi University College of Cooperative & Business Studies, the Department of Field Education became the Institute of Continuing Cooperative Development & Education (ICCDE). When MUCCoBS became a full-fledged university in 2014, ICCDE became the Institute of Continuing Cooperative Education.

Since its creation, ICCE has promoted Moshi Co-operative University functions via research, consultancy, training, and community services across Tanzania, mainly concentrating on cooperatives and many member-based organizations and aiding institutions. The institute executes demand-oriented tasks in community services, training, and research in cooperative and community development. The institute’s activities are aimed at empowerment and building the capacity of targeted neighborhoods for viable livelihoods.

Functions

The following are the specific functions of the institute:

• Carrying out needs evaluation for cooperatives, community-based organizations, and the public
• Promoting cooperative development by educating and training members of the community on cooperative practice and theory
• Supporting the development processes of communities, cooperatives as well as member-based organizations
• Helping managers, leaders, and members of cooperatives and grassroots organizations to improve their development via advisory services, training, and connecting them with development support bodies to combat poverty and social vulnerability
• Conducting and organizing workshops and seminars for cooperative board members, committees, staff, and members; pre-cooperative associations, as well as other economic associations
• Holding distance learning programs inside Tanzania and outside
• Conducting and organizing brief courses in many topical subjects in cooperative and for other individuals and organizations with enthusiasm to improve their capability in respective areas
• Preparing operational and training materials for many clients, including cooperatives, socio-economic bodies, NGOs, CBOs, and individuals
• Conducting and organizing gender-responsive programs aimed toward developing friendly conditions for viable development for everyone, including underprivileged groups

Bureau of Consultancy Services

Overview

The bureau was created under article 22(1) of the Moshi Cooperative University Charter (2015) to handle all consultancy services conducted by the Moshi Co-operative University. In coordinating the consultancy services, the bureau asks for designs and oversees the conduct of consultancy activities in the university. The bureau is a one-stop center at the Moshi Cooperative University, which supervises and coordinates all matters related to consultancy. Over the years, the bureau and its officers have become widely experienced in overseeing the delivery and the design of the services above to international and local clients in many disciplines. Through coordination with the bureau, the academic staffers of the university have built a good reputation in handling consultancy assignments that satisfy clients.

Functions

• Compiling, organizing, and submitting bids to potential clients
• Supervising the actual execution of consultancy assignments
• Talking to clients about issues related to carrying out assignments
• Estimating, with the help of consultants, how to distribute the payment for different tasks
• Organizing training activities and workshops on issues related to consultancy
• Drafting reports of the status of the university’s consultancy services
• Offering recommendations to the University about issues related to consultancy
• Authorizing many documents related to consultancy and keeping such records

Main Fields of Consulting Expertise

• Capacity Building for Vulnerable Groups
• Information Communication Technology
• Project Impact Evaluation
• Organizational Transformation and Development
• Cooperative Development Training
• Cooperative Marketing (like value chain analysis)
• Legal Reforms
• Cooperative Education
• Cooperative Management
• Gender Development
• Feasibility studies
• Inspection and Auditing
• Training Needs Evaluation
• Environmental Impact Evaluation
• Investment Profile Preparation
• Climate Change Evaluation
• Environmental Conservation and Management
• Microfinance Management and Promotion
• Strategic Planning (like business planning)
• Moshi Co-operative University Rules, Policy Assessment and Development

Directorate of Human Resource Management & Administration (DHRMA)

Overview

The Directorate of HR Management & Administration at the Moshi Cooperative University makes recommendations to the management of the university on matters of recruitment, retention, and management of high-performing workers. The directorate handles recruitment exercises, provides support and guidance for staff actions, categorizes posts based on responsibilities and duties, and makes sure workers are compensated appropriately. The directorate also assists in the collective negotiation process, oversees efficient employer-employee relations, supervises the compensation benefits of workers, and makes sure that the environment is healthy and safe for workers. The directorate’s objective is to hire and keep the best workers to help the university deliver effective and efficient service to the general public.

Mandate of DHRMA

The directorate’s mandate is to manage, plan, and develop human resources for efficient organizational performance, enforce action on staff regulations and policies, offer timely and efficient core services, manage and procure human resources for all regional offices, departments, units, directorates, and faculties of the Moshi Cooperative University as well as the Kizumbi Teaching Center to ultimately aid their seamless operations.

Core Duties

• To recruit, hire, develop and train Moshi Co-operative University employees
• To develop and initiate administrative procedures and rules
• To expedite employee benefits, compensation, legal matters, and employee relations
• To implement, manage, and develop administrative policies
• To manage, maintain, and initiate an efficient security system for staff and property
• To guarantee an efficient and fair performance evaluation system and to enforce staff discipline
• To guarantee a fluid organization framework for the administrative and academic staff

Departments

• Department of Environment and Estate Management
• Department of Human Resources Department
• Department of Administrative Services
• Department of Health Services

Directorate of Planning & Finance (DPF)

Overview

The Directorate of Planning & Finance is one of the administrative directorates at Moshi Cooperative University. It operates under the office of the DVC Administration and Finance. The directorate’s primary responsibilities include coordinating and planning the capital projects of the university, financial management, and resource mobilization. The directorate also defines the university’s long-term vision in terms of equipment and infrastructure. The directorate also compiles and coordinates the budget of the university.

