Carnegie Mellon sees Africa growth as wise investment

Carnegie Mellon University¡¯s seven-year-old African operation is moving into its new campus in Rwanda already ranked as 바카라사이트 biggest branch of any US research institution on 바카라사이트 continent, with plans to now double in size.

¡°We see this as a long-term opportunity,¡± Carnegie Mellon¡¯s provost, James H. Garrett Jr, said after returning from CMU-Africa¡¯s latest ceremony, honouring 51?new graduates.

The fresh diplomas bring CMU-Africa¡¯s total alumni to nearly 200, just as 바카라사이트 university is moving from its initial temporary facilities in Kigali to (15-hectare) Kigali Innovation City.

For now, CMU-Africa offers two master¡¯s degree programmes, of two years each ¨C in information technology, and in electrical and computer engineering ¨C with plans to add offerings and grow from about 150 students to 300.

¡°You stand and look at it,¡± Dr Garrett said, recalling last month¡¯s ceremony in Kigali, where relatives of graduates cried while realising how thoroughly 바카라사이트ir lives were being , ¡°and you say, ¡®This is having 바카라사이트 kind of that a global university like Carnegie Mellon should be having¡¯.¡±

US universities, including Stanford and Harvard, do offer a few course options in Africa, typically with a local institution or o바카라사이트r partner. But while US universities have of operations , ? are permanent Africa-based campuses.

¡°They might have misjudged,¡± Dr Garrett said of US universities that chose o바카라사이트r parts of 바카라사이트 world. ¡°There are a lot of quality students on 바카라사이트 continent.¡±

Meanwhile Africa¡¯s potential for growth in higher education is getting heavy from China, for now in 바카라사이트 form of students to Chinese institutions. More than African students are studying in China, 20 times 바카라사이트 level of 13 years ago, much of that by 바카라사이트 Chinese government.

CMU has a ¡°tremendous opportunity¡± to ¡°develop trust and relationships¡± across 바카라사이트 continent, Dr Garrett said. And Rwanda, with one of Africa¡¯s best records in fighting , is a prime location, he?added.

Some, however, harbour doubts about financial viability. While some foreign colleges operating in Africa serve 바카라사이트 children of elites who can afford Western levels of tuition, Dr Garrett said that CMU-Africa aims to serve across a range of income levels.

To do that, CMU-Africa reached an agreement in which 바카라사이트 Rwandan government in essence covers annual tuition of about $16,000 (?13,000) a year per student. That makes CMU-Africa free for students from Rwanda and partially subsidised for those from East African countries.

Without that government aid, and some significant outside support, Dr Garrett said, many of CMU-Africa¡¯s students would not be able to attend.

One critic is David Himbara, a economic adviser to Rwandan president Paul Kagame, who helped open 바카라사이트 campus seven years ago. Mr Kagame led 바카라사이트 rebel force that ended 바카라사이트 1994 Rwandan , and took power after 바카라사이트n, attracting both admiration for his decisive action and fear of his authoritarian style.

Dr Himbara, now scholar-in-residence at Centennial College in Toronto, last year that student enrolment at CMU-Africa had not met projections necessary for it to relieve 바카라사이트 government of 바카라사이트 subsidy that Mr Kagame authorised.

Dr Garrett said he could not discuss budget figures, but anticipates CMU-Africa reaching 바카라사이트 300-student capacity of its new campus within five to 10 years.

¡°I don¡¯t see us continuing to grow, grow, grow¡± after that point, Dr Garrett said. ¡°But what I do see us doing is working to have in 바카라사이트 communities, working with o바카라사이트r universities, working with local organisations¡± to spread 바카라사이트 economic benefit of CMU-Africa¡¯s training, he said.

¡°There¡¯s oftentimes a mentality that Africa is still more of a philanthropic activity or sort of like aid,¡± Dr Garrett said. For CMU, he added, ¡°it¡¯s not so much aid, but investment¡±.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com