IP SYMPOSIUM FOR AFRICAKigali, 7-9 July 2003

A CONTRIBUTION OF THE NUR ON ICT CAPACITY BUILDING

By

Dr. Safari Bonfils

Dean, Faculty of Science and Technology, National University of Rwanda

E-mail:fst-dean@nur.ac.rw

INTRODUCTION

From 1994 to 1998 in the then Faculty of Applied Sciences was the Department of Electromechanical Engineering as one of the Departments. This department was running a three-year diploma courses in fields of electro-mechanics, computer science, electricity, electronics and mechanics. in 1998 a new national policy NICI PLAN-2005 directing the socio-economic development was launched. Coincidently the NUR which was at the time in its process of reform merged it faculty of applied Science and Faculty of Science into a new faculty, Faculty of Science and Technology. This new Faculty began a four-year BSc in Computer Science and a five-year BSc in Electrical and Electronic engineering programme.

THE CREATION OF THE COMPUTER SCIENCE AND ELECTRICAL & ELECTRONIC

ENGINEERING DEPARTMENTS

STRATEGIES

Since 1998 there has been a total reform of all programmes in the University.This was necessary to redirect the NUR educational programmes to meet the needs of the country after the 1994 genocide.

After a one-year intensive common science programme, comprehensive three and four- year syllabus, of international standards, have been developed for the training of the computer science and electrical and electronic engineering undergraduate students respectively.

COMPUTER SCIENCE DEPARTMENT:

Networking & System Administration

Software Development

Web Design

DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICITY AND ELECTRONIC:

Power Electrical Engineering

Wireless communication : Radio, Microwave, Sattelite

Electronics and Telecommunications :

Computer-based design and simulation

Laboratories

The electronics laboratory was upgraded with new digital equipment as well as experiment kits.

Laboratories

Two new computer science laboratories were created with 20 computers each high memory capacity, which have been networked to the University main internet server.

These were donations from partnership between NUR and Belgian Universities (CIUF) and also from the University of Maryland (USA) through USAID.

Laboratories

AVU Computer laboratory was set up. It helps the faculty to overcome its academic problems by delivering on-line programmes for the two departments.

CISCO Academic Programme is also delivering on-line courses on Networking.

Staff

Thanks to the government of Rwanda new technical and academic staff were recruited and a visiting professorial programme was put in place with the support from UNDP.

The staffing situation is yet to be satisfactory resolved.

  Before 1998

Before the lunching of the Integrated ICT-led Socio-EconomicDevelopment Policy and Plan for Rwanda 2001 – 2005, theFaculty of Science and Technology of the National University of Rwanda was turning out three-year diplomas in the field of electrical and electronic technicians.

YearTechnician engineer graduates

Male Female Total Male/female ratio

1994 - 1995 8 0 8 0

1995 - 1996 12 0 12 0

1996 - 1997 30 3 33 10

1997 - 1998 18 2 20 10

Total 68 5 63 8

PLACEMENT OF TECHNICIAN ENGINEERS

Company / Institutions Numbers

RWANDATEL 5

MTN/RWANDACELL 2

REGIE DES AEROPORTS 2

   

   

   

   

Technical engineers constitute the national trained skills and are working as ICT experts in many public and private companies and are technical staff in different academic institutions and Banks.

RWANDA REVENUE AUTHORITY 4

ELECTROGAZ 5

MINADEF ( ICT & RADAR ) 5NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF RWANDA 14

KIST: 3, BCR: 2 , BCDI: 1, COGEAR : 1

After 1998

ACADEMIC Year

STUDENTS INTAKE

Computer Science Department Electrical/Electronic Eng. Dept

Female Male Total Female/Male ratio

Female Male Total Female/Male Ratio

1999/2000 0 11 11 0 0 6 6 0

2000/2001 5 15 20 1/3 0 14 14 0

2001/2002 7 22 29 1/3 0 29 29 0

ICT FACILITIES

Year Department ofComputer Science

Department ofElectrical and Electronic

Std/comp H/Week Std/comp H/Week

First        

Second 2 7 2 2

Third 1 11 1 4

Fourth 1 13.5 1 4

Fifth   6-- -- --

3 1 3 1

ACADEMIC STAFF

 

Department of Computer Science

Year Projected Number of lecturers

Number of lecturers - permanent

Number of lecturers – visitors

1999/2000 3 3 1

2000/2001 6 5 1

2001/2002 7 6 1

Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Year Projected Number of lecturers

Number of lecturers - permanent

Number of lecturers –

visitors

1999/2000 5 4 1

2000/2001 5 4 1

2001/2002 6 4 2

Cont’d

 

The Department of Computer Science as at now has been placed in a position where it can systematically develop and reach an international standard.

