Triple Helix Model for Retrofitting Technical and Vocational Education Training in Transition to Green Economy in Tanzania

Tripartite relationship between academia, industry and the government establishes the simplest and sustainable framework to address challenges in transition to green economy. This paper focus on application of Triple Helix Model to enable the transition to green economy in Tanzania. The aim is to analyze setup of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in Tanzania and identify existing collaboration and gaps between the three parties. Strategies to bridge the gaps and strengthen the relation in order to achieve transition to green economy in the country are proposed. The study analyzes key processes for curricula development, training delivery, and industrial linkages in the three main technical institutions in the country: Dar es Salaam Institute of Technology (DIT), Arusha Technical College (ATC) and National Institute of Transport (NIT). Qualitative analysis of the three processes is carried out with the aim of assessing industry and government involvement. Best practices to be adopted in order to address the inevitable transition to green economy are identified. The study concludes that sustainable transition to green economy requires deliberate effort to forge triple helix collaboration between academia, industry and the government. TVET institutions stand at a better position to bridge the existing gaps and broken linkages. However, this requires TVET institutions to consolidate their training and set both long and short term strategies to be implemented with flexibility and some degree of divergence from the business as usual conduct. Monitoring and evaluation plan need to be set in order to continuously assess dynamics and forces affecting collaboration between the three parties.