Three 27-year-old Rwandan postgraduate students, Evariste Vuguziga, Bienvenu Kaboba, and Simeon Rukundo, have been awarded the Academic Excellence Award at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in Singapore.

The award honors their outstanding performance in NTU’s Master of Science in Smart Manufacturing programme, under the School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering.

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This achievement was announced by Rwanda’s High Commission in Singapore on Tuesday, September 3.

The students completed their Masters’ of Science in Smart Manufacturing Programme at NTU School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, earning top grades. Vuguziga got the highest GPA of 4.70 out of five, while Ndayambaje and Simeon Rukundo got a GPA of 4.44 each.

In a social media post, the School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering indicated that it was thrilled to celebrate the Rwandan postgraduate students who each earned the Academic Excellence Award.

"Their impressive achievements in the Master of Science in Smart Manufacturing Programme showcase their hard work and the strength of the partnership between the Government of Rwanda and our university,” the post read.

Raymond Ndikumana, the Deputy Vice Chancellor for Strategic Planning and Administration at the University of Rwanda, the awardees’ alma mater, said the three students had set a good example, and the university is proud of them.

The trio is part of a cohort of 10 Rwandan students pursuing advanced degrees at NTU, facilitated by a partnership between the Rwandan government and the university.

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Their studies focus on cutting-edge fields like artificial intelligence, smart manufacturing, and engineering, aligning with Rwanda’s vision of becoming a knowledge-based economy.

This academic collaboration was established following President Paul Kagame’s visit to Singapore in September 2022, during which he delivered the Majulah Lecture and engaged with NTU’s academic community.

The partnership aims to advance Rwanda’s technological capabilities by equipping Rwandan students with expertise in high-tech fields such as materials science, computer control and automation, and energy engineering.

NTU is recognised as one of the top universities globally, with its programmes in materials science, engineering, and technology ranked among the best in Asia and worldwide.