University of Rwanda is set to carry out a comprehensive review of all the 158 academic programmes it offers with target to phase out those that not reflect the realities on the current labour market, The New Times has learnt. Dr. Emile Bienvenu, the Acting Deputy Vice Chancellor in charge of Academics and Research at the university said that the review was triggered by different aspects and will be informed by the trends on the labour market. The University of Rwanda was created in 2013 after merging seven public higher learning institutions. He said that merging institutions should have been followed by reviewing programmes to know which ones have to be phased out, but this took a bit of time. “We have to conduct a kind of market research to see whether programmes that are offered at University of Rwanda are aligned with the labour market demand and reflect the needs of labour market,” he said. He explained that the labour market is dynamic which requires constant review to remain relevant. “The market has some demands that were needed at the time those programmes were initiated. But you can’t say that today they are needed in the format and content we have now. They might still be needed but in adjusted content. “All the 158 programmes are going to be reviewed. Some that reflect the needs on the labour market are going to be maintained or adjusted to the current labour demand,” he noted. Some programmes are not needed on the market, he said, because graduates are not able to get or create job after graduation because labour market doesn’t need those graduates. “Those programmes have to be phased out,” he said without giving an example. He said that there are other programmes still needed on labour market but which will require high and deep review and improvement. “Some programmes may be relevant but the way we teach them may not really reflect the need on the market.” He gave an example of laboratory technicians which where those trained to work as such in hospitals the training was done in a way that they would operate manually. Dynamics have changed and most hospitals now have automated laboratory systems. “So we will keep these programmes but be updated and improved according to the way the market now stands,” he said. Another example in this category, he cited, is teaching history. “Most people were taught history of foreign countries but the history of Rwanda was not taught. Teaching history has been irrelevant because people were taught something else but it doesn’t mean that teaching history is not needed. It is still needed but we need to review the content of what we teach,” he explained. After market research, he said, there are new areas that are not covered in university teaching that will be introduced. “For example artificial intelligence is something the world is now relying on. We do not have a program in artificial intelligence. Another thing we need is aviation. We do not have a programme in aviation. For example some people told us there is need for developing a program on contract negotiation because of the accountability policy needed in procurement,” he said. He added that once reviewed, there might also trigger new combinations in secondary schools considering that new programmes at university will need students from secondary schools who must have some prerequisites. How the review will be carried out Bienvenu explained that during the market research the university will identify professional bodies and other relevant stakeholders and experts in the industry to work with. “We will also involve some external eyes including other universities with which we have partnership. We have to involve the industry, employers of our graduates, otherwise we run a risk of producing graduates who are not needed by employers. We will also use available local, regional and international reports when it comes to benchmark the needs in each field. They will feed us with data that show which domains are currently needed,” he said. He clarified that once reviewed, the new programs will start with new cohorts of students stressing that programs should also be helping graduates to be job creators. The first reviewed programmes are expected to run in the next academic year-2021/2022 if nothing changes with the times of Covid-19 pandemic, he said. Statistics show that since its establishment, University of Rwanda graduated 49,477 of which 53 per cent were in non-STEM areas and 47 percent in STEM-related fields. Patrick Hagenimana, who graduated in mathmatics four years ago from the university, welcomed the programmes review saying programs should integrate a part that teaches them how to create jobs. “I am still struggling to get a job. I have not even created one. Sciences should be taught in line with the current situation where labour demand shows what is needed. For example mathematics teaching should integrate coding. This can enable graduates to develop systems, softwares and so on,” he said. Theoneste Ntagengerwa the spokesperson of the Private Sector Federation welcomed the development, saying that PSF was already complaining that some university graduates lack specific needed skills on the market. “It is clear many programs were not aligned with labour demand due to emerging technologies and businesses. Private sector needs those with more practical skills. These programmes should be adjusted with practical elements,” he said. He reiterated that the university ought to continuously work with employers to ensure programs are adjusted with new demands on the labour market. “We realized that the private sector requires some specific skills which graduates do not have because programs at university do not offer them. Even in programs that are needed so much on the labour market, it is clear there is need to be adjusted according to new demands, so that graduates get ready,” he said.
