About Us

The Sokoine University of Agriculture Academic Staff Association (SUASA) is an association of all Academic Staff members at Sokoine University of Agriculture. One becomes a member of the Association upon his/her appointment to an office in the academic service of the University; and his/her membership terminates once his/her employment as an academic staff at Sokoine University of Agriculture comes to an end. 

SUASA was established by the University of Agriculture Act (1984) which was later repealed by the Universities Act, 2005 and later replaced by the Sokoine University of Agriculture Charter, 2007 (SUA Charter, 2007). The SUA Charter, 2007 continues to recognize SUASA and its original objectives. Currently, SUASA has about 500 members from different academic disciplines.

The aim of SUASA is to unite members of Academic Staff at SUA in addressing issues related to Staff welfare and constantly engage in constructive dialogue with the university administration in locking for the best ways of fulfilling university mandate of teaching, research, innovation, consultancies and services. This is geared at enabling SUA attain its mission of promoting development through training, research and delivery of services, which is in line with University vision of  becoming a centre of excellence in agriculture and allied sciences.

Specifically, the objectives of the association are:

1. To stimulate and promote discussion on matters of academic interest;
2. To promote academic functions of the Sokoine University of Agriculture and its Colleges;
3. To support and promote the basic principles relating to academic freedom and social responsibility of the academics;
4. To encourage and promote social activities for the purposes of enriching the intellectual and cultural development of the Sokoine University of Agriculture;
5. To discuss matters relating to the general welfare of the academic members of staff of the Sokoine University of Agriculture;
6. To cooperate with other organs of the Sokoine University of Agriculture on matters of general interest to the University Community; and
7. To deliberate on any other issues which may from time to time be referred to it by the University Management or stakeholders.

In order to take an active role in the formulation of University policies, SUASA has representation in the following University-wide Committees:

• Sokoine University of Agriculture Council
• Sokoine University of Agriculture Senate
• Finance, Planning and Development Committee
• Appointment and Human Resource Management Committee for the academic staff
• Staff Disciplinary Committee
• Staff Disciplinary Appeals Committee

Membership

SUASA is a member of the Academic Staff Associations of Public Universities and Colleges of Tanzania (ASAPUCT). Since the challenges facing members of Academic Staff in all public Universities and Colleges in Tanzania are similar, it was found prudent to be a member of an Association that coordinates activities related to handling of academic staff duties, welfare and development in all universities countrywide.