Students advised to be wary of unaccredited universities

The Executive Director of the Higher Education Council, Prof. Geoffrey Rugege, has called on Rwandan students to always enrol in recognised institutions.His remarks follow the publication of Uganda’s recognised higher institutions of learning that appeared in the Monday edition of The New Times. The list of public, private universities and tertiary colleges was released by the Uganda National Council for Higher Education informing the general public about the institutions that are recognised by the council.“The list helps Rwandan students know which institutions are recognised by the Ugandan government, and which are not,” observed Rugege, during an interview with The New Times yesterday.“In Rwanda, we give something called equivalence for foreign qualifications. So, if the Education Council of Uganda tells us that this institution is not accredited, then we can’t issue equivalence for that qualification.” He asserted that the council only awards uniformities for qualifications that come from recognised and accredited institutions.“If Rwandan students join an institution and eventually discover that it is not accredited, that will be unfortunate,” he noted.Rugege added that the Higher Education Council’s website has a list of accredited institutions in Rwanda, adding that all government institutions are accredited by virtue of being established by law and the private institutions have to go thorough a process of accreditation.The Minister of Education, Dr. Vincent Biruta, said that the list is vital in enabling students apply for admission to accredited institutions so as to obtain recognised testimonials.“I urge our students to always join renowned universities and colleges, either in Rwanda, Uganda or other foreign countries, because it will be of great importance to their academic credentials,” he added.According to Ugandan authorities, any institution that does not appear on the list is illegal and all certificates, diplomas or degrees issued by such an institution are unrecognised in Uganda.