KIGALI - As part of Project Umubano 2008, volunteers from the Conservative Party of the United Kingdom (UK) are working with the School of Finance and Banking (SFB) in skills development.

The team leader, Neil Mahapatra, said that they were at SFB to assist in areas of web-designing and entrepreneurship development.

"We will also complement the ongoing efforts of the William Davidson Institute through the Rector and build a platform to enable the SFB to become a flagship business school in the East African region,” Mahapatra said.

He explained that the team will emphasize delivering sustainable recommendations in important areas that allow ongoing support and deepen the relationship between the school and the Conservative Party.

He explained that his team will conduct the project in conformity with the aims of Project Umubano that include a spirit of friendship and co-operation, focus on projects that have long-term impact, sustainability and ongoing legacy.

The team is offering lectures to students while also addressing the school’s top officials.

The team of six Party members with qualifications in different disciplines will also be involved in benchmarking studies of Bachelor’s and Masters degree programmes.

The school’s Rector, Prof. Krishna Kistan Govender, said that the team’s expertise will help the school to achieve its ambition of becoming an internationally accredited business school and a national flagship.

Prof. Govender continued that the project will also provide a series of lectures on ‘How to use case studies’ – using well-known cases from the Harvard Business School and other famous business schools in the UK.

"Generally, the project will aim at achieving continuity on several dimensions like promoting and sustaining links between the SFB and the international business world and graduate employers,” the Professor said.

Prof. Govender commended the team for its spirit of friendship and co-operation.

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