Rwanda is expecting more foreign students as it is gearing up for becoming a hub for university education in Africa by 2035.

The Higher Education Council (HEC) has reported that the number of foreign students studying in Rwanda over the past seven years has grown from 1,400 in 2017 to 9,109 foreign students in 2024.

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"We want to become a university education hub so that foreign students, especially those from African countries, consider Rwanda as a first university education destination,” the Minister of Education, Joseph Nsengimana, told Members of Parliament on Thursday, November 28.

Currently, there are 35 universities in Rwanda. The number of higher learning institutions operating in Rwanda has increased steadily over the years.

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In the past seven years alone, approximately 20 institutions got licenses to operate in the country.

"We are carrying out a study and developing a strategy that will help Rwanda become a university education hub,” said Nsengimana.

He said different reforms are being carried out to ensure higher learning institutions produce graduates with skills needed in the labour market.

For example, the University of Rwanda is carrying out a comprehensive review of all its 158 academic programmes, with a target to phase out those that do not reflect the realities of the current labour market.

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The University of Rwanda and the University of Global Health Equity (UGHE) are among the top 10 universities in Sub-Saharan Africa, according to the 2024 Times Higher Education rankings.

The University of Rwanda secured sixth position, while UGHE ranked eighth.

Nsengimana said Rwanda’s 2003 education policy is also being reviewed to integrate the goals of becoming a university education hub.

He said the Ministry of Education will host a retreat on December 9 to December 10 with higher learning institutions to discuss challenges, reforms and the target.

"We will share updates about the reforms and the strategy for making Rwanda a university education hub," he added.

"There should be a centre to guide foreign students seeking to study in Rwanda in terms of visa, criteria, accommodation, medical insurance among other requirements and existing facilities for them,” MP Balinda Rutebuka said.

MP Olivia Mbabazi urged the Higher Education Council to ensure foreign students coming to Rwanda especially in private higher learning institutions fulfill the admission criteria.

For MP Diogène Bitunguramye, both private and public higher learning institutions should provide housing for students including foreign students.

The University of Rwanda is planning to increase its hostel capacity to accommodate up to 60 per cent of undergraduate students, from the current 23 per cent.