University of Kigali Its First Graduation and commits to be a centre of Excellence in Education
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NewsTranscript
00:00 [Music]
00:05 Congratulations and celebrations
00:10 When I tell everyone that you're in love with me
00:15 Congratulations and humilations
00:20 I want the world to know how happy as can be
00:25 Who would believe that I could be happy and contented
00:30 I used to think that happiness hadn't been invented
00:35 But that was in the bad old days before I met you
00:40 When I let you walk into my heart
00:46 Congratulations and celebrations
00:53 When I tell everyone that you're in love with me
00:58 Congratulations and humilations
01:03 I want the world to know how happy as can be
01:08 I was afraid that maybe you thought you were above me
01:13 That I was only fooling myself to think you'd love me
01:18 But then tonight you said you couldn't live without me
01:23 That round about me you wanted to stay
01:30 Congratulations and celebrations
01:36 When I tell everyone that you're in love with me
01:41 Congratulations and jubilations
01:46 I want the world to know how happy as can be
01:52 [Music]
02:02 The university started operations with 649 students in 2013
02:10 and has experienced rapid growth in enrolling nearly 4,000 students in the undergraduate programs
02:20 and more than 300 students in the postgraduate programs
02:25 which is a relatively reasonable growth rate
02:28 and a recognition of the quality of our programs and the value that UOK delivers
02:38 To all those who are graduating today, you are the lucky ones
02:46 You are the first cream of the University of Kigali
02:50 and you are the hope of Rwanda
02:53 Many of you will become leaders in politics, in commerce and in the community
03:00 By the powers given to me by the University Act of the Republic of Rwanda
03:10 and by the same powers given to me by the University Senate
03:18 I hereby constitute the congregation. Thank you
03:24 The University of Kigali today presents students who are beginning from second class upper
03:30 and it is our aspiration that in the next graduation
03:35 we may be able to prepare students who will qualify and graduate with the first class
03:41 56% of these students are male and the remaining 44% are female
03:48 This shows that the University of Kigali has given equal opportunity to aid the agenda
03:55 to participate in the programs that are on offer
03:58 Mr. Chancellor Sir, I have the honor to present to you the following graduates
04:03 who have satisfactorily completed the courses for the award of a degree of Bachelor of Commerce
04:10 Marketing of the University of Kigali
04:13 [Names being read]
04:32 By virtue of authority entrusted in me
04:37 I confer upon all those names that have been read
04:43 the degree of Bachelor of Commerce Marketing of the University of Kigali
04:51 [Music]
05:04 Sustained quality education is a permanent commitment that has to come from the top
05:11 from the leadership and we as promoters, this is going to be always our motto
05:20 The second level is the quality of the academic standards
05:26 Courses and programs that are designed in the University of Kigali
05:31 are done to ensure academic standards at all levels
05:37 Quality of teaching is therefore a strategic priority of the University of Kigali
05:44 We will ensure that our programs, our courses are regularly monitored
05:51 closely reviewed to make sure that they meet the standards of the best university
05:57 the meet the standards of what is required by our hierarchies in the Ministry of Education
06:04 and those that are designing courses for the various universities
06:09 Now first of all, let me thank you very much all of you for turning up for this graduation
06:16 But before I give my short remarks
06:20 let me ask the promoters of this university, please to come in front here to join me
06:28 Begin with my brother Afrika Inanchi, Dr. Kamiya, Madam Afrika and Samuel, please join me in front
06:39 Honorable Minister, Chancellor Sir, parents, students
06:48 The University of Kigali is made up of brains of these people that you see before you
06:59 and people who are committed to give their very best to our brothers and sisters in Rwanda and beyond our borders
07:11 We did invest in this institution to give the very best, to give quality of education
07:19 at any price we can pay from our side and of course the support of the government of Rwanda
07:24 which we appreciate and we are going to do that from the bottom of our hearts
07:31 Honorable Minister Sir, the team you see before you here
07:39 is a team committed not by words but by deeds
07:44 to give back to what we got from different places in the world
07:51 which we feel is the best we got
07:54 and want to give it back to our brothers and sisters in Rwanda and beyond our borders
