The High Commissioner of Rwanda to Ghana, Her Excellency Rosemary Mbabazi, has called for deepening academic collaboration between Rwanda and the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi (KNUST), particularly in higher education, research and student mobility.
She made this call during a courtesy visit to the Vice-Chancellor of KNUST, Professor Christian Agyare, ahead of the International Students Cultural Festival hosted by the International Programmes Office (IPO).
‘‘Our visit is to congratulate you on your assumption of office and to discuss opportunities of strengthening relations between Rwanda and Ghana through academic partnerships, student mobility, research collaboration and knowledge exchange,’’ she said.
She said KNUST had earned strong reputation in Rwanda through the contributions of its graduates who had returned to serve their country and expressed the desire to increase the number of Rwandan students pursuing programmes at KNUST, particularly in health-related disciplines, geology and other emerging areas of mutual interest.
‘‘We are looking forward to how we can expand the student body here at KNUST. You have high credibility in my country and a high regard for what you are doing. Our students tell us they feel at home here at KNUST,” she said.
Her Excellency Mbabazi also proposed strengthening institutional links between KNUST and the University of Rwanda, one of Rwanda’s oldest universities, through academic exchanges, joint programmes and research partnerships.
The High Commissioner also recalled the longstanding relationship between Ghana and Rwanda, particularly Ghana’s contribution during the 1994 Genocide. She said the relationship had continued to grow through education, professional exchanges and other forms of cooperation, adding that the proposed KNUST partnership could contribute to strengthening those ties.
The High Commissioner further proposed the development of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between KNUST and relevant institutions in Rwanda to provide a structured framework for expanded academic cooperation.
‘‘We are happy to expedite this collaboration with KNUST,’’ she remarked.
She also invited the Vice-Chancellor and members of the KNUST community to visit Rwanda to explore further opportunities for collaboration.
In response, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Christian Agyare, welcomed the proposal and reaffirmed KNUST’s readiness to strengthen its longstanding relationship with Rwanda.
“We cherish the relationship that we have with the University of Rwanda, and we are prepared to deepen and enhance the collaboration,” Professor Agyare said.
The Vice-Chancellor lauded the proposed collaboration by Her Excellency and hoped the partnership could be expanded beyond student mobility to include faculty exchanges, joint research, postgraduate education, professional development and innovation. He said such exchanges would enable both institutions to share ideas, expertise and innovations.
“We can have that exchange and then share our ideas and innovations that we have,” he added.
As part of her visit to KNUST, Her Excellency Mbabazi interacted with some Rwandan students on campus.
Story: Abigail Ofori Photos: Isaac Kwaku Duah
