If the 2018 statistical year book is anything to go by, Rwanda is rapidly becoming a major player in the education field, especially when it comes to providing quality education and nurturing young leaders, among other things.

Needless to mention, a number of government initiatives and funding boosts have contributed to securing the country as an eye-catching destination for international students, and this momentum doesn’t appear to be waning any time soon.

Given that as a key priority, the Ministry of Education has embarked on a journey to attract more international students to the country, and the establishment of international universities is helping to fulfil the aim.

The Ministry of Education has embarked on a journey to attract more international students to the country. Net photo.

As the country’s education sector gains momentum, amongst other sectors, graduate prospects and a promise of a growing economy has attracted international students from various countries to study in Rwanda.

For instance, when Rahma Ahmed looked beyond her native, Somalia, for a place to pursue her post graduate studies, there was only one destination in her mind — Rwanda. It was the country’s ability to promote its education sector that appealed to her, and so she applied, and when she eventually joined, she wasn’t disappointed, she says.

"I was thrilled the moment I got an opportunity to come to Rwanda. Because the other international students shared interesting study experiences, the hospitality of the students was also good, and diversity of the nationalities in the institutions was a bonus among others,” says the 29-year-old IT and entrepreneurship student at Carnegie Mellon University.

She also points affordability as one of the factors that interested her. "And then there’s the money issue. Higher education in Rwanda has long been a lot cheaper than it is in most regions that I have checked out. In fact, almost free, for international students and nationals alike.”

So, what is behind the appeal to international students? "Rwanda is a country that gives everyone an equal chance,” says Drice Michaella Ingabire, a former student at Nu-Vision Cambridge School.

"That includes the children of farmers from the remotest corners of low income countries, who couldn’t possibly think of studying at IVY League universities,” the Burundian student says.

According to Lesa Kobusingye, a student under the Kepler programme, Rwanda is rich in art and tradition.

She is also of the view that, while some connect with the culture, the home to mountain gorillas and the beauty of a thousand hills, most adore it for its deep and vast art and culture.

Besides the country’s upcoming reputation as a research and education hub for students, many international students choose to study in the country because of its thriving economy and dynamic business environment, Lesa adds.

Nigerian born Nicholas Amope, pursuing global business at one of Africa’s most budding universities, African Leadership University in Rwanda, says, "I chose ALU because it is a vibrant and young university known for its quality education, especially with humanities courses. I am not only given opportunities to meet great people with a cross-cultural background here, but I also get a chance to learn about the country’s political history.”

Over the years, Rwanda’s education system has been stepping up efforts to cut the red tape, in the hope of drawing more international talent.

It’s worth knowing that the Rwanda Scholarship Criteria for varsity students has made significant pots of scholarship money available and the cost of tuition is "extremely attractive” to international students, a source from the High Education Council told The New Times.

Additionally, local universities and other joint venture projects are revamping their halls of residence and teaching facilities, to make students coming from abroad feel more comfortable, and to encourage them to spend longer periods of time in Rwanda.

Initially, the same source said, these halls of residence were built specifically for international students, and there have been serious efforts underway to improve the overall housing and study environment for all nationals and internationals. And we are optimistic that these efforts will lure even more international students.”

International students have also revealed that another way in which local universities are catering for them, and aiming to better integrate local and foreign students, is to provide more courses taught in English, which they say opens up more opportunities for greater interactions inside and outside of the classrooms for all students. Universities are also employing more faculty members from around the world who teach in English. And these measures appear to be working.

Policymakers weigh in

"I believe the key to success is forging close relationships with guidance counsellors from key schools in target countries. Sometimes these were virtual relationships built using internet, phone, messaging, and et cetera. The overall strategy worked so well, and the authorities should invest more efforts in expanding the number of channels,” says Claude Gakwandi, the chief executive officer of ‘Study in Rwanda’ programme.

He also highlights that, for a student considering to study abroad, it is beneficial to think about plans of post-graduation, and the expanding Rwandan economy could be an attractive workplace for a student looking to gain experience in an emerging economy.

"Because of the training these students receive in cross-cultural affairs and global studies, they will be ideally suited to take on positions in Rwandan and foreign corporations with strong international connections. As foreign investment to and from China continues to grow, more and more well-informed international people will be needed to staff key positions in marketing, government relations, business strategy, among others,” Gakwandi says.

"These [institutions] are true experiments at the cutting edge of higher education in Rwanda, and the fact that the Government has shown willingness to accept them, shows the kind of openness to learning from abroad that now exists in Rwanda’s higher education. This bodes well for the future of Rwanda’s higher education system,” concludes Gakwandi.

Irenee Ndayambaje, Director General at Rwanda Education Board, is of the view that Rwanda is striving to ensure quality education, adding that, there are evident efforts to also attract and establish international education bodies like universities here in Rwanda.

"You can, therefore, see Rwanda gradually positioning itself as the future hub for a number of services, including education,” he says.

Quality and relevance of the programme leading to competitive employability are key in order to attract international students.

"Our education has achieved a lot in terms of access, quality is the chief target being tackled,” Ndayambaje says. 

editor@newtimesrwanda.com