Rwanda’s High Commissioner to Kenya, Martin Ngoga has urged universities in East Africa to cultivate closer ties, thereby deepening regional integration. He calls on these institutions to introduce or increase exchange programmes to enhance awareness of the ongoing integration.
Ambassador Ngoga said this during his courtesy call on the leadership of Mount Kenya University (MKU) in Thika last week. He was received by MKU and Mount Kigali University founder and chairman, Prof. Simon Gicharu who was accompanied by MKU’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Deogratius Jaganyi.
The envoy pointed out that students are likely to champion regional integration if they understand it well quite early.
According to him, when East African students study in neighbouring countries, they gain a deeper understanding of integration.
Ambassador Ngoga and his hosts discussed the expansion of higher education in East Africa and the respective roles of both the public and private sectors.
He lauded MKU for establishing Mount Kigali University in Rwanda, thereby expanding access to higher education. While noting this, he urged MKU to encourage Rwandan students to study in Kenya, and vice-versa.
The envoy expressed his belief that MKU and Mount Kigali University could be having such an arrangement in place. He pointed out that the idea is to encourage East African learners to move across borders and form partnerships that can accelerate regional integration.
"We have a vision of becoming a borderless region and we hope that when it’s your turn to be in the leadership of this region, we should have a situation where you can be anywhere in East Africa and you meet people and feel at home,” said Ngoga.
"Rwanda is grateful to MKU because our partnership with the university started many years back and the institution has grown from a campus to a fully-fledged university.”
Prof. Jaganyi noted that MKU would continue committing resources in Rwanda.
Mount Kigali University is set to open its 48-room hospitality training hotel in January 2025.
The don revealed that MKU embarked on the hotel's construction to expand hospitality training and give students practical industry exposure.
Rwandan students studying at MKU’s main campus in Thika revealed that undertaking their studies in neighbouring East African nations expands their worldview on several issues. The ambassador said this is good for them and Rwanda, to which most return after graduating.