NUR board approves relocation of the Faculty of Law to Kigali

HUYE-The National University of Rwanda board, in a meeting last week, approved the request by the University management to shift the Faculty of Law from the main campus in Huye District, Southern Province to Kigali City effective next academic year. Speaking to The New Times, Dr Theogene Rutagwenda, the board chairman said that moving the faculty will help students to learn better and will facilitate enrolment into the evening programme. “Kigali offers more opportunities for students to practice what they learn, they will also benefit from the expertise of lawyers and judges who would have otherwise not made the long journey to the main campus in Huye,” Rutagwenda said in a telephone interview. “It also offers an opportunity to students in Kigali to enrol for the Law course under the evening programme,” he added. The shift of the faculty of Law to Kigali follows that of the school of journalism and communication, however, Rutagwenda was guarded when asked about the possibility of other faculties moving to Kigali in future. The faculty will be housed at Saint Paul in the City centre where the University already runs a Masters of Law programme. The University Rector Professor Silas Lwakabamba dismissed claims that the faculty was breaking a way from National University of Rwanda. “This is only a change of location, the Faculty of Law remains part of the National University of Rwanda,” he noted. According to the Faculty dean; Dr Emmanuel Ugirashebuja, a taskforce has been established to ensure a smooth transition process. “The team will handle issues like providing sufficient information to the affected students and other issues like the shifting of the faculty library,” said Ugirashebuja. Over 700 students are expected to relocate to Kigali, among these 185 are in the final year. Ends