 INTRODUCTION |
The Kigali Institute of Science, Technology and
Management (KIST) is the first Rwandan Government
technological institute of higher education, established
in November 1997. There were hardly any qualified
and experienced experts in the technical, scientific,
administrative and managerial domains of the calibre
the country presently needs. The few technical
experts had either been killed or simply disappeared
during the war and genocide of 1994. To date,
they have not yet been replaced.
There was therefore a great need for human resource
development and skills promotion to replenish
the labour market, to facilitate skills enhancement
for the industrial and service sectors, and to
meet the demand for technological, scientific,
and administrative skills to enable socio - economic
transformations.
The Institute started as a project through the
combined efforts of Rwanda's Ministry of Education,
UNDP Rwanda as the executor of the project, and
the German Agency for Technical Co-operation (GTZ)
as the implementing agency. Contribution for the
Institute came from a UNDP Core Funding and through
the UNDP Trust Fund from the Governments of Japan
and the Netherlands, both of which enabled KIST
to initiate operations very quickly, taking only
two months for the first class of 209 students
to begin their studies.
The Statute of Kigali Institute of Science, Technology
and Management (KIST) was then enacted by the
Law No. 48/2001 of 26/12/2001.
| INTRODUCTION |
The Kigali Institute of Science, Technology and
Management (KIST) is the first Rwandan Government
technological institute of higher education, established
in November 1997. There were hardly any qualified
and experienced experts in the technical, scientific,
administrative and managerial domains of the calibre
the country presently needs. The few technical
experts had either been killed or simply disappeared
during the war and genocide of 1994. To date,
they have not yet been replaced.
There was therefore a great need for human resource
development and skills promotion to replenish
the labour market, to facilitate skills enhancement
for the industrial and service sectors, and to
meet the demand for technological, scientific,
and administrative skills to enable socio - economic
transformations.
The Institute started as a project through the
combined efforts of Rwanda's Ministry of Education,
UNDP Rwanda as the executor of the project, and
the German Agency for Technical Co-operation (GTZ)
as the implementing agency. Contribution for the
Institute came from a UNDP Core Funding and through
the UNDP Trust Fund from the Governments of Japan
and the Netherlands, both of which enabled KIST
to initiate operations very quickly, taking only
two months for the first class of 209 students
to begin their studies.
The Statute of Kigali Institute of Science, Technology
and Management (KIST) was then enacted by the
Law No. 48/2001 of 26/12/2001.
| LOCATION |
KIST has two campuses: the main campus in the
city centre, and the Remera campus on the outskirts
of the city. The Remera campus also houses science
laboratories and caters for pre - engineering
students and will soon house the Centre for Innovations
and Technology Transfer (CITT) which is dedicated
to appropriate technology development and dissemination
to the communities.
KIST main campus is located in Upper Kiyovu on
Avenue de L' Armée in the heart of Kigali,
Rwanda's capital city. The Institute is also within
easy reach of Kigali' shopping centres, government
ministries, hotels, airline offices, the central
and private hospitals and clinics. KIST is also
a twenty-minutes drive from Kanombe International
Airport.
| VISION
& MISSION |
Committed to advancing Rwanda's development by
graduating highly skilled peoplefor the country's
economy and by providing technical and technological
assistance and service to all sections of the
community, KIST aspires to become a centre of
excellence in Science, Technology and Management
education comparable in standard to the very best
in the world.
- To equip students with advanced skills with
a view to increasing capacity for national development
- To promote research based on the disciplines
offered at KIST
- To disseminate the results of research through
teaching, seminars, conferences, public lectures,
publications and other appropriate means.
- To provide consultancy services to government,
industry, the private sector and the community.
- To promote academic and non-academic information
and communication technology-related programmes
and to extend the same to rural-based institutions,
organisations, even individuals.
- To engage in income-generating activities with
a view to creating awareness in lucrative investment.
- To collaborate with other academic, professional,
technical and research institutions in and outside
Rwanda for educational and technological development.
- To engage in technological innovations and establish
mechanisms for transfer of the same
- To develop and promote close collaboration with
the private sector and the community so as to
enrich relevance to KIST's programmes
- To make provisions for the advancement, transmission
and preservation of knowledge and sustain intellectual
life in Rwanda
- To contribute to the cultural, civic and moral
training of its members and to participate actively
in the economic and socio-cultural development
of the society.
| FACILTIES |
· Two new and modern buildings shown in
the photo have increased student access to laboratories,
lecture space and availed more office space for
staff. Plans are underway to construct more buildings.
· A two floor library located in KIST II
building.
· An English Reading Room furnished by
the British Embassy in Kigali.
· Internet Café
· Consultancy Bureau
· Translation Services
· The Clinic offers medical care to the
students, staff and staff's families.
