Rwanda Education, UR and Kent university officials
Kent State University and the University of Rwanda (UR) have launched a partnership that is expected to improve teaching and connect students, faculties and researchers.
The universities partnered to offer studies for undergraduate and postgraduate students, in areas including aerospace engineering, education and conflict management. The partnership was flagged off at UR College of Science and Technology, Kigali City on January 25.
On the same day, officials from the two universities held another meeting to finalize details on further terms of cooperation including international exchanges on research across multiple disciplines, tuition fees, scholarships for local students, among others.
“We are collaborating to further deliver quality education. Both universities have centers of conflict management that are of high standard. There are also areas of aerospace engineering. We shall soon need skilled citizens to work in our airports,” Dr. Valentine Uwamariya, Minister of Education said.
“The idea is working with Kent State University on how to better deliver these lessons. They have a college of aerospace engineering, and it has been there for a long time. They have skills in that area, but also other fields, ” she added.
She pointed out that they are still in talks on how students can study two years in Rwanda and proceed for another two in Kent State University before graduating to join the labour market.
Both universities have departments devoted to studying peace and conflict. Kent State’s was founded after Ohio National Guard members shot Kent students who were protesting the Vietnam War in 1970, while the University of Rwanda’s department emerged in the wake of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
“They have opened their offices in UR campuses. But we are still in talks for further collaboration. Today, we also signed a partnership agreement with them. For the time being they will have offices on our campuses. However, in the future, they could choose to find another place,” Dr. Didas Kayihura Muganga, Vice-Chancellor of UR said.
“It is a big university, and this partnership is expected to bear fruits. The university has its own airport and airplanes. They have immersive experience in aerospace activities and logistics. It is the beginning, we want to thoroughly highlight our preferred areas of cooperation, more will be listed,” Muganga added.
With approximately 34,000 students enrolled throughout its eight campuses as of 2021, including over 25,000 at its main campus, Kent State University was reported the third-largest institution in Ohio.
Over 300 degree programmes are taught at Kent State University, including 250 baccalaureate, 40 associate, 50 master’s, and 23 doctoral programs.
Programmes include nursing, business, history, library science, aeronautics, journalism, architecture, fashion design, and the Liquid Crystal Institute, among others.
It falls under the category of “R1: Doctoral Universities – Very High Research Activity” according to the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education.
