KIGALI - Fourteen Scottish universities will be providing scholarships to fourteen students from Rwanda to pursue their Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.Ds) studies in Scotland.

This was revealed by the Executive Director of Higher Education Council, Prof Geoffrey Rugege, at a cocktail organized over the weekend to celebrate successes achieved through Rotary in Scotland University Scholarship scheme (RUSSR) program.

This was welcomed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Rosemary Museminali, who hailed the program for contributing to Rwanda’s development. She congratulated the students for their achievements as well as positively representing Rwanda abroad.

Museminali noted that RUSSR scholarships have contributed, and are continuing to contribute, enormously to Rwanda’s resource base, particularly in terms of capacity building in the areas of science and technology that is crucial in achieving Rwanda’s vision 2020 of creating a knowledge-based economy.

Since it was initiated in 2003, RUSSR has supported over 70 Rwandese students, who upon return, have been deployed in Government, civil society and private sector.

Representing the students, Rosemary Mbabazi, commended the government and the Scottish Universities for providing such an opportunity

The event also saw the announcement of an Alumni body that will consist of post-graduate students from Scotland.

RUSSR, conceptualized and developed by Rwanda’s Honorary Consul in Scotland, Prof. Gerda Siann and Prof. Julian Siann, seeks to revitalize Rwanda by improving access to education and ensuring provision of skills to helping development of the economy.

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