In 2007, the government of Rwanda established the Higher Education Council (HEC) with a core mission of overseeing the smooth running of institutions of higher learning (HLIs) with emphasis on ensuring that HLIs meet the required academic quality standards for higher education. With this mandate therefore, HEC has the mandate of accrediting higher learning institutions to legally operate.

Other responsibilities of HEC are to ensure structure, organisation and functioning of higher education institutions, monitoring and evaluating the quality and standard of provision and ensuring the quality development of teaching and research.

As we marked the International Literacy Day that falls on the 8 of September under the local theme Stand Up for Literacy, continuos efforts are undertaken to enhance the culture of reading at all levels, HEC says it is fully committed to contributing to the promoting the culture of reading in the institutions of higher learning in various ways.