A two-day symposium showcasing over 60 research and innovation projects concluded Wednesday, highlighting collaborative efforts between the University of Rwanda (UR) and Swedish institutions to tackle the country's pressing development needs. Through the UR-Sweden program, over 60 research and innovation projects in fields like agriculture, Health, and technology were accomplished by staff and graduates of University of Rwanda(UR). These projects aim to address pressing community challenges and enhance the research ecosystem in Rwanda. Over Rwf800million in awards and grants were given to research and innovation projects worked on from 2019. The two-day symposium, held from June 10 to 11, was organized by UR in collaboration with the UR-Sweden Program under the theme: “Research and Innovation Solutions from UR to a Sustainable Society and Economy in Rwanda.” It brought together academic researchers, government officials, the private sector, policymakers, and UR’s partners to explore how research can shape Rwanda’s future. UR and Sweden have had an over 20-year working partnership, through which the UR-Sweden Program was born, awarding numerous grants across various disciplines, providing not only financial support but mentoring researchers to explore ideas and publishing high-quality research through collaborative high-impact projects that prioritize Rwanda’s socio-economic development. The symposium’s first day featured discussion panels, various project presentations, and exhibitions of research projects and innovations developed over the two years. Prof Kayihura Muganga Didas, University of Rwanda’s Vice-Chancellor, emphasized UR’s ambition to enhance research and innovation, highlighting the university’s objectives, including teaching, research, and disseminating the research through community engagement. “It is through teaching, research, and innovation that our university fulfills those mandates, especially in contributing to the socio-economic development of Rwanda,” Muganga said, highlighting that research is not solely designed to serve only the Rwandan market, but extends beyond the borders of Rwanda. The symposium has three main objective’s including sharing research and innovation programs and sub-programs that were supported, promoting interaction and partnerships, and discussing a roadmap for the next research and innovation projects. Muganga added that UR is committed to creating and becoming a centre of innovation, especially through adopting new technologies that inspire new products, services, and solutions to address the community’s and environment’s pressing challenges. The first day of the symposium also featured discussions around the linkage between research and innovation, university-industry linkage, and the use of technology in enhancing research and its practical outcomes. While not all researchers are entrepreneurs, the Vice-Chancellor emphasized the university’s commitment to working with the private sector and public institutions in ensuring that research with business potential could benefit from further entrepreneurial exploitation. Martina Fors Mohlin, the Head of Development Cooperation and Deputy Head of Mission at the Swedish Embassy in Rwanda, emphasized the partnership between UR and Swedish universities, calling it a ‘model of genuine collaboration and partnership.” “The University plays a critical role in fostering the next generation of skilled professionals, generating scientific knowledge and shaping policies and strategies that guide societal solutions,” she added, stressing that the symposium would be an opportunity for collaboration and bringing together academia, policymakers, private sector leaders, and technology specialists to drive innovation. Some of the showcased projects Some of the presented projects leverage technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) to address community issues. Eric Hitimana, a researcher and lecturer at the UR’s College of Science and Technology, presented his innovative project that uses technologies like AI to help coffee farmers investigate and determine defects and plant sickness, and directly send the information to agronomists in the area for help. Habimana developed a mobile application that features the use of a phone camera that is placed on a defective part of a coffee leaf, generating information about the defect. After detection, it sends the information with the farmer’s location coordinates to the agronomists and Rwanda Agriculture Board, and the National Agriculture Export Board (NAEB). He noted that this also allows these institutions to be able to collect information that informs policies and strategies. “During our research, we worked with various coffee farmers' cooperatives, especially coffee washing stations, across the country. We figured they go through a hectic process while reporting coffee defects, and it takes time to get an agronomist, especially in places with geographical terrains like mountains. Sometimes they don’t even get answers,” he said. Habimana underscored that the application uses the Kinyarwanda language, and while it takes the internet to send information, in situations where there is no internet, it can store the information and send it once the internet connection is available. Currently, 10 coffee cooperatives are using the application as the project trial goes on before expanding to other farmers. Another innovation presented was a solar-powered milk cooling system designed for rural farmers who lack reliable electricity. The system, developed by Fabien Mukundukize, a UR electricity lecturer, includes solar panels, a battery, and a custom cooling tank, helping farmers store milk longer and prevent spoilage. “This ensures better milk quality and less waste for farmers awaiting buyers in areas without refrigeration access,” Mukundukize said, noting that the project is awaiting certification from the Rwanda Standards Board (RSB). The UR-Sweden Program Senior Research Coordinator, Prof Etienne Ruvebana praised the uniqueness of the Research and Innovation subprograms, highlighting them as the only ones organized in clusters; encompassing all research and innovation activities across UR's 7 colleges. He noted that the Symposium was organized as part of the Program commitment to showcasing and disseminating key milestones achieved in research and innovation.
