Dr. Joyce Elzear Nyoni was appointed the Rector of the Institute of Social Work on the 29th of March, 2019. Previously, she was the Director of Social Sciences at the Tanzania Commission of Science and Technology (COSTECH) from 1st April, 2016.

Dr. Nyoni also served as the Head of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology, at the University of Dar es Salaam from 2012 to 2015 and has taught at the Department for 16 years.

Dr. Nyoni has a Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of Dar es Salaam and has vast experience in the field of Medical Sociology and Anthropology. Her research interests include HIV/AIDS among key populations, Gender Based Violence and Maternal and Child Health in which she has published widely.