Africa-Press – Rwanda. Rwanda is fast becoming a regional hub for higher education, with increasingly more foreign students choosing to study here. Mount Kigali University, offering quality programmes and currently on a rapid infrastructure expansion drive, has contributed significantly to this development.
When the founder and chairman of Mount Kigali University, Prof Simon Gicharu, recently paid a courtesy call to Rwanda’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs in charge of Regional Cooperation, Gen (RTD) James Kabarebe, investments in higher education featured heavily in their discussion.
The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs in charge of Regional Cooperation, Gen. (Rtd) James Kabarebe on the left, receives a book from the Founder of Mount Kigali University, Prof. Simon Gicharu, during a courtesy visit to his office earlier this week. The book details how the University changed its name from Mount Kenya University.
The two deliberated ways to strengthen the higher education sector as a channel for attracting more foreign students to Rwanda.
The minister assured the Mount Kigali University chairman that the Government was committed to providing a conducive environment for investors.
He pointed out that Rwanda looked forward to attracting more foreign students as it gears up to become a hub for university education in Africa by 2035.
Prof Gicharu revealed that the university planned to expand its infrastructure within the next one year, adding to recent investments it had made.
Prof. Simon Gicharu surveys the land during the laying of the foundation for the additional tuition block last year. The new block will house lecture theatres, a staff canteen, recreational rooms, a student centre, a cafeteria, and a gym.
Over the last two years, Mount Kigali University has opened both a medical centre and a hospitality training hotel at its campus in Gatenga Sector, Kicukiro District.
The opening of the university’s Kigali Paramount Hotel last month marked the end of a phase that has seen the completion of two significant facilities to support hands-on training.
The University Medical Centre, opened two years ago, supports the practical training of health sciences students. It has a community pharmacy, which serves both as a healthcare provider and a clinical training site for students in nursing, medical laboratory sciences, and dental therapy.
The 4-star Kigali Paramount Hotel, on the other hand, provides hands-on training for hospitality students, offering a local alternative to otherwise more expensive foreign programmes of similar standing.
The Higher Education Council (HEC) reported that the number of foreign students studying in Rwanda over the past seven years had grown from 1,400 in 2017 to 9,109 in 2024.
Mount Kigali University has made substantial investments in Rwanda, so far amounting to Rwf 30 billion, contributing notably to the strengthening of the country’s higher education and service sectors.
A significant portion of this capital has been directed to the development of modern university infrastructure, which includes state-of-the-art laboratories, administration offices, advanced teaching and learning facilities, a fully equipped library, and a comprehensive online learning system that supports flexible, digital education.
The university also boasts student hostels and recreational facilities, such as a swimming pool attached to the girls’ hostel, all designed to promote an enriching academic environment.
Earlier investments include the setting up of Royal FM Radio, a practical training ground for journalism and mass communication students.
A view of the ongoing construction activities of he upcoming new tuition block.
Mount Kigali University is currently undertaking a major infrastructure expansion project valued at Rwf 10 billion. This involves the construction of a seven-storey classroom block on expropriated land behind the existing campus. The facility is scheduled for completion within one year.
Thereafter, the university will proceed with the construction of a six-floor administration block, further enhancing its capacity to deliver quality education and services.
Mount Kigali University is preparing to offer Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) programmes in various fields. Applications for approval of these programmes have already been submitted to HEC. The university is awaiting feedback.
Mount Kigali University currently has more than 10,000 alumni, who are making significant contributions in Rwanda and beyond. Many of them, graduates in sciences and the arts, hold influential positions in both public and private sectors.
The ultra-modern Kigali Paramount Hotel is now open to the public.
Currently, the university proudly hosts over 700 foreign students, a majority of whom come from various African countries. This highlights the institution’s growing reputation as a preferred academic destination within the continent.
With expanding academic programmes, extended modern facilities, and a supportive learning environment, Mount Kigali University is strategically positioned to attract even more students from within and beyond Rwanda.
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