Departments

There are five departments in the Moshi Co-operative University directorate. They are:

• Account & Finance
• Final Accounts
• Planning, Investment, and Income Generation
• Salary & Other Benefits
• Campus & Regional Offices Accounting

Dean of Students

Overview

The Dean of Students’ office is in charge of the welfare of students at the Moshi Cooperative University. It is a link between the management of the university and the democratically elected students’ government. Also, the office handles disciplinary matters involving students. Through the Students’Organisation of Moshi Cooperative University, the office ensures high-quality welfare for students during their stay at MoCU, particularly in these areas: medical, accommodation, banking and postal, library, catering and shopping, games and sports, religious, loan desk, and students’ funding. Therefore, the Dean of Students is the Director of Students Welfare and the main adviser of students.

The office of the Dean of Students is an important place for parents, students, staff, and faculty to get help with handling the complications related to student activities. The staff of the office offers support to groups and individual students facing life situations affecting their Moshi Co-operative University life and oversees the appropriate campus-wide or individual response. Members of staff work to encourage a healthy, inclusive, safe, and respectful academic community, organize specific services and programs and supervise and attend to developing situations that affect students.

Office Materials

Asides from the 2015 Moshi Cooperative University Charter and the 2005 Universities act, the office of the Dean of Students has other materials used to make decisions and to guide daily activities. They include:

• Moshi Cooperative University Students Disciplinary Procedures and Rules, 2016
• Financial Rules of MoCU Students’ Association, 2015
• Moshi Cooperative University Dress Code, 2015
• Moshi Cooperative University Student Disability Guideline, 2017
• Moshi Cooperative University Recreation and Sports Policy, 2017
• Moshi Cooperative University Student Welfare Guideline, 2017
• Constitution of MoCU Students’ Association, (2015)
• Moshi Cooperative University Students Hostel Policy, 2016
• Election Rules of MoCU Students’ Association, 2015

Main Functions

The Moshi Co-operative University Dean of Students office has four main functions. They are:

• Promoting a healthy, safe, inclusive, and respectful academic community
• Enhancing the university experience of students through counseling, career guidance, and advising students on issues of job placement
• Providing support services and managing crucial incidents affecting students as well as the university community
• Responding to emerging problems among students

Departments and Leadership

The Dean heads the office of the Dean of Students. To help the Dean perform his activities optimally, the office is divided into four departments. They are:

• Guidance & Counselling Department
• Accommodation Department
• Recreation & Sports Department
• Students Affairs at Kizumbu Teaching Cente

Kizumbi Institute of Co-operative and Business Education

Overview

The institute is located in the Shinyanga Region of Tanzania.

Academic Programs

Diploma and certificate programs are available at the Kizumbi Institute of Cooperative & Business Education. Presently, the center offers the following programs:

• Diploma program in Accounting and Cooperative Management
• Diploma program in Microfinance Management
• Certificate program in Management & Accounting
• Certificate program in Microfinance Management
• Certificate program in Enterprise Development

The teaching and training process for the programs mentioned is done collaboratively with instructors handling similar courses at the main campus in Moshi. The collaboration involves the exchange of class notes, course outlines, seminar questions, assignments and tests, and other course-related materials. Usually, students at the Moshi Campus and the Kizumbi Teaching Center write the same final examinations for courses offered in the two locations.

In addition, the teaching center collaborates with the Institute of Continuing Cooperative Education to run bespoke short courses targeted at government organizations, NGOs, cooperative organizations, community self-help associations, and private institutions. Apart from conducting and organizing teaching, the center coordinates consultancy and research activities. The center also organizes outreach programs according to the university’s preferential areas, including financial management and accounting, entrepreneurship, business management, cooperatives, and microfinance.

Moshi Co-operative University Programs and Admissions

Undergraduate Programs

Bachelor’s Degree Programs (3 Years)

• Bachelor of Laws
• Bachelor of Human Resources Management
• BSc in Communication Technology and Business Information
• BA in Enterprise Development and Microfinance
• BA in Supply Management and Procurement
• BA in Entrepreunership and Marketing
• Bachelor of Community Economic Development
• Bachelor of Economics
• BA in Accounting and Cooperative Management
• BA in Finance and Accounting

Diploma Programs (2 years)

• Diploma program in Accounting and Cooperative Management
• Diploma program in Microfinance Management
• Diploma program in Communication Technology and Business Information
• Diploma program in Library & Information Science
• Diploma program in Human Resources Management
• Diploma program in Enterprise and Business Management

Certificate Programs (1 year)

• Certificate program in Accounting & Finance
• Certificate program in Cooperative Management & Accounting
• Certificate program in Coffee Quality & Trade
• Certificate program in Library & Information Science
• Certificate program in Human Resources Management
• Certificate program in Information Technology
• Certificate program in Enterprise Development
• Certificate in Microfinance Management

Moshi Co-operative University Postgraduate Programs

• MA program in Cooperative & Community Development (Evening and Full time)
• MA program in Supply and Procurement Management
• Master in Development Planning
• Master of Project Management and Planning
• Master of Human Resources Management
• Master of Business Management (Evening mode and Full-time)
• Master in Development Planning

Postgraduate (PGD) Programs (1 year)

• PGD in Cooperative Business Management (Evening and Fulltime)
• PGD in Community Development (Evening and Fulltime)
• PGD in Finance and Accounting (Evening and Fulltime)
• PGD in Credit and Savings Cooperative Societies Management (Distance, Evening, and Fulltime)

Doctor of Philosophy (P.hD.) Program

• P.hD Program by research

Continuing Education

Professional Financial Cooperative Management Programme (PFCMP)

• Professional Certificate Program in Saccos Management
• Foundation Certificate Program in Saccos Management
• PGD Program Distance Learning Mode

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