08:00 and today we are celebrating the first batch of our students
08:05 of 139 students whom we are producing to the world
08:10 It's a testimony of our effort to give back to our country and beyond
08:16 It's a testimony that our efforts are starting to bear fruits
08:21 but it's a testimony that we have a long way to go to give the very best
08:26 As the Chairman, Board of Rectors has said, for us in the University of Kigali
08:31 it's not about money
08:36 It's about quality of what we give back to our brothers and sisters
08:43 Our lecturers who may request to stand up
08:46 maybe stand up lecturers and staff
08:56 This is a team of lecturers drawn from the whole world
09:01 from America to Kenya, Uganda to Sudan
09:06 They are international lecturers who are well qualified to give the very best to their students
09:13 but we take them on, like we take the students to give the very best to our brothers and sisters
09:19 These people don't have an easy task from the promoters, not at all
09:28 Nor do students have an easy task from our side
09:32 because the term "best" is expensive
09:36 but we believe the reverse is more expensive
09:40 We are determined as promoters to give you the very best
09:44 So with those few remarks, I want to assure you that
09:47 as you go down the road, we shall be committed to give you the very best education
09:52 that cannot get anywhere in this country and perhaps abroad
09:56 That's a commitment and a belief that we stand here for
09:59 Thank you very much and God bless you
10:01 A graduation ceremony is an important occasion in the calendar of any university
10:11 but for the University of Kigali, today is indeed a very special day
10:18 because it is our very first one
10:21 and it is also incidentally my first occasion to officiate as Chancellor
10:30 I want to take this opportunity Mr Chancellor Sir
10:34 to encourage the students who have graduated today
10:39 to watch carefully the program
10:42 because this is culture being inculcated in you
10:46 All the people who have graduated here today have come because they have come to witness
10:51 they have come to witness what you have achieved
10:55 They have also come to hear you make a promise and a commitment
11:00 that you will serve the nation and you will serve the globe
11:04 The confirmation that has been done today is testimony that you have skills
11:09 but you need to go out there and build competencies
11:14 I believe that we have provided the University of Kigali students
11:21 an opportunity to open up doors of careers
11:27 so whatever message that is going to be given to you today is a very important message
11:33 Go out there and make the University of Kigali proud and make Rwanda proud
11:37 I urge the University of Kigali to strive to promote quality education
11:43 for choosing and delivering programs that are aligned with the vision of the country
11:50 and that ensure sustainable marketing opportunities
11:55 The Ministry of Education is and will always be ready to support the University of Kigali
12:03 to achieve its mission through promotion of academic excellence
12:09 and I was deeply encouraged by the commitment which I see on the team of the Board of Promoters
12:19 the Board of Governors, the Chancellor of the University, the entire management of the University
12:27 the academic staff and students
12:30 I'm sure that with this current of commitment
12:34 the University of Kigali will live to see this objective being fulfilled
12:45 Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen
12:49 As I conclude, let me leave with you graduates with a few thoughts
12:56 even though all the previous speakers have given you some good amount of thoughts
13:03 You are the reason why we are here today
13:07 I congratulate you once again
13:11 but I equally challenge you
13:14 The tasks are high and you must rise to the challenge
13:19 You have been exposed to diverse thinkers, underscorers, professors and you are fellow students
13:28 You must understand that no one owes you a free ranch
13:35 This opportunity you have today to possess a university education is a precious thing
13:43 For all the arguments and all the doubts and all the cynicism that is out there today
13:51 you should never forget that as Rwandese we enjoy more freedoms and opportunities
13:59 that those who lived before us didn't have
14:03 We are privileged to have a more secure and focused state
14:08 free to hold your leaders accountable
14:11 and we have the chance to get an education, work hard and give the current and the next generation a better life
14:21 None of this came easy, none of it was preordained
14:28 Sacrifices were made to make this possible
14:33 I therefore appeal to you to never take these freedoms and opportunities for granted
14:39 I challenge your ability to continue this great journey of shaping our destiny