Delegation of the Silesian University of Technology at the Academic Forum in Rwanda
On December 5th – 6th , 2022, in the capital of Rwanda - Kigali, an Academic Forum was held, attended by a delegation of the Silesian University of Technology. The meeting was an opportunity to present the scientific and research potential of our University and to establish cooperation with Rwandan universities.
The Silesian University of Technology in Rwanda was represented by: dr hab. Eng. Tomasz Trawiński, prof. SUT, Vice-Rector for Infrastructure and Promotion, Joanna Hanak and Katarzyna Wojewódka from the International Relations Office.
The event was organized by the Ministry of Education of Rwanda together with the Embassy of the Republic of Rwanda in Warsaw in cooperation with the Honorary Consul of the Republic of Poland in Kigali. The Forum was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Poland, as well as representatives of many Polish universities: Stanisław Staszic AGH University of Science and Technology in Krakow, the Jagiellonian University, the Warsaw University of Life Sciences, the University of Szczecin, the Lodz University of Technology, the Krakow University of Economics, the University of Zielona Góra, and the Silesian University of Technology.
The Rwandan side was represented by the Ministry of Education of Rwanda, the Higher Education Council (HEC), the National Council for Science and Technology (NCST), and representatives of leading Rwandan universities, including University of Rwanda, Rwanda Polytechnic, INES Ruhengeri, Adventist University of Central Africa (AUCA), University of Technology and Arts of Byumba (UTAB), Kigali Independent University (ULK) and Rwandan Organization of Private Higher Learning Institutions (ORIPES).
During the Forum, participants presented their universities, as well as the possibilities of establishing and tightening cooperation with universities in Rwanda were discussed.
Dr hab. Eng. Tomasz Trawiński, prof. SUT, Vice-Rector for Infrastructure and Promotion, during his speech, presented the scientific and research potential of our University and expressed his willingness to intensify cooperation with universities in Rwanda. The result of this meeting was the signing of a cooperation agreement with the following universities: Rwanda Polytechnic and the University of Rwanda.
During the visit to Kigali, there were also study visits to the University of Rwanda and Rwanda Polytechnic, as well as the visit of the Polish and Rwandan delegations to the Kigali Genocide Memorial. Delegates headed by Minister Paweł Jabłoński - Undersecretary of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, laid wreaths on the graves of people murdered during the genocide in Rwanda in 1994. On the same day, the Polish delegation took part in an open lecture organized at the University of Rwanda with the participation of Artur Soboń and Mateusz Lewandowski from the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Poland.
Parallel to the Academic Forum, an Economic Forum was also organized, attended by dr hab. Eng. Tomasz Trawiński, Vice-Rector for Infrastructure and Promotion. During this meeting, working contacts were established with representatives of the following enterprises: Faspol sp. z o.o. (manufacturer of food processing equipment), Pietrucha Group (producer of components for civil engineering, production plants in Poland, Nigeria and the Philippines), Dig in Vision (producer of software). A meeting with a representative of Dig in Vision - Radosław Gałka is planned at the Silesian University of Technology, which will take place on January 24th , 2023. It will concern the establishment of cooperation in the area of software production and its application in training in the field of welding technologies.
The Polish Investment and Trade Agency and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland were responsible for the organization from the Polish side.
Due to the constantly growing interest in studying in Poland among young Rwandans, in the following days Joanna Hanak and Katarzyna Wojewódka from the International Relations Office went on a study visit to Kigali Independent University (ULK). It is a complex of private schools from kindergarten, through primary and secondary school, to university. On the same day, a meeting with students of the Glory Academy secondary school at ULK took place in order to present the educational offer of the Silesian University of Technology. At the meeting with the young people of the last classes of this school, a presentation on the educational offer of the Silesian University of Technology was presented, as well as promotional materials about our University were distributed. The students were keenly interested in the offer and asked very factual questions during the Q&A session.
The next day there was another meeting with students from another school: Institute Don Bosco Kabarondo, about 2 hours from Kigali. The turnout of students exceeded the wildest expectations of the SUT representatives. Over 200 students of this school, interested in getting to know our University, gathered in the large hall, where assemblies and school ceremonies are usually organized. During the meeting, the educational offer of the Silesian University of Technology was presented in detail and the possibilities of obtaining a pro-quality scholarship were discussed.
