Three renowned universities in Rwanda have signed a partnership agreement that will strengthen its relationship in higher education with other institutions in Poland.
Representatives from University of Rwanda, the Rwanda University of Vocational and Technical Studies (RP) and the INES Ruhengeri University of Science, signed a letter of intent on Monday, October 5, during a two-day forum organized in Kigali.
The agreement seeks to help students, lecturers and faculties and other employees to exchange information, carry out research, access to education excellence as well as curricular connections.
The forum was attended by various leaders from both sides including the Minister of Education, Dr. Uwamariya Valentine, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland, Pawel Jabłoński and other leaders of various universities.
The director of the University of Rwanda, Dr Muganga Kayihura Didas, said that the agreement was very necessary because it seeks to address potential areas of collaboration.
“We want to work together so that our researchers reach that level, where our employees will be empowered in different ways through projects that benefit students and Rwandans in general.” He said
It is also expected that the University of Kigali (UNILAK), the University of Technology and Arts of Byumba (UTAB), the University of Kigali and others will also enter into similar agreements if the talks are successful.
Eight Poland institutions signed the agreement, among them is Agh University of Science and Technology, Jagiellonian University, Cracow University of Economics, Zielona Gora University, Lodz University of Technology, Warsaw University, Silesia University of Technology and Szczecin University. .
The agreement will see these institutions exchange ideas in the fields of economics, agriculture, business, medicine, pharmacy, medicine and others.
Dr. Marta Mendel from the University of Warsaw warned that while this agreement is implemented, there are challenges that will be faced.
“Currently, the problems of climate change have led to the destruction of the ecosystem. This is an issue that must be dealt with in a new way through this partnership. Also, Rwanda must be a country that is self-sufficient in terms of food security, and that will be achieved if both parties work together.” He
For the last four years, more than four thousand Rwandan students have gone to study in Poland.
Minister Jabłoński explained that the reason why it was important to strengthen this cooperation is because they observed potential skills and professionalism shown by students who came to study in Poland.
The Ministry of Education, Dr. Valentine Uwamariya said that this cooperation agreement will ease the problems faced by students in Poland, for instance the problem of travelling from troubled neighbouring countries.
Dr Uwamariya said that one of the problems faced by students who didn’t travel to Poland is because they didn’t have the requirements.