University of Rwanda expands to meet economic needs

The University of Rwanda is ramping up efforts to increase student enrolment, while planning to provide programmes for economic sectors that are growing within Rwanda, said Vice-chancellor James McWha.

“The mining industry is growing, and we need people with qualifications in geology and mining. We will be establishing a school of mining in the next 12 months, and hope to start admitting students in September 2015.”

This will complement the growing number of young people seeking university education in the country. “We would anticipate the number of students coming to the University of Rwanda, and studying at universities in general in Rwanda, to grow steadily over the next number of years,” said McWha.

The university was formed in 2013 from seven institutions: National University of Rwanda in Butare; School of Finance and Banking in the capital Kigali; Kigali Institute of Science, Technology and Management; Kigali Institute of Education; Kigali Health Institute; Higher Institute of Agriculture and Livestock in Musanze; and Umutara Polytechnic in east Rwanda.

Growth and balance

It accepted 9,443 new students for the 2014-15 academic year, with a planned total enrolment of about 32,000, up from 29,000 last year. The applications target was exceeded by 3%, with the college of business and economics admitting the majority of new students – 38%.

However, said Professor Nelson Ijumba, deputy vice-chancellor for academic affairs and research, “the government is reviewing its funding formula in terms of people who qualify for funding".

“So far we’ve enrolled only about 75% of the expected number,” as students who depend on the funding wait for clarification, he told University World News.

For now, the university does not have the ability with its tight budget to step in and help students, as it relies on government grants with some private financing. But Ijumba said this was something that was being worked on.

The university is already preparing for new growth. “We are looking at increasing enrolment by about 5% per year,” Ijumba said.

It also hopes to correct a gender imbalance.

Out of the newly admitted students, 69% are male and only 31% are female, an inequality that is puzzling university leaders. Last year’s gender figures were not much better – 67% of students were male and 33% female.

“It’s a curious situation,” Ijumba said. “If you go to private institutions in Rwanda, the female enrolment is about 52% to 53%. But when you come to publicly funded institutions, including the University of Rwanda, female enrolment is around 30%.”

The university’s gender studies staff will conduct a study to help understand why women are choosing private post-secondary education, as “it is quite an anomaly”, Ijumba said.

Regarding accommodation, Ijumba said classrooms and campuses were not crowded because of the new students, although residence housing is at a premium.

“We do give priority to female students to get accommodation on campus. The rest of the students depend on accommodation that is in the surrounding area,” he said.

“It’s not a big problem for students who are off campus in cities like Kigali. It becomes a big challenge in terms of the quality of accommodation for students who are on campuses outside the city,” he said.

The university is currently talking to a private accommodation provider about accessing and renting properties near campuses, giving student tenants priority.

Future plans

Since the university merged seven previously independent universities, its faculties are spread around the country, giving managers flexibility and options regarding growth.

“[We] can distribute programmes in such a way that reasonable progress of the university [is supported] in different parts of the country,” Ijumba said.

It has five campuses located throughout Kigali; three in the eastern province including the towns of Nyagatare, Rwamagana and Kibungo; one in the southern province in Huye; two in the northern province including the Busogo and Byumba campuses; and two in the western province including Nyamishaba and Butare.

Other plans for developing the university include increasing its research capacity and output, attracting more postdoctoral students, and improving its reputation using world ranking bodies and better website development, noted Ijumba.