UTAB class of 2022 graduates urged on entrepreneurs

In a glamorous event, the University of Technology and Arts of Byumba -UTB – conferred degrees on 673 graduands who satisfied the board of examiners.

The 11th graduation event has held in the Byumba District on Thursday, November 17, 2022, in the presence of graduates, their families, and various visitors, including representatives from the government and churches.

UTAB’s vice chancellor, Father Dr Gilbert Munana, emphasized to the graduates that UTAB provides a genuine solution to the country’s problems.

“We know they are quality education students because we took the time to examine them. For example, this graduation was scheduled for October 2022, but we postponed it to determine whether they met the requirements.”

He said.

To become entrepreneurs is a must as mentioned by Shirimpumpu Jean Claude, Founder and Director of Vision Agri business farm who have finished Bachelors and Masters in UTAB. He says that the knowledge he acquired led to his entrepreneurship, and now he helps many who are looking for an internship in his work, so there are also entrepreneurs.

This company, which has a special partnership with UTAB, helps lecturers in enhancing their understanding of agriculture and animal husbandry.

His Excellency Bishop Servilien Nzakamwita, UTAB’s Legal Representative, noted that they want UTAB to be an exemplary university in regard to improving Rwandans’ lives through quality education and in-depth research.

Dr Rose Mukankomeje, Director General of The Higher Education Counci-HEC thanked UTAB for the positive steps they have taken over the years in improving and broadening education; he thanked the students and graduates for the hard work they proved while studying during in the difficult times of the COVID-19 pandemic; and he reminded them that the Rwandan government expects them to achieve great results because he is determined to base development on people with knowledge.

The representative of graduates has emphasized that their have received quality education so that they promise to be the good entrepreneurs.

UTAB’s vice chancellor said that they have promoted an entrepreneurship culture in which students have created projects based on research, and some have even progressed to the point of producing pesticides in order to help farmers.

Within entrepreneurship vision, they are working on establishing a visionary center for agriculture and nutrition called the Center of Excellence in Agronomy and Gastronomy (in collaboration with the University of Palma in Italy).

This center will help foreigners in knowing and enjoying the true Rwandan diet. 

“We want to get to the point where Gicumbi and Kigali are considered gastronomic cities.” Father Munana said.

The school is willing to establish an Excellence Center in climate change and environmental restoration. 

Aside from resilience, this center will aid in the restoration of Gihembe Mountain’s immunity which will aid in attracting tourists. It will also aid in research on olive oil.

He believes that they will do all of this in collaboration with students who have graduated but have the highest grades in order to collaborate on research and teaching.

University of Technology and arts of Byumba started in January 2006 as Institut polytechnique de Byumba (IPB) and become University in 2015. it has different faculties; Social sciences, Management and development studies, Education and Agriculture, environment management and renewable energy.