A total of 38 senior command officers from Rwanda and nine other African countries graduated from the Police Senior Command and Staff Course at the National Police College in Musanze District, marking the successful completion of a year-long programme designed to strengthen leadership and security management across the continent.

The graduates received the prestigious Passed Staff College (PSC) qualification, while most also earned a Master's degree in Peace Studies and Conflict Transformation and a Postgraduate Diploma in Strategic Leadership and Management.

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The course, delivered through a partnership between the National Police College, the University of Rwanda, and the African Leadership University (ALU), aims to equip senior officers with the knowledge, skills, and leadership competencies needed to address contemporary security challenges.

Speaking at the graduation ceremony, Minister of Education Joseph Nsengimana commended graduates, commitment to professional excellence.

"These are not ordinary credentials. They represent dedication, sacrifice, and excellence," Nsengimana said, noting that the programme had tested the officers&039; intellect, discipline, resilience, and leadership abilities.

Nsengimana emphasized that graduation should not mark the end of learning, but rather the beginning of a new chapter of continuous growth and adaptation in an evolving security landscape.

"The security environment is changing rapidly. New threats emerge every day. Technology evolves. Criminal networks adapt. Societies change. As leaders, you must continue learning, growing, and adapting," he said.

He said effective leadership requires a balance of three elements of what he described as the "ASK" model: Attitude, Skills, and Knowledge.

The cohort comprised 23 Rwandan officers from the Rwanda National Police (RNP), Rwanda Correctional Service (RCS), National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS), and Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB).

15 participants came from the Central African Republic, Eswatini, Kenya, Malawi, Namibia, South Sudan, Somalia, The Gambia, and Uganda.

All 38 officers successfully completed the Police Senior Command and Staff Course. 36 met the requirements for both the Master Degree in Peace Studies and Conflict Transformation from UR and the Postgraduate Diploma in Strategic Leadership and Management from ALU, while the other two got the postgraduate diploma.

The Commandant of the National Police College, Commissioner of Police Christophe Bizimungu, said the programme combines academic rigour with practical professional development to prepare officers for leadership responsibilities within their respective institutions.

Bizimungu urged the graduates to apply the knowledge acquired during their studies to create positive impact within their institutions and communities.

"You have gained more skills and knowledge, and this must be reflected in your attitude and actions," he said.

He also encouraged them to maintain the professional networks established during the course, stressing that contemporary security challenges require strong regional and inter-agency cooperation.

The Acting Vice Chancellor of the University of Rwanda, Assoc. Prof Didas Muganga Kayihura, encouraged the graduates to use their expertise in peacebuilding and conflict transformation to address societal challenges and promote dialogue.

"Today, the world needs people who can bring others together, foster dialogue, and help transform conflict into opportunities for understanding and progress," he said.

Kayihura added that the graduates had developed critical skills in analysis, negotiation, mediation, and leadership that would be essential in guiding institutions and communities through complex challenges.

He urged them to be "bridge builders where divisions exist" and leaders who inspire trust and serve with integrity.

The Chief Executive Officer of the African Leadership University, Sidee Dlamini, described the graduation as a testament to a successful five-year partnership between ALU and the Rwanda National Police.

The collaboration has so far produced five cohorts and 165 graduates through the Postgraduate Diploma in Strategic Leadership and Management programme.

Dlamini said the partnership had demonstrated that African institutions can work together to develop world-class leadership programmes tailored to the continent's needs.

"Policing today asks for more than discipline and technical skills. It asks for officers who can think like builders, innovate when resources are scarce, solve problems that cross borders, and uphold integrity even when no one is watching," she said.