First IIT Campus abroad inaugurated in Zanzibar | Watch Video

In a historic development, the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras launched its first global campus in Zanzibar, making it the first offshore campus for any IIT. Zanzibar President Hussein Ali Mwinyi presided over the inaugural ceremony, which also saw virtual participation from IIT-M director V Kamakoti. The campus has commenced its first semester with approximately 50 students, 50% of whom hail from India.

Preparations are in full swing at the @IITMZanzibar Campus, which is awaiting its official inauguration on November 6, 2023. IITM Zanzibar campus is the first international campus by #IITMadras & also the first by any of the IITs in India.

Here is a glimpse of the new #campus. pic.twitter.com/AdpEREBeuT

— IIT Madras (@iitmadras) November 3, 2023

The remaining students come from Zanzibar, mainland Tanzania, and Nepal, with a notable 40% representation of women.IIT-M director V Kamakoti emphasized the significance of this international expansion, highlighting the institute's commitment to global engagement through joint degree programs, faculty exchange, student exchange, and collaborative research initiatives. The Zanzibar campus offers two full-time academic programs at the outset: a four-year Bachelor of Science in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence and a two-year Master of Technology in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence.

The campus leadership also marks a milestone as Preeti Aghalayam becomes the first woman director-in-charge of an IIT campus. The annual fees for the bachelor's course are set at $12,000, while the master's course costs $4,000 per year, and the faculty comprises individuals deputed from IIT-Madras or recruited from India.