RWANDA

University eyes alumni to boost coffers after budget cut
The University of Rwanda is pinning its hopes on the generosity of the university’s graduates currently working in the private sector to provide funding to make up for a substantial shortfall in the institution’s budget, occasioned by government cuts.Last year, the government cut the university’s operational budget by half – from RWF26 billion (US$31 million) to RWF13 billion – to boost research and development that could generate third-stream income to keep the university afloat.
Former students who spoke to University World News were not entirely confident that the university could salvage the entire shortfall from alumni donations – and without major growth in the country’s industrial base.
The university's alumni association so far boasts around 80,000 active members but seeks to attract more in moves to create stronger partnerships with alumni and push for tangible projects with their alma mater.
According to Dr Rose Gasibirege, senior alumni relations officer, the body has tabled a strategic plan to the university’s management which, if approved, will be a game changer in terms of the promotion of research and development and fundraising.
“We have a clear road map which, among other initiatives, seeks extensive partnerships with the country’s businesses and industries,” she said.
“Although our industry is still young, we have seen innovative joint projects between students and alumni which are very marketable and if emulated, can help the country develop faster in different fields.”
Gasibirege said members of the association would be conceptualising projects to be showcased by the university at various trade fairs across the country.
As part of the broader strategic plan, university officials say they are looking at using available resources to deliver academic programmes focusing on science, technology, engineering and mathematics, which normally attract more government funding, and encouraging income-generating consultancies among lecturers.
The plan also encourages lecturers to come up with a range of research projects to be presented to different international organisations to attract funds in various disciplines, but mostly ICT, agriculture, tourism and commerce.
While the university was finding all avenues possible to fund its projects, a university spokesperson Mike Karangwa said the recent merger, which had produced the University of Rwanda, would also result in more efficient use of the reduced budget.
“The projects arising out of the alumni association will chip in to raise some funds, but we can’t say that we are looking at them alone to generate money for the campus,” he said.
Karangwa said that they were hoping that some of the offers from alumni, such as free lectures and teaching, campus attachments and internships for students, would help to save money.
“We have former students who are today leaders of different institutions and manufacturing businesses that will give our students and staff support in one way or the other, and that will save some spending,” he said.
Regarding the exhibitions, Karangwa said that the university will make efforts to visit different alumnus-founded industries, among others, and invite them to showcase their products at future university events.
On the issue of the alumni association, he said the university had agreed to form a steering committee comprised of association members and university officials who will finalise the proposed action plan before it comes into effect.
Jean Karemangingo, a former student who is now a medical doctor, told University World News that the idea of joining the alumni association was very important but warned that it might be off-putting if students are told that it is specifically aimed at raising funds.
“Open calls for funds like those, we have heard, rarely yield positive results, especially when new graduates are still struggling to replay loans,” he said.
The former student said the university will need to explore all avenues to mobilise more alumni, mostly through social media which will create a network that can reach students across the world including members of the diaspora.