ENGINEERING EDUCATION FOR SUSTAINABLE CITIES IN AFRICA: A CASE FOR RWANDA

Abstract

Rwanda’s rates of urban growth and urbanization are unprecedented [1]. This change in the number of urban-dwellers will require increased engineering talent and resources to support resulting demands on the urban infrastructure. This study builds on the engineering education literature in Rwanda, explores how the country is prepared to manage current and future urban growth rates through engineering education, and examines the processes universities undergo when reforming their engineering curriculum in Rwanda. A research team travelled to Rwanda in July, 2016 to study engineering programs and interview two faculty members at two universities. Four significant subjects emerged from this study: the involvement of the political institutions in the curriculum design and approval processes, the need for allocating new resources to meet an increase in student enrolment, the importance of considering the historical and regional contexts in the curriculum, and the need for more hands-on training in engineering education. Further study is recommended on the political involvement in engineering curriculum reform, the government-led student and faculty funding initiatives, the impacts of the historical and regional contexts on the tertiary education system, and the increase