Former minister takes up role in the university sector

Professor Silas Lwakabamba, Rwanda’s former education minister, has been appointed as regional managing director for the Coventry University Group’s (CUG) new Africa Hub in Kigali.

The seasoned academic will be the most senior representative of the university group in the region and will oversee its activities across Africa, the CUG said in a statement on 1 June 2021. These activities include policy development, research, enterprise and innovation, and alumni engagement.

“Lwakabamba will drive business development in the region using his vast experience, knowledge and network of contacts,” the CUG said in the statement.

Lwakabamba will build collaborative relationships and partnerships to assist long-term knowledge transfer.

The Africa Hub will serve as a base for the Coventry University Group in the region, enabling new relationships and strengthening established ones, according to the statement.

The hub was established in 2021. Located in Kigali Heights in Rwanda’s central capital city of Kigali, the hub is part of the CUG’s plan to develop a sustainable network of multifaceted overseas offices.

The group’s vision is to have a presence near to its stakeholders in key regions and follows the success of the Singapore and Dubai hubs, according to the statement.

Lwakabamba earned his BSc and doctoral degrees in engineering at Leeds University in the UK and has held senior positions in higher education in Tanzania and Rwanda.

As an academic, Lwakabamba served as the rector of Kigali Institute of Sciences and Technology, then as rector of the former National University of Rwanda and the now-defunct University of Kibungo. He has also served in the cabinet of the Rwandan government, first as minister of infrastructure and then as minister of education.

“I am delighted to join Coventry University, which is one of the most entrepreneurial universities I know. For me, it is exciting to be part of an institution with great potential to make a difference for our African economies,” Lwakabamba is quoted as saying in the statement.

Professor Mohamed Loutfi, the vice-chancellor’s envoy of the CUG, said in the statement that the group is excited to welcome Lwakabamba as the inaugural managing director of Africa Hub.

“He is an exceptional leader, with a distinguished track record in Sub-Saharan countries. His wealth of experience, an extensive network of strategic contacts, and profile as a highly respected thought leader will certainly add to Coventry University Group’s understanding and building of further relations within the Sub-Saharan Africa region,” Loutfi said.