Rwanda’s Minister of State for Education highlights industry–academia collaboration as key takeaway from South Osthrobotnia visit
During her visit to Seinäjoki and South Osthrobotnia region, Rwanda’s Minister of State for Education, Claudette Irere, emphasized the importance of deepening collaboration between universities and industry — a lesson she described as a “game changer” for Rwanda’s higher education and innovation landscape.
Speaking after a series of visits to Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences (SEAMK) and local technology companies, Minister Irere called the trip “productive — to say the least.” While she had previously visited Helsinki, this was her first time exploring Finland beyond the capital, allowing her to gain new insights into regional innovation ecosystems.
“Every company that we visited, either we found a student or a graduate of this university there, or a project that the university is collaborating on,” she said. “For us, it was a game changer, because we tend to work in silos. We could learn better ways of doing things.”
According to Irere, the Finnish model — where universities actively partner with companies to co-develop projects and provide students with real-world experience — could serve as inspiration for Rwanda’s growing higher education sector. She noted that while Rwanda’s industries are still developing alongside the economy, Finland’s more mature ecosystem offers valuable examples of how to integrate education and enterprise.
“We don’t have to reinvent the wheel,” Irere explained. “You already have the companies, the ecosystem, the environment. Collaborating on the side of academia, ensuring that students and faculty are exposed to what you already have — that’s the key takeaway.”
Lighthouse projects
Minister Irere added that Rwanda aims to identify “lighthouse projects” — targeted, time-bound collaborations that could serve as models for future partnerships.
“It doesn’t have to be everything. It could be very few, but practical and concrete,” she said. “Once those are successful, they serve as a model for many more.”
Alongside academic exchanges, Irere’s delegation included representatives from Rwandan companies, with hopes of initiating industrial collaborations.
“We saw a few things that we know we are in need of to boost our local production capacity,” she said. “We told them — you have one month, two months — come back and structure what it is that you want to do.”
The minister described the visit as the beginning of “a lasting relationship” between Rwanda and educational institutions in the region.
The conversation also touched on the potential for joint degree programs and student exchange opportunities. Some Rwandan universities are already aligning curricula with Finnish partners to pave the way for joint studies.
“The alignment of the program is key,” Irere said. “Because otherwise there is no continuity. We’re going to support whichever university is advanced to get to that level.”
In addition to curriculum cooperation, Irere emphasized Rwanda’s interest in sending more students to Finland, especially in technical and engineering fields where Finland’s expertise is internationally recognized.
“We are exploring how to increase the number of students that come here and learn and are exposed to these types of technologies,” she said.
The visit, she concluded, marked the start of a new phase of academic and industrial cooperation — one rooted in shared learning, innovation, and the practical application of knowledge.
A three-day visit to Seinäjoki and South Osthrobotnia
A Rwandan delegation, including minister Claudette Irere, the country’s ambassador as well as representatives from universities and companies, visited the Seinäjoki region this week. The visit consisted of meetings at SEAMK, Into Seinäjoki and visits to food and automation industry companies in Kauhajoki and Kurikka. On Friday, the delegation had broader discussions with SEAMK’s representatives for education and RDI activities.
The delegation’s visit is a return trip following SEAMK President Jaakko Hallila’s and Dean Anne-Maria Aho’s visit to Rwanda last spring. The agenda includes exploring opportunities for educational cooperation and potential collaboration, particularly with the food and automation industries.
