UR carries on online teaching services despite lockdown over COVID-19

30-04-2020

University of Rwanda has since lockdown increased online teaching for both Master and PhD programs. At the College of Business and Economics (CBE) online teaching is happening especially in Data Science and Economics by which students from Rwanda and the Region are easily following their courses with no disruption.

According to Dr. Charles Ruhara, a Senior Lecturer and Coordinator of Postgraduate programs in the School of Economics, online teaching is a practice that existed in UR CBE even before the pandemic emerged. The College in partnership with Kiel University (Germany) has a Master in Economics with focus on Applied Quantitative Economics (AQE) run by a teaching team from Europe and UR.

The lockdown has brought UR to double efforts in teaching online and currently, in addition to programs like Computer System and Big Data Analytics in Data Science, two programs in Economics ; Master of Science in Economics and PhD in Economics by coursework run in partnership with University of Gothenburg, Sweden are being taught online.

Milliscent Ochieng , an international student in MSc in Data Science at affirms that she is comfortable with online teaching.

"We started on 15th April 2020 with Computer System and Big Data Analytics and we are so far moving well", she said.

Milliscent Ochieng , an international student in MSc in Data Science

She added that online teaching has become useful to students who are out of the country and can now continue their studies despite the lockdown. Students all get access to materials irrespective of the country they are in. Ochieng revealed a slight challenge of slow internet but still herself and colleagues are coping well with the new teaching and learning model.

Online teaching at the College of Business and economics will be extended to Rusizi Campus (one of the UR campus located in the far western of the country) where MBA is scheduled to start next week

By Renee Nshimiye
Public Relations and Communication Officer
University of Rwanda