The Rhodes Scholarships on Wednesday, December 16, announced that Billy Byiringiro, 23, had become the first person from Rwanda to be picked as the Rhodes Scholar from the East Africa region in the programme’s 117-year history. Byiringiro, who beat competitors from across the region to the highly coveted opportunity, is a former student at Collège Saint-André in Kigali and a graduate of Bridge2Rwanda programme. The 2021 Rhodes scholars were selected virtually due to the coronavirus pandemic. The postgraduate award, considered to be the most prestigious for University graduates across the world, was established in 1903, with the first class of scholars beginning their Oxford studies in 1904. At Oxford, Byiringiro is set to pursue a Masters in Computer Science as well as PhD in Autonomous Intelligent Machines and Systems. Before heading to Oxford, he is expected to graduate next year with a first-class degree in Artificial Intelligence and Computer Science from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. More than 2300 students applied for the prestigious Rhodes scholarship this year. The vetting process Upon submitting applications, selection committees interview those judged to be the strongest candidates. The selection criteria fall into four broad categories, including academic excellence, the energy to use one’s talent to the fullest, attributes such as truth, kindness and devotion to duty, and the leadership ability. “Billy Byiringiro impressed the committee in all these areas, in the context of an incredibly talented group of finalists from all five countries in the East Africa jurisdiction,” Mauro De Lorenzo, acting National Secretary for East Africa noted. Commenting on this year’s process, Dr Elizabeth Kiss, the chief executive and Warden of the Rhodes Trust, said: The coronavirus pandemic presented Rhodes House with an opportunity to view our selection process with new eyes. We worked tirelessly with our National Secretaries around the world to conduct a virtual selection process with utmost integrity and to preserve the essence of our beloved traditions.” “We have selected an incredibly diverse and passionate cohort of Scholars-elect this year, each in their own way exemplifying the Rhodes values. I will be very proud to welcome them to the University of Oxford next year,” she added. A Rhodes scholarship averages US$70,000 (about Rwf69 million) a year and covers all expenses for two or three (in some cases, four) years of graduate study. Winners are free to study the full range of disciplines offered at Oxford, including humanities, mathematics and physical sciences. This year’s cohort of winners is expected to start the postgraduate programme in October 2021 at Oxford University. Byiringiro was trained through the Bridge2Rwanda programme before he was admitted to the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. At Edinburgh, he served in major student roles, including leading the University’s intramural basketball team. He’s also the co-founder of BuniTek, a student-led social enterprise that introduces young people in Africa to new technology through interactive activities. He previously won the Microsoft and Ears IoT hackathon.
