Politecnico supports the future development of Rwanda Polytechnic
A strategic plan to support the development of Rwanda Polytechnic and lead its transformation over the next twenty years. This is the aim of the international commission assigned to Politecnico di Torino, Think Global Srl and ASA Design Ltd. The consortium was awarded a contract at the end of July following a tender organised by Expertise France, a French public body that belongs to the Agence Française de Développement.
The ten-month collaboration will result in the development of a new master plan for Rwanda Polytechnic, a public institution founded in 2017 comprising several colleges dedicated to technical and vocational education. The document will serve as the strategic framework to guide its structural, academic and organisational development, linking infrastructure growth to educational, research and skills trends in the labour market.
The initiative will be structured around six main pillars: academic programmes; human resources development; research and innovation; the design of spaces and infrastructure; the definition of a management model focused on environmental and social sustainability; and a gender-sensitive and inclusive approach.
Thus, the masterplan will not only cover buildings and spaces but, adopting a holistic approach, will provide Rwanda Polytechnic with an overarching vision: a long-term tool for setting priorities, coordinating investment and guiding sustainable and inclusive growth.
The goal is to coordinate various educational opportunities while enhancing staff skills, promoting research activities, and creating accessible and sustainable environments. These efforts aim to accommodate the growth of the student population and adapt to the social, economic, and technological changes affecting the country.
The project is part of the wider AFTER II – Appui à la Formation Technique et l’Emploi au Rwanda initiative, launched to improve the quality and appeal of technical and vocational training and to help young Rwandans enter the labour market. The programme is funded by the Agence Française de Développement, supported by Luxembourg’s development co-operation. It is implemented with technical assistance from Expertise France, in collaboration with Rwanda Polytechnic and the Rwanda TVET Board.
“We accepted the challenge of this competition with confidence, enthusiasm and determination – comments professor Francesca De Filippi, Deputy Vice Rector for International Scientific Cooperation – The fact that two polytechnics – those of Turin and Rwanda, both undergoing profound transformation – can compare their strategic development paths represents a concrete and valuable opportunity for international cooperation. We are truly delighted to have been entrusted with this role and are ready to share with our Rwandan partners and colleagues the expertise we gained over the years in planning university systems and spaces for education and research. I am convinced that this initiative will foster the expansion and consolidation of relations between the two universities and lead to the emergence of new and further opportunities for collaboration in the near future".
Cover image from the official Rwanda Polytechnic website