HUYE - Plans by the Association for the Promotion of Education and Development (APED) to set up a private university in Huye District, are in advanced stages, the association’s president has revealed.

In an interview with The New Times, Dr Isaie Nzeyimana said that the university to be known as Université Source du Nil, is waiting for clearance from the National Council for Higher Education before opening its doors to the general public.

"We have taken big strides towards the achievement of our dream of establishing a private university in the district,” he said.

"We have already designed modules, the district has given us buildings in which to start and academic staff have been assembled.”

The university is set to start with three faculties, Sciences and Engineering, Commerce and actuarial profession and that of Arts and Philosophy.

"Through the Faculty of Arts and Philosophy, we want to develop capacity for critical thinking and analysis and reinforcement of talents through arts,” Nzeyimana said.

According to the official, the university will help realise the country’s Vision 2020 that seeks to create a knowledge-based economy.

"The number of university graduates in the country is just below one percent, way below the required 10 percent to achieve the country’s development goals, this is why such  private initiatives come in handy,” said Nzeyimana.

"We are working closely with banks like the Rwanda Development Bank, the International Finance Corporation and other well wishers abroad. Currently a consignment of books donated by our partners is being shipped in from the USA.”

The university that is targeting students from the region, has acquired a 23-hectare piece of land for future infrastructure development and has developed a 10-year business plan that will guide its development agenda.

Ends