Kigali Independent University ULK and ULK Polytechnic opens the 2026-2027 academic year
Kigali Independent University ULK and ULK Polytechnic Institute, opened the 2026/2027 academic year on 12 October 2026 at the university’s main campus in Gisozi, Kigali. The academic year was officially opened by the Chancellor of both institutions, Prof. Dr. Karishema Jean Marie Vianney, by virtue of the powers vested in him by law.
Prof. Dr. Karishema Jean Marie Vianney, Chancellor of ULK and ULK Polytechnic Institute officially opening the academic year
At the same event, ULK launched its first PhD programme cohort. The doctoral programme has three specializations: Accounting, Finance and Management. ULK is the first private university in Rwanda to be accredited to award degrees at this level, students can now complete every level of university study at ULK, from undergraduate to doctorate, without leaving the country.
The ceremony also welcomed new students joining Diploma, Bachelor’s, Master’s, and PhD programmes at ULK and UPI.
Management, staff and students at the ULK stadium during the official opening of the ceremony
Addressing the students, Prof. Dr. Martins Onuorah Onyekwelu, the Vice Chancellor of Kigali Independent University ULK, told new students that preparing for a good future should begin on their first day, not on the day they finish their studies. He said a degree or certificate can open doors, but a person’s ability to compete and their conduct determine what comes of those opportunities. Being admitted, he added, is not enough on its own, and students must work hard so that what they learn becomes a foundation for life.
Prof. Onuorah said the PhD will initially focus on Accounting, Finance and Management, and that the Bachelor’s programs were expanded with the recent accreditation from the Higher Education Council HEC to run the Bachelor of Business Administration in Procurement and Supply Chain Management, Insurance and Risk management, Banking, Business Information Technology and Project Management. He described ULK as having begun the year with a strong drive for academic success and as having reached a high international standard.
Prof. Dr. Martins Onuorah Onyekwelu, Vice Chancellor of Kigali Independent University ULK
The Founder and President of Kigali Independent University ULK ltd, Prof. Dr. Rwigamba Balinda, asked staff, lecturers and current students to welcome the newcomers and help them learn and uphold ULK values. He assured both local and international students that they would be treated well and are in a safe country with good leadership under President Paul Kagame.
He thanked the Government of Rwanda and the Ministry of Education, especially the Higher Education Council(HEC) for assessing and accrediting ULK to start the PhD programme. He said the PhD is taught by internationally qualified Professors in addition to ULK’s existing highly qualified faculty.
Prof. Balinda reminded students they had come to draw on quality education that would help them compete in the labour market, and that good values and discipline would make the knowledge they gain a foundation to build their lives on. He urged everyone concerned to protect the quality of education ULK has worked to maintain since its founding, and advised students to study diligently, revise regularly, work in groups and share ideas, read books, learn English, and keep up with modern technology.
Prof. Dr. Rwigamba Balinda, Founder and President of Kigali Independent University ULK ltd
Eng. Musabyimana Jean Pierre, the ULK Polytechnic Institute Principal, reminded students that the school has everything learners need to learn and apply their skills in practice. Since its foundation in 2014, it offers four programmes tied to labour-market demand: electricity, construction, surveying and telecommunications.
He said the curriculum, originally built around Vision 2020, has been updated to match Vision 2050, with the aim of producing job creators rather than job seekers. ULK polytechnic institute invites experts from major industries to teach and organises regular study visits to industrial sites so that students can gain more knowledge and skills from those experts in the field. Many of these companies are partners of the school, which also helps students find places for internships.
Eng. Musabyimana Jean Pierre, Principal of ULK Polytechnic Institute
Students welcomed the new programme. Ringuyeneza Fidele, a professional accountant now enrolled in the PhD programme, said he had planned to look for doctoral studies abroad before hearing about ULK’s programme. He called it a rare opportunity and encouraged fellow students to study hard. Kabasinga Chantal, a second-year law student, said ULK’s many industry partners give students places to practise, which makes graduates attractive to employers in Rwanda and abroad.
Kigali Independent University ULK began its operations in 1996 and it has placed more than 42,000 graduates into the job market, while ULK Polytechnic Institute has placed about 2,400.
