Mount Kenya University (MKU) Rwanda Campus has been granted full accreditation to operate in the foreign country as a fully pledged university.
According to a cabinet meeting held in Kigali and headed by President Paul Kagame, the sitting approved a request by the university to have it established as an accredited institution last week. The institution will now be rebranded as Mount Kigali University.
The Vice Chancellor Prof. Edwin Odhuno lauded the move and thanked the Rwandese government for conferring the University its new rank.
“To whom much is given, much is expected and as an institution we are very pleased with this accomplishment. We will therefore burn the midnight oil in ensuring that access to higher education in the nation is developed,” he said.
“The new status granted to the university is very challenging as it means the University has the responsibility of ensuring 100% delivery of quality training, research and outreach in the community, but we are confident that we are up to the task,” said Prof. Odhuno.
Students at the university expressed their gratitude concerning the move, explaining that higher learning is crucial in Rwanda, and once a student completes Form 6, they are at liberty to choose an institution of their choice, with the government awarding scholarships to students in particular areas.
They all agreed that they were encouraged by the new development as they would no longer be required to travel to Mount Kenya University main campus in Thika for their graduation ceremonies, as has been the case in the past few years.
Mount Kigali University now becomes the first campus in Rwanda to attain cross border status from a neighboring university. The privately owned institution has a total of more than 6,000 students and has now joined the record of fully accredited universities in the country bringing to an end a process that began early in 2018.
We are extremely grateful to the Ministry of Education for this recognition and we will definitely fly the Mount Kenya University flag high, even as we work hard to make it a renowned institution, added the elated students.
By Hellen Lunalo
