INTRODUCTION
The Centre for Gender Development (CGD) was established under the Institute of Development Studies (IDS) in line with the Mzumbe University Charter of 2007 made under section 25 of Universities Act No. 7 of 2005. This Act repealed Mzumbe University Act No. 21 of 2001. The mandate of the Mzumbe University as stipulated in the Charter focuses on training, research, publications and public services cum consultancies. As a university organ the Centre for Gender Development is charged with training, conducting research, consultancy and outreach activities on crosscutting development issues related to Gender issues which are important for actual development of the communities and nation at large.
CGD contributes to generate knowledge on researchers through its competence areas. This takes place by means of training and supervision of undergraduate students’ researches, external lectureships, conducting seminars and workshop within and outside university. In this way it contributes to achieve the strategic objectives of Mzumbe University and attain the vision and mission of the Institute which is to be a centre of academic excellence in generating knowledge for a sustainable development process in Tanzania and other developing countries, and to promote knowledge on development issues in Tanzania and Africa through sound research, teaching, consultancy, outreach activities and publication by advocating creativity, innovativeness, professionalism and team spirit.
Functions of the Centre
In performing its purpose, CGD offers an undergraduate course DST 300: Gender and environment Management which is an elective course to year three degree programmes in semester two of their study to students from other faculties and schools. The course is offered to Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA III), Bachelor of public Administration (BPA III), Bachelor of Science Economics BSc (ECO III) and all others who wish to take the course provided that their programmes can accommodate the course. The course introduces students to gender and its implications on environmental management and analyses the correlation between gender relations and environmental management, Gender Mainstreaming and its Potentialities in Environmental Management, Challenges in Gender Mainstreaming and environmental management, Men and Women in Different Approaches to Environmental Management. This programme is a strategic intervention at policy level by Mzumbe University to make Tanzanians become aware of the role of men and women (gender) in controlling and managing their environment and adhere to the principles of sustainable management for the national resources.
The Centre for Gender Development also conducts various researches on gender issues and publishes results of such findings through university journal (Uongozi journal) where the results have been used by policy makers and other stake holders to make the necessary changes in the daily routine. The Centre also owns the policy book (Mzumbe University Gender Policy, 2008) which among other things shows the relevancy of gender in higher learning institutions and to the country as a whole. The Centre has also the role of building the capacity to communities and institutions within the university and the country to bring general understanding of gender roles in the society and nation as a whole through providing relevant knowledge on gender issues; it also carries out curriculum development and review.