University of Rwanda gets $40m

SIGNING OF AGREEMENT: From Left: Joakim Molander, Head of Cooperation, Embassy of Sweden, Minister of Finance, Amb. Claver Gatete and Vice Chancellor University of Rwanda, Prof. James McWha. COURTESY PICTURE

KIGALI, Rwanda – Sweden is supporting Rwanda’s ambitions to pin its economy on a knowledge-based society by handing over about $40 million to the National University of Rwanda.

“The program supports Rwanda’s ambitions to develop into an innovative knowledge society and aims to increase the production and use of scientifically based knowledge contributing to Rwanda’s development,” Amb. Claver Gatete, the Rwanda Minister of Finance and Economic Planning said last week.

Joakim Molander signed for the International Development Cooperation Development (SIDA) during the function that took place at the Swedish Embassy in Rwanda.

This program is tagged under Cooperation in Research, Higher Education and Institutional Advancement.

The money will go towards support use of scientific knowledge of international quality that contributes to Rwanda’s development. It is also meant to enable disadvantaged people improve the quality of life through research carried out at the university.

Gatete thanked the Swedish government for choosing education which he said is very critical if Rwanda is to achieve a knowledge-based economy.

“This is indeed going to support our services sector with the developed skills the country will have. Rwanda has been focusing on formal education up to the First Degree level, moving onto Master’s levels. But combining the different universities under one university with the aim of helping them achieve international standards cannot be achieved if we don’t invest heavily at the Master Degree Level and PhD Level, ” he said.

Gatete said Rwanda cannot reach the target of becoming a middle-income country by the year 2020 without investing in the population.

Sweden through SIDA has supported research capacity building in Rwanda since 2002 through the University of Rwanda until the formation of the National University of Rwanda in 2013.

“We aim at helping Rwanda start PhD programs without any partnership from other universities,” Molander said.

Molander said SIDA supports research that is viable in helping countries be able to eradicate poverty.

“Our goal is to help Rwanda establish a strong foundation for both social and economic development and this can only be achieved through enhanced research and skills,” he said.

Rwanda has so far got 23 PhD students from Swedish universities since the partnership started with 29 PhD students undergoing PhD studies and 49 PhD more students to be enrolled during the 3rd phase of the program.

Such support will go to Agriculture, Medicine and Health, Mathematics and Statistics, Peace and Conflicts, Business and Economics, Geographic Information Systems, E- Governance, ICT, Environment, Library and Information Science and Research Management which are critical areas in Rwanda.

Government of Rwanda was praised for continuing to facilitate the relationship there is between the two countries.

Swedish government has supported Rwanda not only in university but also other areas from 2002-2006 with Rwf8.8billion, 2007-2013 with Rwf18.5billion and plans on supporting the country for the 5years with Rwf33.4billion.

By Agnes Bateta, Monday, July 28th, 2014


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