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Crossing continents: Connecting Rwanda's education system and business development to the Limburg region

05-06-2019

On 28 and 29 May 2019 MSM was pleased to receive the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) in the person of Ms. Elodie Rusera, Chief Skills Officer and Peter Malinga, Director of Capacity Development.

The Rwanda Development Board is accountable for the definition and implementation of the economic transformation, including the development of the labor market and the knowledge sector. Aim of the visit was to introduce the Brightlands campuses set-up and show how education, business and government effectively work together in Triple Helix campus constructs that ultimately result in private sector and social development.

We have been able to work together with the Province of Limburg, the University of Maastricht and the respective Campus Directors, making this visit very effective in introducing this concept, reviewing applicability in the Rwandan setting and equally putting the Limburg region on the African map. During the visit, diverse spontaneous linkages between the RDB and corporate startups under the Brightlands venturing programs and its education initiatives were already brought forward, especially for the development of the Agricultural and ICT sector in Rwanda. The Limburg participants realized the potential of prospective investment in emerging economies like Rwanda. The Rwanda Development Board was impressed with the high-energy level of the Limburg province and how it managed, in an organic manner, to establish the four industrial focus clusters in place in each of the four Brightlands locations. Insight in the process was gained in how to manage the creation of an open innovation climate, where connectivity and sharing innovative knowledge pays off in innovation and business development under a triple helix setting.

We like to thank everyone that made this visit a success!

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