RESEARCH AGENDA AND PRIORITY AREAS
FOR MOSHI UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF COOPERATIVE AND BUSINESS STUDIES
(MUCCoBS)

The Mission of MUCCoBS as stipulated in the Charter establishing the institution is;

 “to be the best provider of opportunities for acquisition, development, promotion, dissemination and preservation of knowledge and skills in cooperative, community, business, organizational and entrepreneurship development processes and any other area as may be determined by the University College, through training, research and consultancy activities thus contributing to poverty alleviation initiatives and development of the associative economy.”

MUCCoBS is mandated to undertake research in matters relating to business, community development and cooperation as well as poverty alleviation. This is can be done solely by MUCCoBS or in collaboration with other colleges, universities, institutions or persons.

RESEARCH PRIORITY AREAS:

As a matter of principle, MUCCoBS research priorities focus on poverty reduction. MUCCoBS Research outputs aim at contributing to better understanding of poverty and suggesting appropriate policy strategies for reducing poverty as a matter of national concern. Priority areas are subject to change from time to time pending on national and international priorities.

The main areas include;

1. Co-operative Development
2. Community Development
3. Rural Transformation
4. Business Studies
5. Information and Communication Technology (ICT)
6. Organizational Development; and
7. Entrepreneurship Development

Prioritized themes for Research for MUCCoBS including;

1. Co-operative Development
2. Agricultural Development and Environment
3. Local Institutions and Rural Development
4. Gender, Social Inequality and Social change
5. Population and Economic Development
6. Poverty Alleviation
7. Human Resources Development
8. Information and Communication Technology (ICT)
9. Management and Entrepreneurship Development

In this context of prioritized themes and areas, each faculty identifies from time to time pertinent research priority areas applicable to the faculty’s academic specialization. The faculty priority research areas are scrutinized by the relevant University organs prior to MUCCoBS Academic Board approval.  The identified research priority areas constitute the core component of MUCCoBS Research Programme that is followed up by the Directorate of Research and Postgraduate Studies (DRPS) through Research Department for implementation in the respective period of their relevancy.

The University College has more than 80 qualified researchers at PhD and Masters levels in different disciplines such as; cooperation, accountancy, finance, microfinance, business, banking, procurement and supply management, library information, economics, entrepreneurship, gender and rural development. Other researchers are qualified in; agriculture, extension, management, planning, marketing, community development, sociology, information technology, management, management and law.

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE FOR RESEARCH ON
COOPERATIVES IN AFRICA (ICRCA)

Held at Moshi University College of Cooperative and Business Studies from 26th to 28th September, 2011

The University College held the International Conference for Research Conference for Africa from 26th to 28th September, 2011. The conference the first of its kind in Africa -- drew more than 180 participants (Researchers, Practitioners, Policy makers and Cooperators) from within and outside the country. Participants from outside the country came from Rwanda, Uganda, Nigeria, Botswana, Kenya Sweden, Finland and the United States of America.  Holding of this important conference was made possible through the generous support of several sponsors. The sponsors included; The Ministry of Agriculture, Cooperatives and Food Security, The International Alliance for Cooperatives (ICA), Cooperative Audit and Supervision Corporation (COASCO), Tanzania Federation of Cooperative (TFC) Ltd, Tanzania Tobacco Apex Ltd, Precision Air, Kilimanjaro Bank Ltd and Western Tanganyika Tobacco Cooperative Union Ltd. Their contribution is humbly acknowledged.

Theme for the conference was:
            “Cooperative Development in Africa: Prospects and Challenges”

Objective for the conference:
“Provide a forum for practitioner academicians and policy makers to share Idea and experiences in contemporarily cooperative development processes in Africa and strategize future options for improvement for Africa Societal development”

Sub themes were;

1. Marketing and Production in Cooperates,
2. Cooperatives and Financial Services,
3. Social Solidarity Economy,
4. Microfinance,
5. Cooperative Governance,
6. Cooperatives and Climate Change.

A total of 23 papers were presented during the conference as shown below;

CONTACT US: 

Faculty of Business and Information Sciences,              
MUCCoBS,
Sokoine Road, P.O.BOX 474,             
Moshi. Tanzania. East Africa. 
Tel: +255 272 750 458              
Fax: 255-027-2750806              
E-mail:dfbis@muccobs.ac.tz               
Website: www.muccobs.ac.tz