University of Rwanda’s College of Business and Economics plans to open a school of tourism and management.

This was announced during a workshop at the college’s Gikondo campus, yesterday.

Under the theme, "Linking High Learning Institutions with the Industry to Increase Productivity and Boost the Tourism Industry,” the workshop – co-hosted by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) – brought together stakeholders in tourism and hospitality sector, including Rwanda Development Board, Private Sector Federation- Chamber of Tourism, Workforce Development Authority, RwandAir, and students.

The workshop provided a platform to the different stakeholders to reflect on how the school, set to be opened in September, would give a holistic approach to new tourism programmes.

It also gave opportunity to participants to air their views on tourism and hospitality industry.

Prof. Murty Kopparthi, the acting college principal, said the tourism and management school is in response to the growing need for facilities to offer quality education, training and research in tourism and hospitality at varsity level in the country.

"We want to address the needs and requirements at the market. Recently, the Head of State talked about developing the MICE sector (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, Events) as a key to economic development especially since Rwanda is focusing on tourism. We realised that one of the ways to promote the sector is through strengthening the skills that are needed for the industry to grow,” he said.

Kopparthi said there is a strong need for consolidating many of the country’s targets and to support the tourism and hospitality sector with policy-oriented research, high focused education and high impact training facilities at undergraduate and graduate levels.

The school is expected to keep ahead of tourism industry through research, development and innovation. It will be offering undergraduate studies, masters and PhD courses.

Anny Batamuriza, the vice chair of Rwanda Chamber of Tourism, said the school would respond to challenges facing many tourism and hospitality firms in the country.

"We have limited schools that offer practical skills and special programmes for both tourism and hospitality; this school was long overdue. We hope the more we invest in skills development, facilities and capacity building, the more our tourism sector develops,” she said.

Currently, in Rwanda tourism and hospitality education programmes are offered at lower levels. At university level, the University of Tourism and Business offers the programmes.

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