Carnegie Mellon University Africa (CMU-Africa) and the University of Rwanda (UR) have launched a Bridge Program to equip undergraduate students with practical STEM and communication skills, aiming to enhance employability and work readiness. The launch took place on November 10 in Bumbogo. Raymond Ndikumana, Deputy Vice Chancellor for Strategic Planning and Administration at UR, said the initiative formalises the long-standing partnership between the two institutions while addressing a skills gap among young engineers and science students. Ndikumana explained that the programme seeks to prepare UR students not only for graduate school but also for employment. “UR provides undergraduate education, while CMU-Africa offers graduate programmes, but how many UR students go on to attend such competitive graduate schools, both at CMU-Africa and around the world? We need to better prepare our students,” he said. According to Ndikumana, the programme aims to bridge the gap between theoretical learning and practical application, ensuring that engineering graduates are capable of addressing local challenges. “Science and technology are the same across the world. What is different is the application and how prepared students are to apply their knowledge to local issues,” he noted. He explained that the programme aims to tackle unemployment by equipping students with practical skills they can use to create their own opportunities, noting that success in today’s world depends not just on earning degrees, but on the skills one possesses. The Bridge Program will provide skills around AI, data science, and mathematics, and will start in January next year, focusing on students pursuing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) courses, Ndikumana noted. Ndikumana noted that the programme targets students in science and technology, though it is also open to those studying engineering, agriculture, and education. While some students are already participating in the Bridge Program with CMU-Africa, the goal is to expand access so that many more can benefit. He added that students will be able to join the programme at no cost because of a partnership with the Mastercard Foundation and the African Engineering and Technology Network. He noted that this support makes it possible for many more students to take part. “The intensive six-month programme will start with around 1,000 students in its first intake, with plans to grow to more than 4,000 learners. Over time, we aim to expand beyond Rwanda, allowing students from across Africa to access learning materials from multiple universities and partners,” Ndikumana said. Conrad Tucker, Director of CMU-Africa, said the Bridge Program has long helped students learn the skills needed for CMU-Africa’s master’s programmes. The expansion is now beyond CMU-Africa, so students can go on to graduate studies at the UR or abroad, giving them the tools to compete internationally. Tucker added, “Students will gain technical expertise and also develop soft skills like communication, confidence, preparing applications, and interacting professionally. We are focusing on the skills that go beyond the classroom, for instance, how to engage with potential employers, negotiate contracts, and navigate the professional world.” He said the programme’s success will depend on follow-through, noting that many initiatives fail when plans stay on paper without action. He added that the team behind the programme is committed to Rwanda’s progress and Africa’s future. Tucker said, “Our goal is to use AI to boost learning and, at the same time, give students the technical skills to work with these technologies. We want them to be creators, not just consumers, applying these tools to solve problems in Rwanda, across Africa, and globally.”
