On February 20th, as a part of the World Bank RSIF implementation support mission, a team from the World Bank (WB) and Africa Regional Scholarship & Innovation Fund (RSIF) visited the African Center of Excellence in Internet of Things (ACEIoT) and held discussions on artificial intelligence and the progress of PhD students and projects funded by the RSIF at the University of Rwanda.

The discussions covered key issues related to advancing PhD training in AI and translating digital innovation technologies into practical applications. Through key note presentations and panel discussions, participants exchanged ideas on topics such as AI as an enabler of growth and socio-economic transformation in Africa, how to tailor doctoral training to build AI capacity in Africa, and how to scale innovative AI research outputs, among other topics.

Assoc. Prof. Ignace Gatare, Principal of the College of Science and Technology, which hosts the ACEIoT, delivered a key note presentation. In his presentation, he described AI as an enabler of worldwide growth. He provided an overview of AI applications, Africa’s AI’s readiness, and infrastructure or initiatives that have been put in place at the University of Rwanda to embrace AI. He presented different AI projects that are being conducted at the University of Rwanda and have potential contributions to socioeconomic transformation.

As part of its partnership with the University of Rwanda, the Africa Regional Scholarship & Innovation Fund for Applied Engineering & Technology has sponsored more than 20 students to pursue their PhD studies in the IoT: Embedded Computing Systems program, with four having already graduated and 3 new PhDs in process to join the University of Rwanda. The RSIF has also supported 7 grant projects, and 3 have been successfully completed.
In her remarks, the UR Vice Chancellor for Finance, Francoise Kayitare Tengera, emphasized that these scholarships provide a remarkable opportunity for the brightest minds to embark on a transformative journey in AI and IoT, fields that are shaping the future of industries, societies, and the way we live.
“By supporting talented scholars through this scholarship, RSIF is not only empowering individuals but also contributing to the development of knowledge and skills that will address the critical challenges faced by our country, the region, and the world at large,” she said.

She further highlighted that the collaboration between RSIF, the World Bank, and industry partners reflects a shared commitment to creating a thriving ecosystem for research and innovation. “We are confident that the selected scholars in this PhD program will play a key role in advancing AI technologies and contribute to solutions that are inclusive, sustainable, and impactful,” she added.

Dr. Julius Ecuru, RSIF Manager, appreciated the impact of these scholarships, highlighting that they are fostering innovation. He added that the focus of discussions should now shift to how to commercialize these innovations.
He noted that, in supporting PhD students, the hope is that the beneficiaries will become excellent researchers and drive innovation in their respective countries.
This mission also included the field visit of grant projects under the RSIF funding, where the principal investigators presented the project progress with prototypes and other project deliverables.

The overall WB and RSIF teams commanded the progress of RSIF students and projects at the university and promised more support to the University of Rwanda.
Participants to the event include representatives from PASET Executive Board, WB, RSIF, National Council of Science and Technology, CEO ICT Chamber, UR faculty, PhD supervisors, RSIF-funded project leaders, and PhD scholars.