The African Centre of Excellence in Internet of Things (ACEIoT) has initiated discussions with the private sector to build collaboration mechanisms to materialize students’ research findings.
In this line, on October 14, the Centre in partnership with the Rwanda ICT Chamber organized a meeting with different companies operating in the ICT and Internet of Things (IoT) field, including those in hardware manufacturers, engineering industries, education, industrial research, IoT professionals and software providers to discuss how to better collaborate to advance IoT field.
According to Ignace Gatare, Principal of UR-CST, the center put much effort in developing IoT and around 50 students from different African countries are undergoing studies and conducting research through the Masters and PhD programs the Center offers.
Tackling the power of collaboration, he said that researchers as well as lecturers of the Center will benefit the country more once they are linked with investors from the private sector.
Gatare also noted that the Center gears up to develop IoT by making research that solve different issues that Rwanda is facing, hence earning money through investment.

Pacifique Shema, Managing Director of SanTech is one of the students who graduated in UR and has come up with e-visitors, an IoT-related project that is on the market.
He said that the discussion between entrepreneurs in the private sector and the universities will help youth realize that they can come up with innovations, especially for industries, given that currently, what is being imported in the country is more than what is being exported.
“If the university and entrepreneurs with industries collaborate,” he continued.
“They will create more others who will develop industries and in 10 years, we will be able to manufacture many products in the country and keep gearing up towards sustainable development.”
Shema also added that if the industry, academia and the government partner, they will help students to graduate from the universities with amazing projects that provide locally-developed solutions and be able to secure funding.