NUR to host first ever Donors Conference

Requires US$110million for its five-year strategic plan SOUTHERN PROVINCE HUYE — The National University of Rwanda is set to hold its first ever donors’ conference early next year, the Rector Professor Silas Lwakabamba has said. Speaking to The New Times on Tuesday, Lwakabamba said the conference that is slated for March 19 to 20 next year will bring together university authorities and the universities development partners with the main objective of mapping out strategies of developing the 44- year old institution. “We want to harmonise the way we do planning, monitoring and reporting with our partners through this conference,” said Lwakabamba adding: “We want to harmonise our donors so that they can work together.” The university has a number of partners who support different areas like research, academic staff training and ICT development. These include; the Swedish Government through its project SIDA-SAREC which supports different areas to a tune of US$5million annually. Other development partners include the Netherlands, Belgium and Korea. The conference will also be an opportunity for the university to mobilise for resources to support their five-year strategic plan that runs for the period 2008-2012. “We have detailed 28 projects that mainly focus on infrastructure, ICT development and capacity building,” said Lwakabamba. “The projects set out in this strategic plan are expected to cost US$110million,” he added. Out of the 28 projects, the NUR has earmarked 11priority projects deemed necessary to deliver impact towards achieving the strategic goals of the Varsity’s strategic plan. According to Lwakabamba, these eleven projects will have an immediate impact on the NUR’s ability to fulfil its academic mission and build its internal capacity. The projects cited include; capacity building of ICT-Supported Student-Cantered Learning, upgrading of learning resources centre infrastructure, ICT equipment & furniture, Networks and Software, Internal accountability and Autonomy Change Management, Quality Assurance and Upgrading of Academic Programmes and Academic Restructuring and Rationalisation of Faculties and Departments. Others are; Human resources capacity building, re-organisation and performance improvement of the Varsity’s administrative departments, capacity building of the expanded directorate of planning and development and capacity building of academic services department. Ends