 FOREWORD
FROM DR. EMILE RWAMASIRABO |
It is now seven years since war and genocide
took away over one million Rwandan people. Though
this created deep wounds in our hearts, we are
determined to move forward and contribute alongside
other Rwandans to the healing and rebuilding of
our society.
The NUR lost many of its daughters and sons. Our
first mission is, therefore, to provide our country
with the badly needed skilled manpower for the
reconstruction effort. With a population of 4,500
students, we offer basic subjects in Science and
Technology, Social Sciences, Arts and Humanities.
We are very much aware of the great task ahead
of us. The University is getting prepared to face
the basic development challenge in the context
of globalization. At the same time, through our
teaching, research programs and extra-curricula
activities we aim at bringing up a youth versed
in positive values and critical thinking. To achieve
this, we focus on Science and Technology together
with balanced humanities programs.
In our institutions, we have actively embarked
on the policy of developing information and communication
technologies as a means to break our isolation
from the rest of the world and take advantage
of its opportunities.
We are grateful to many of our benefactors, friends,
individual on their own, universities and international
organizations who are sustaining our efforts to
come out of the above difficult times.
| HISTORICAL
BACKGROUND |
The National University of Rwanda (NUR) was created
in 1963 conjointly by the Rwandan government and
the Congregation of the Dominicans from the Province
of Quebec (Canada).
The NUR was then composed of three academic units:
the Faculty of Medicine, the Faculty of Social Sciences
and the Teacher Training College (ENS). At that
time, the NUR had 51 students and 16 lecturers .
Currently, the NUR hosts 4540 students and 275 lecturers.
DATES and FACTS
November 03, 1963:
Official opening of the NUR.
May 12, 1964:
Law establishing the NUR.
1966:
The National Institute of Education is created thanks
to the PNUD and UNESCO aid. The Institute aims at
training and improving elementary secondary school
teachers' skills. It also aims at implementing multidisciplinary
pedagogical research.
1967:
Creation of the University extension as a unit with
the mission to reflect the NUR by its services to
the people.
1972:
Creation of a research center on pharmacopoeia and
traditional medicine (CUPHARMETRA) in the Faculty
of medicine. It became an autonomous body since
1980.
May 1973:
The NUR, in conjunction with the Ghent Faculty of
Applied Sciences puts up a progressive training
program for civil engineers specialized in building
and sets up a fore-project program in electromechanic
engineering.
October 1973:
The University of Instelling Antwerpen contributes
in the opening of the Faculty of Law.
1974:
A centre for study and experimentation of energy
in Rwanda is created within the Faculty of Sciences.
It became autonomous since 1977.
June 13 1979:
The Faculty of Agronomy which was a department in
the Faculty of Science is created.
|
October 1st, 1981:
The merging of the NUR and the NIE (National Institute
of Education). From now on, the National University
of Rwanda has two campuses: one at Ruhengeri and
another at Butare. Few years later, the Faculty
of Law shifts to Mburabuturo (Kigali).
November 1988:
Celebration of the 25th anniversary of the NUR.
Official opening of the Institute of Public Administration
(ISAP), born of the NUR and Konrad Adanauer Foundation
(FKA) cooperation.
April-July 1994:
The University community loses a good number of
its staff and students who are killed during the
war and genocide. They are victims of their ideology
or ethnic identity.
The University suffers a great loss: laboratory
equipment, the computer equipment and academic infrastructure
are destroyed or taken away.
The NUR is closed because of the prevailing war
in the country, those who are not killed have to
hide themselves, others flee in exile.
January 1995:
The campus of Ruhengeri and the Kigali Faculty of
Law shift and become part of the campus of Butare.
April 1995:
Reopening of the NUR. The main change is that all
the faculties and schools are regrouped in Butare
Campus for security reasons first and then for administrative
ones.
The beginnings are not easy but the government decides
the smooth running of the NUR at all costs. The
Campus supposed to cater for 1,600 students now
lodges more than 4,500. The NUR takes off smoothly
but surely despite the wounds to dress, the buildings
to repair and English becomes a new language of
teaching.
April 25th, 1996:
Creation of the School of Information Sciences and
techniques (ESTI).
1997:
A preliminary year of language learning (French
and English ) is established for all UNR beginners.
1998:
Creation of a doctorate level at the Faculty of
Medicine.
End of 1998:
The merging of the Faculty of Sciences and that
of Applied Sciences to form the Faculty of Sciences
and Technology.
| MISSION |
To provide teaching at a higher level
The main task of the NUR is to transmit scientific
knowledge to its students in a way that new ideas
may come out and professional aptitude be acquired.
To organize scientific research
Research activities at the NUR comprise all creative
works undertaken in a systematic way in order to
increase scientific and technological knowledge,
including the knowledge of man, culture and society,
also making good use of that knowledge in new situations.
The scientific research at University level is not
only lecturers and researchers' affair but also
that of students in licence and doctorate, as it
is inscribed in their final papers (dissertations,
doctorate and specialization theses). In this way,
the development of scientific research contributes
to the improvement and the strengthening of education
structure.
To provide service to the community
This task works hand in hand with the two mentioned
above. Our University is aware that its credibility
lies in the need of serving the community where
it originates. By providing knowledge and know-how
to the community, the NUR contributes to the full
development through its various and adequate services
to the needs of local population.
To promote culture
The three tasks mentioned above are means which
enable the NUR to participate to the enrichment
and promotion of culture. Culture comprises both
traditional and modern aspects by the fact that
it increases technological and scientific knowledge
in such domains as Sciences, Technology, Arts, etc…
This enrichment enhances a better understanding
of relationships between man and his natural, physical,
social and human environment. It also contributes
to the improvement of this environment for the benefit
of man and society. To promote culture in Rwanda
means also to call upon respect of human rights
and good governance in order to contribute to building
a more human Rwandan society. |
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