UNITAFRICA Project Supports the Launch of Rwanda’s First Master’s Degree in Geotechnical Engineering The UNITAFRICA Project has played a key role in advancing the establishment of the first Master of Science degree in Geotechnical Engineering in Rwanda.

The initiative traces back to 2019, when a consortium of three European universities and four Rwandan higher education institutions secured funding under the Erasmus Plus – Capacity Building programme through the EnRHEd project (https://enrhed-erasmusplus.com/), coordinated by the University of Parma. Within this framework, a new MSc programme in Geotechnical Engineering was developed at the Institute of Applied Sciences INES-Ruhengeri. The programme successfully completed its ministerial accreditation process in May 2025 and was officially launched in August of the same year. To support the first year of implementation, some faculty members from the University of Parma committed to contributing to the teaching activities.

Thanks to the UNITAFRICA Project, Prof. Roberto Valentino delivered the Rock Mechanics course through a blended format: partly online, using the PIT platform, and partly in person, with an academic visit to Rwanda scheduled for January 2026.