• Reference: P-Z1-IAD-006
• Appraisal Date: 15/06/2010
• Board Presentation: 29/09/2010
• Status: LendingLEND
• Implementing Agency: --
• Country: Multinational
• Location: RWANDA
• Sector: Human and Social Development, Education

Project design (components). The project will support the construction of and equipping of a Center of Excellence in Kigali, the provision of an academic teaching and research programme based on the CMU curriculum, promotion of entrepreneurship and linkages of the CoE to industry and the establishment of a project management framework.

Component 1. Construction and equipping of the CoE . This component will support the building of new facilities for the CoE on the site already reserved by the GoR. Annex II. shows the agreed architectural master plan for the CoE. It will provide the necessary connectivity and equipment for the CoE in accordance with the architectural design and needs of similar centers. This component will be financed by the Bank.. The cost of construction and equipping the CoE is estimated at USD 32.6 million which is equivalent to UA 21.3 million.

Component 2: Design and delivery of professional graduate degree and research programme. This component will support the design and implementation of teaching, training and research programme based on the Carnegie Mellon University Curriculum. The CMU will recruit academic staff, administer and manage the academic programme including admission of students, establishment of a research center on mobility and the launching of Executive Education Programme and the African Political Leadership Programme . Annex III shows the schematic diagram of the CMU programme. The CMU will operate the entire academic and research a ctivities. The estimated cost of the academic programme over ten years is USD 94.6 million equivalent to UA 61.8 million. The resources for the implementation of the academic programme will be borne by GoR and other EAC Partner States. In the long term, the programme will be sustained through tuition fees, private sector sponsorships, provision of professional services.

Component 3. Promotion of business development and partnerships with public, private sector and ICT industry

This component will develop linkages with productive sectors and strengthen partnerships with private sector. It will facilitate opportunities for new business development, availability of venture capital to stimulate start-ups and provision entrepreneurship training in order to turn innovations into business. The entrepreneurship programme is expected to be financed by the private sector as part of the CMU academic programme. The marketing and promotion cost of business development is estimated to USD 500,000 which is equivalent to UA 326 ,797.

Component 4: Establishment of Project management and coordination framework

This component will provide support to the establishment of a Project Implementation Unit for the construction and equipping of the CoE at the Ministry of Education of the Government of Rwanda. The coordination of academic programmes will be carried out by the Carnegie Mellon University. Linkage will be established between the academic coordination and the Project Implementation Unit. The Project Management for the construction and equipping the CoE will be financed by the Bank. The cost of the PIU is estimated at USD 758,276 which is equivalent to UA 495,605.

The project objective is to improve high level ICT skills in the region for productivity and competitiveness

Africa is still lagging behind other continents in Science and Technology in general and in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in particular. The increasingly widening digital divide is one of the main obstacles to economic growth and social development. It is widely recognized that without embracing information and communications technologies (ICT), the development gap between Africa and the rest of the world will continue to widen. Lack of advanced skills in computer engineering, software development, ICT security and mobility continue to seriously hamper Africa's capacity to exploit ICTs for global competitiveness.

The proposed Center of Excellence aims to build a critical mass of highly skilled human resources in computer and software engineering and innovation capability in Eastern Africa. The initiative is in line with the EAC Development Strategy which underlines the importance of Science and Technology for development. The EAC Strategy 2006-2010 states that "Science and Technology are key drivers for socio-economic development and the achievements of most of the objectives of the EAC Common Market Agenda" After highlighting the limited but growing use of ICT in the region, the strategy points out that " the challenge ahead is to harness the huge potential of ICTs and cope with the fast growth in usage for a much greater impact on EAC economies and improved livelihoods especially for the rural areas where the majority of the poor live" .

The establishment of Centers of Excellence in the region is a priority for the East African Community. The EAC has issued criteria for establishing such centers in the region. The centre, among others, should "aim to couple provision of academic excellence with practical and contextual training. It should consistently strive to sustain its academic pedigree through research while at the same time broadening its experience of current specialization requirements in order to facilitate workable solutions."

The Center of Excellence falls within the broader ICT human resource development strategy of the Government of Rwanda and other EAC Partner States. The GoR has made a considerable progress in building the underlying broadband infrastructure that supports teaching and learning and the emergence of a vibrant ICT industry. Annex I shows the scheme of a national backbone. In addition, the GoR is building an ICT park adjacent to the Center of Excellence that will serve as a training and employment facility for the students.

The CoE will be offering training in ICT areas where skills are needed and do not exist in Rwanda and countries in the region.. The market analysis conducted during preparation of the financial feasibility study and business plan indicate that there is a high demand for skills in wireless networking, mobile computing, broadband applications, information security and Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technologies. It is also noted that he market is growing towards businesses that are data and information driven and these will need high quality ICT professionals to drive them. Besides, the following opportunities create a potential market as well as a conducive environment for the CoE:

"the regional market of undergraduates pursuing ICT courses; "the growing need of ICT professionals especially in the telecommunication sector; "the urgent need to address the ICT knowledge gap in tertiary institutions and secondary schools through training the lecturers and teachers in these institutions; "the regional government waived all taxes on computers and software; "the regional governments support the development of ICT capacity through higher institutions of learning as stipulated in their National ICT policies.

The CoE will be offering training in ICT areas where skills are needed and do not exist in Rwanda and countries in the region.. The market analysis conducted during preparation of the financial feasibility study and business plan indicate that there is a high demand for skills in wireless networking, mobile computing, broadband applications, information security and Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technologies. It is also noted that he market is growing towards businesses that are data and information driven and these will need high quality ICT professionals to drive them. Besides, the following opportunities create a potential market as well as a conducive environment for the CoE: "the regional market of undergraduates pursuing ICT courses; "the growing need of ICT professionals especially in the telecommunication sector; "the urgent need to address the ICT knowledge gap in tertiary institutions and secondary schools through training the lecturers and teachers in these institutions; "the regional government waived all taxes on computers and software; "the regional governments support the development of ICT capacity through higher institutions of learning as stipulated in their National ICT policies.

GUEDEGBE Corbin Michel Casimir - OSHD2

Amount
43,700,000