The Rwanda Tourism University College (RTUC) has finally got full accreditation from the National Council for Higher Education.to offer Bachelors Degree courses.The Executive Director of the National Council for Higher Education, Prof. Sam Rugege, confirmed the development yesterday.“According to findings of the team that conducted a site visit at RTUC to ascertain the institutional capacity, the institution has been accredited,” said Rugege in an exclusive interview.In April this year, the Education Ministry sent a team to inspect the university after it had requested for accreditation in 2011.Rugege explained that the team’s findings reflected information contained in the institution`s request for accreditation.RUTC has been operating on a provisional license which it acquired in 2008, the same year it began offering degree programmes in hotel and restaurant management and travel and tourism management.The institution opened its doors in 2006 when it offered vocational training programmes in housekeeping and front office. Currently, it offers a wide range of certificate, diploma and degree courses that also include diploma in Tour and Travel Management and Bachelor of Business Information Technology (BBIT) among others. RTUC acting Rector, Tembue Zembele Waololo, said the new status would enable the school to award degrees to 326 graduates who started their studies in 2008.“We have been waiting for this time as the first batch of students who started degree programmes is in their final year,” said Waololo.He briefly highlighted on the latest development on the varsity`s plan to relocate to permanent premises.“If there are no changes in our plans, we shall move early next year when the first phase of the construction is expected to be complete,” he said.RTUC acquired land in Kigarama Sector, Kicukiro District where construction of the main campus is ongoing in phases. The first phase comprises of lecture rooms, administration block, computer lab and a laboratory school. The total cost of the project is Rwf 10 billion.Now only the Catholic University of Rwanda based in Muhanga District is operating on a provisional license.There are seven public institutions offering bachelors degrees with 10 offering diploma programmes. 15 private institutions are offering both diploma and degree programmes and according to Rugege, some have applied for accreditation to offer Masters Programmes.
