The University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) is the oldest and premier public university in Tanzania. It is situated 13 kilometers on the western side of the city of Dar es Salaam, occupying 1,625 acres on the observation hill, famously known as Mlimani in Kiswahili. It was established on 25th October 1961 as the University College Dar es Salaam (UCD), an affiliate college of the University of London.

The Institute of Marine Sciences (IMS) is located in Zanzibar with sub campuses at Mizingani Street and Buyu. In addition, IMS has a mariculture centre located in Pangani, Tanga. The Institute comprises three academic sections namely: Marine and Coastal Resources Management (MCRM), Marine Technology and Innovation (MTI) and Geosciences, Oceanography and Informatics (GOI).