To meet the goals and aspiration of the economic development of Rwanda, there is the need to equip the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering. The focus will be on the building of laboratories in electronics and telecommunications particularly in wireless systems and radio propagation laboratory. This is taking into account the peculiar nature of the relief of the country. It is also envisaged that in the nearest future the development of ICT in the country will be through the intensive application of wireless communication at higher frequency bands.

 

Curriculum of

The Bachelor Degree of Science

In

Information Technology

(BSc in IT)

 TO BE SET UP IN OCTOBER 2003

THE ACADEMIC YEAR 2003-2004

Background

To help build the knowledge-based economy, NUR’s BS IT graduates will need to be able to implement business solutions for both public and private enterprises. Graduates will need to fill three primary roles upon graduation: system administration and network administration, software development, and communication technology.

The BS in IT curriculum has been conceived to respond to the demand of former Applied Sciences’ students expressed to the Rector of the NUR to upgrade their level up to the bachelor degree. Having considered the knowledge’s background acquired by them from Applied Sciences curriculum and the actual manpower needs of the country in the field as stated by the VISION 2020, the Faculty of Science and Technology came out with realization of the following curriculum

The purpose of upgrading the former diploma program with this curriculum is to ensure that the BS IT curriculum is meeting the programmatic objectives, has adequate resources, and is preparing students to help the country meet the objectives for Rwanda’s ICT initiative.

This undergraduate degree program includes theoretical computer science, practical applications of computer technology to the world of information systems, telecommunications, and networks. The curriculum prepares the student for immediate employment upon graduation as IT professionals. The curriculum also provides the necessary foundation for advanced specializations in information technology, information systems, and related disciplines. Considering the central role of communication medium in information technologies, the program will include digital communications techniques with analysis of BER (Bit Error Rate) performance of the communications systems, and optical fiber and wireless communications topics because of the growing importance of those two transmission media.

Curriculum of

The Master of Science Degree

In

Information and Communication Technology

(MSc in ICT)

 TO BE SET UP IN OCTOBER 2003 THE

ACADEMIC YEAR 2003-2004

Background

Since 1997-1998 the Faculty of Science and Technology at the National University of Rwanda has set up two undergraduate programmes in the fields related to Information and Communication Technology: a Bachelor degree in Computer Science and a Bachelor degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering. In addition to the Departments running these programmes, an existing Computer Centre facilitates Internet connectivity and computer maintenance to various Faculties and to the administration of NUR.

However, NUR continues to face some major obstacles in the area of curriculum performance and infrastructure. Most pressing are the lack of local, qualified ICT lecturers and trained technicians as well as inadequate infrastructure and

equipment. NUR is one out of few providers of qualified ICT training in

Rwanda, but at present the lack of qualified staff prevents NUR from providing an MSc programme in the area.

NUR in co-operation with the Swedish counterpart institution-the Blekinge Institute of Technology (Blekinge Tekniska Högskola-BTH)- is developing a curriculum for an MSc programme in ICT, in consensus with other stakeholders in the country. The overall objective is to offer a programme, which will meet the needs of Rwanda within this field in a Rwanda context: human resources, researchers, and socio-economic development. This will be the first MSc-Programme in ICT in Rwanda, and it will increase the knowledge of ICT in the country as well as be the first step towards creating a basis for ICT research.

Overall objectives

The MSc in ICT will be offered in the Rwanda context taking into account local ICT implementation and requirements in the National Vision;

The MSc in ICT is aiming to, in co-operation with the surrounding society, respond to the needs of the socio-economic development of Rwanda;

The graduates from the MSc in ICT will be part of a basis of human resources within the ICT field for both private and public sector;

The graduates from the MSc in ICT will also be able to support teaching staff in tertiary institutions in Rwanda;

The graduates from the MSc in ICT will be eligible for PhD studies in ICT at the Blekinge Institute of Technology respecting the admission procedures.

Specific objectives

The programme called Master Degree of Science in Information and Communication Technology covers two main disciplines: “Telecommunication Engineering” and “Computer Science and Software Engineering”.

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