Strengthening of the Faculties of Law of the Universite Libre de Kigali and the National University of Rwanda

Project description

The Law Faculties project in Rwanda was finalized by August 2010. In the last project year, some important remaining activities were organized by the two law faculties, including the organization of a large workshop on the curriculum review process and a regional study visit to Kenya. The complete teaching staff have qualified and broadened their scope through LLM programmes (15) in the Netherlands, South Africa and Uganda, and through PhD programmes (6) in the Netherlands, Ireland and France. A number of PhD candidates finalized their studies in 2011 and early 2012. The development of 34 LLB courses within the framework of the new Rwanda module system, the investments made in didactic materials, and the adoption of a student-centered approach contributed to a new generation of better-trained Rwanda lawyers, who will stand up to contribute to justice and cohesion in their society. 

The project functioned as a stepping stone for the two law faculties and followed the will to change at individual staff and faculty level. Moreover, it aligned well with the policy on university education at the national level that was being developed during the first half of the project. Staff development and curriculum development within the NUFFIC project turned out to be excellent points of departure for law faculty staff to contribute to the promotion of the rule of law in Rwanda and in the wider region.