· Out door Sports Grounds that include
a football field, basketball and volleyball pitch.
There are also indoor games like chess and pool.
· Three halls of residence with in house
catering services.
· Student's Canteens
| ACADEMIC
PROGRAMMES |
KIST is committed to graduating students who
have an appropriate balance between theory and
practice, who apply techniques to problem solving
and who will be able to think for themselves and
clearly understand their role in society.
For assurance of quality, the programmes currently
in use have been prepared in close collaboration
with experts from well established institutions
of higher learning. These include Jomo Kenyatta
University of Agriculture and Technology (for
Technology courses), Delft University of Technology
(for Computer Engineering and Information Technology
courses) and University of Dar-es-Salaam and Makerere
University Business School, Nakawa (for Management
courses).
KIST has also established linkages with relevant
Institutions of higher learning which include
among others Technikon Pretoria, Cape Technikon,
Uganda Polytechnic Kyambogo, Uganda Industrial
Research and Development Institute, University
of Missouri - Columbia, California State University
- San Bernardino, Georgia Tech, and Glasgow Caledonian
University.
External Examiners from higher education institutions
in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and the Netherlands
continue to be of assistance in moderating the
courses and the examinations.
A Directorate of Quality Assurance has been established
to co - ordinate and monitor the quality and standard
of the curriculum delivery, development and examinations.
Semester Scheduling
Each academic year consists of two 18-week semesters,
15 of which are contact weeks, and the rest are
for revision and writing of examinations.
A Foundation Semester is common and compulsory
for all regular students admitted to KIST. The
duration of the semester is 15 weeks. Students
are required to pass each course through continuous
evaluation and end of semester evaluation.
- Foundation Semester Courses in the Faculty
of Technology are: English/French, Physics, Chemistry,
Mathematics, Basics of Technical Drawing, Computer
Applications and Library Work.
- Foundation Semester Courses in the Faculty
of Management are: English/French, Business Mathematics,
Computer Applications, Economics and Library Work.
The Institute has four Faculties with their respective
departments and a Centre for Continuing Education.
· Faculty of Technology
- Diploma Programmes: 3 years
- Degree Programmes: 4 years
The Faculty has Six Academic and two Service
Departments.
Department of Computer Engineering and
Information Technology
Awards
· Diploma in Computer Technology
· Bachelor of Science Degree in Computer
Engineering
· Bachelor of Science Degree in Information
Technology
|
Department of Electrical Engineering
Awards
· Bachelor of Science Degree in Electrical
Engineering
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Awards
· Diploma in Automotive Technology
· Diploma in Electromechanical Technology
· Bachelor of Science Degree in Mechanical
Engineering
Department of Electronics and Communications
Engineering
Awards
· Diploma in Electronics Technology
· Bachelor of Science Degree in Electronics
& Communications Engineering
Department of Civil Engineering and Environmental
Technology
Awards
· Diploma in Civil Engineering & Environmental
Technology
· Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering
& Environmental Technology
Department of Food Science and Technology
Awards
· Diploma in Food Technology
· Bachelor of Science Degree in Food Science
& Technology
Department of Training Workshops (Service)
The workshops include appropriate technologies,
carpentry, electromechanical, welding, and masonry.
All first year Engineering students undergo 2
weeks of training in each workshop. All second
year Civil Engineering students undergo 4 weeks
of training in each workshop.
Department of Entrepreneurship Development
(Service)
The Department of Entrepreneurship Development
includes the Cottage Industries Unit that provides
life skills to KIST students and the public. This
enables the students to become job creators and
not job seekers.
Faculty of Management
- Diploma Programmes: 2 years
- Degree Programmes: 4 Years
The Faculty has four Departments:
· Department of Accounting
· Department of Finance
· Department of Human Resource Management
· Department of Marketing
Awards:
· Ordinary Diploma in Management
· Advanced Diploma in Management
· Bachelor of Business Administration in
various options of Accounting, Finance, Human
Resources, Management and Marketing respectively
taken on a full- time basis.
· Bachelor of Commerce in various options
of Accounting, Finance, Human Resource Management
and Marketing respectively taken on a part -time
basis.
Faculty of Science
It offers first year remedial courses in Chemistry,
Physics, and Mathematics. The programmes do not
lead to any specific award, except as course grades
for graduation in Technology or Management.
School of Language Studies (SOLAS)
It has three Departments: English, French, and
African Languages. In response to the Government
Bilingual Policy, English and French are languages
of instruction at KIST.
Final Award: Certificate of Proficiency
Centre for Continuing Education
Part-time courses offered at KIST are co-ordinated
by three different directorates, which include
the following:
· Part -Time Studies: The part-time
courses offered are: Computer Applications, Languages,
Management and Technology courses.
