Background, vision, mission and values of Institut Catholique de Kabgayi.
Background
Institut Catholique de Kabgayi (ICK) is a private higher learning institution founded in 2002 by the Catholic Diocese of Kabgayi, originally established as Universite Catholique de Kabgayi (UCK). Creating the university continued the Diocese's mission to contribute to Rwanda's socio-economic development through education, aiming to produce graduates who are both professionally competent and morally conscious.
UCK was recognised by Rwanda's Ministry of Education through a Convention of Allocation (N°001/03/2003) concluded with the Government of Rwanda, and gained legal personality in 2006. In 2010, it was renamed Institut Catholique de Kabgayi by Ministerial Order, and later that year received its Definitive Operating Licence from Cabinet, confirming its accreditation as a fully-fledged higher education institution.
Objectives
ICK's mission is guided by core objectives that include:
Providing scientific and technological higher education that responds to the population's development needs.
Equipping students with the skills, technology and education to create employment and contribute to their personal advancement and national development.
Promoting a formal framework of continuous learning and research within the institution's curricular areas.
Contributing to the cultural, civic, moral and Christian education of the population.
Promoting the values of truth, justice and solidarity for the integral development of the human being, through learning and research.
Contributing to the search for solutions to other issues related to national development.
Our Values
Respect for Human Rights
Promoting social justice and human dignity, and rejecting discrimination, favouritism and exclusion.
Integrity
Transparency and accountability, privileging truth and honesty.
Serving the Community
Commitment to developing synergy and solidarity with the community.
Unity in Diversity
Promoting tolerance, dialogue, participation, and national unity and reconciliation.
Gender Equity
Recognising how women and men complement each other in national development.
ICK Administration
Institut Catholique de Kabgayi is led by a Senior Management team:
PhD in Philosophy, Université de Poitiers and Institut Catholique de Paris, France (2016)
Master's in Economics, Université Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne, France (2015)
Partnerships
ICK works with a range of national, regional and international partners to strengthen teaching, research and community service. Key partners and their areas of cooperation include:
CHE University (The Netherlands) - Erasmus+ Program; exchange of teaching and research expertise; student exchange program.
University of Social and Media Culture (Torun, Poland) - Erasmus+ Program; exchange of teaching and research expertise; student exchange program.
Fojo Media Institute, Linnaeus University (Sweden) - media professionalisation; mentoring and training; capacity building in journalism; teaching and learning facilities.
U.S. Embassy Kigali - technical support for the development of English language teaching.
Ministry of Health / USAID-Ireme - 4x4 Strategy; scholarships in Nursing and Midwifery.
Demonstration Schools - teaching and learning activities; training and school practice.
Hospitals and Health Centers - teaching and learning activities; clinical placement for interns in Nursing and Midwifery programmes.
Kepler College - joint multi-institutional tracer studies on the academic and employment outcomes of students and alumni.
ICK is also a member of associations bringing together higher learning institutions at national, regional and international levels:
National: Rwandan Organisation of Private Institutions of Higher Learning (ORIPES).
Regional: Inter-University Council of East Africa (IUCEA) and the Association of Catholic Universities and Higher Institutes of Africa and Madagascar (ACUHIAM).
International: International Federation of Catholic Universities (IFCU).
ICK Facts and Figures
A quick snapshot of ICK by the numbers:
Founded: 2002, starting with 311 students
Faculties: 5
Programmes offered: 21, spanning Bachelor's, Diploma and Postgraduate Diploma levels
At ICK's eighth graduation ceremony in December 2019, Chancellor Mgr Mbonyintege encouraged graduates not to be discouraged by the challenges they would face after graduation.
Guiding Documents
ICK's academic and administrative activities are governed by a number of official policies.
1. General Academic Regulations 2023
Approved by the ICK Academic Senate on 25 October 2023. Covers 18 chapters governing student categories, admission, registration, transfers, suspension, programmes of study, industrial attachment, memoirs, assessment, examinations, academic integrity, deliberation boards, progression and awards.
