Review could lead to programme cuts at university

A new, comprehensive review of all programmes offered by the University of Rwanda (UR) could lead to the phasing out of some courses deemed irrelevant to the labour market while others could be either improved or merged.

This comes after the numbers of students in some programmes kept on dwindling, said Dr Emile Bienvenu, the acting deputy vice-chancellor of academics and research at the UR.

“It is true that we have some programmes that have a high number of students, and others with lower numbers, and some that have even fewer students,” he told University World News in an exclusive interview at the beginning of May.

Bienvenu said the main reason was that some of the programmes do not match with the labour market.

“We have seen that some of the programmes we are offering at the university are good and relevant to the market, while other programmes are not, and that is the reason we have decided to undertake a comprehensive review of all the programmes we are offering at the UR,” he said.

Numbers dropping across the board

While the UR strives towards a total of 90% of students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, also known as STEM-related courses, and the remaining 10% in non-STEM courses in the future, numbers have been dropping in all programmes across the university’s colleges.

Bienvenu responded to the concern that programmes from the College of Arts and Social Sciences (UR-CASS) were the most affected.

“There is no study documenting that the CASS is the most affected. Of course, if we have six colleges that are affected, there will be one college which is most affected,” he said.

“For me, the problem is not a college being more or less affected, the problem is offering programmes that are not needed in the labour market,” he stressed.

Bienvenu said there are non-STEM programmes that still need a larger number of students, such as interpretation and event management, because the country is a tourism and events destination.

He also mentioned law programmes that currently attract more students.

“I just want to mention that pure courses were relevant in their time, but it does not concern only those programmes, it concerns all programmes. We have few students in history, but we also have few students in physics and biology, which are science courses,” he said.

“It means we battle with reasons that go beyond STEM and non-STEM, and that is what the market is going to inform us on,” he added.

Market research first

According to Bienvenu, the UR has already initiated the process of comprehensively reviewing all programmes offered at the university.

He said that the university intends to first conduct market research to ascertain what the expectations and needs of the labour market are, as well as which challenges and issues the labour market is experiencing.

The market research will reveal problems that could trigger the development of new programmes, he said.

“We are going to see whether some of our programmes are still relevant in the labour market and relevant programmes are going to be maintained with some improvements. Those that are no longer relevant will be phased out.

“We will be looking into new areas in the labour market and the problems that the labour market is facing that are not addressed by our programmes. This could trigger new programmes,” he added.

Bienvenu said the market research exercise has started, with the concept plan already developed. The review is mandatory at all six the university’s colleges.

“We believe that this review of programmes exercise is going to be completed within this year, ending in November-December. We believe students are going to start with new programmes in the academic year that starts next year,” he said.

According to Masengesho Kamuzinzi, an associate professor in educational planning, the programme review is a positive development, but should involve all stakeholders.

“Normally, if the review of a programme is well analysed and done in consultation with a team of technicians, leaders, and the private sector, students and the employers [or labour market] will benefit,” said Kamuzinzi, who is involved in the development of the current educational strategic plan.

According to him, programmes could change, but fundamentals or core courses should not and should still be relevant to the context and the potential beneficiaries.

The University of Rwanda, Rwanda’s largest higher learning institution, was formed in 2013 when six public colleges merged.

According to officials, despite the reduced number in some programmes, the university’s student population has increased tremendously.

Figures from the UR indicate that, since its establishment, 49,477 students have graduated – 53% of them with non-STEM degrees and 47% with STEM degrees.

During the past seven years, 45% of students on average enrol in non-STEM programmes and 55% in STEM programmes.

Female students represent 34% of the student body and male students 66%. Undergraduate programmes dominate, with 95% representing undergraduate students. The government supports 84% of all students financially.

Dr Emile Bienvenu is currently the acting deputy vice-chancellor, but the cabinet appointed Dr Nosa O Egiebor in the position on 5 May 2021. Egiebor, a professor of chemical and environmental engineering and former provost and executive vice president at SUNY-ESF, will soon take over from Bienvenu.