One university system; an opportunity to transform higher education

Beginning next academic year, all public institutions of higher learning will be combined into one to become the University of Rwanda. This is a development that has come along after exhaustive planning and discussions with the view of improving higher education in the country.University education and acquiring skills at higher institutions of learning, remains central to the transformation of nations. By merging all state-run higher institutions of learning in the country into one university system, the people in charge of the education sector in the country have achieved multiple goals.Foremost, the disparities that are inherent in the different isolated higher institution of learning will be bridged. It is also important to note that the reputation of universities has a great bearing on the career prospects of its alumni.The University of Rwanda; the product of the proposed merger of the institutions, will help to improve the reputation of university education by creating one large and resource rich institution, that is capable of improving its world rankings in size and academics.Importantly, as the formulators of the country’s education policy go about their plan of the one university system, it is important to also look at more ways of improving the quality of higher education in the country. Sourcing for collaboration and partnerships with world renowned universities and international researchers is yet another way of making advances in the sector.The proposed university system is a chance for the university system to play a meaningful role in national transformation by innovation and increased research.