· In Service Training: This Centre
offers tailor-made courses and seminars upon demand.
It has so far conducted training for government
departments, parastatals, UN agencies, and private
sector companies.
· Distance Education (including AVU):
The African Virtual University (AVU) is a distance
education project, which was set up by the World
Bank at KIST in March 1999. The AVU will offer
University degree programmes in computer science,
technology and management, non-credit training
and seminars, remedial instruction, and electronic
library services. With effect from 2002, it is
planned to offer degree courses in Electronics
Engineering, Computer Science and Computer Engineering.
These part-time programmes are offered to the
Kigali community at competitive rates and have
become very popular.
| ROLE
OF KIST IN THE TRANSFER OF TECHNOLOGY TO THE
COMMUNITY |
KIST has established a Centre for Innovations
and Technology Transfer (CITT) to spearhead technology
development, promotion and dissemination.
The Centre also conducts tailor made short training
programmes to impart skills that are needed for
reproduction, installation, maintenance and/or
serving of the products.
The four areas of technological innovations of
CITT include:
Agro-Based Technologies
Integrated farm practices focusing on;
· irrigated agriculture through the use
of treadle pumps and hydraulic rams (hydram)
· composting mechanisms and effective application
on farm
· utilization of bio-effluents as an alternative
fertilizer in agriculture and aqua-culture.
Crop Post Harvest Processing and Storage
· processing and packaging of perishable
crops such as vegetables, fruits, tubers, grains,
etc
· development and production of milling
and hulling machines for maize, rice, and other
cereals
· development and production of oil extracting
machines
· development and production of dairy processing
machinery and equipment
· development of technologies for drying
agricultural products.
Water Supply Related Technologies
· provision of appropriate rainwater harvesting
systems
· to develop simple water pumps (for bore
holes)
· to develop simple drinking water treatment
systems.
· to adopt and develop hydraulic ram technology.
· to put up (in conjunction with relevant
KIST departments) short training courses in plumbing
technology.
· to establish a linkage with Electrogaz
in developing short relevant training programmes
for their plumbers, water technicians and engineers.
· to link up with the Ministry of Energy,
water and natural resources in establishment of
appropriate mechanisms for water supply in rural
based areas.
Energy Supply
The focus is geared towards Renewable Energies,
namely;
· promote use of Photovoltaics for lighting,
water pumping, refrigeration
· developing solar energy through photovoltaics
mainly for lighting and refrigeration, the solar
thermal units for water heating as well as solar
drying for cerials and other suitable agricultural
produce
· developing biomass and biogas energy
systems.
· adapt households as well as community
energy efficient cook stoves and baking ovens
using charcoal, wood and/or briquettes made out
agro wastes as an alternative sources of energy.
· adapt biogas energy systems for domestic
cooking and lighting.
· adopting alternative (efficient) methods
of charcoal production.
· adopting and developing wind energy for
utilization in water pumping or energy purposes.
· adopting and developing mini-hydro systems
for rural electrification as well as other energy
requirements.
· in conjunction with relevant institutions
and agencies, to promote the afforestation schemes
in community based centers (schools, prisons,
military camps, etc) to avail wood lot stocks
for energy purposes.
Sanitation and Waste Management
· development of suitable designs for
improved rural based pit latrines
· development and dissemination of biolatrines
for community based populations, for example schools,
hospitals, prisons, etc
· development of alternative centralized
liquid waste management systems for townships,
for example aerated ponds
· development of special wastes treatment
systems, eg. incineration for hospital and other
toxic wastes.
· providing advise to municipal / township
authorities on solid waste management systems
· providing advise on the design and planning
of simple drainage systems.
Rural transportation and road networks
· development of efficient oxcarts and
pushcarts
· improvement of load bearing capacity,
braking system and other necessary improvements
to the wooden bicycles for the hilly countryside
areas
· development of efficient wooden scooters
and wheel barrows.
· development of designs on simple and
appropriate rural based roads and drainage systems.
Rural and semi-urban low cost housing
· development and adaptability of bricks,
blocks, and roofing tiles casting machines.
· development of designs to suit low cost
housing
· establishing and adapting the locally
available low cost building materials
Industrial sector promotion
· to adapt and promote cottage industries
· to adapt and develop simple workshop
tools which can be used in setting up small scale
metal fabrication workshop in rural areas.
· to provide consultancy services to industry
and manufacture of spare parts which would otherwise
have to be imported
· to conduct professional development courses
to industrialists
· to establish a foundry and offer service
to the industries through making of spare parts.
| KIST'S
EXTENT OF ACHIEVEMENT IN TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER
|
Table
|
RWANDA
Back
