Carnegie Mellon University-Rwanda (CMU-R) on Friday officially launched graduate degree programmes, with an initial class of 2012 composed of 26 students with a target of enrolling 46. This development comes almost a year after the University set up shop in Rwanda.

Carnegie Mellon is a world class institution of higher learning based in the United States. It is a respected academic and research institution. It has demonstrated leadership in terms of innovation and seeking new frontiers for advancing the cause of quality education globally.

The graduate programmes launched include Master of Science in Information Technology and Master of (MSIT) and the Master of Science in Electrical and Computer Engineering (MSECE) but the latter programme will begin two years after MSIT's commencement.

The focus on Science and Technology implies that the University appreciates the needs and vision of the county in its development. Quality university education that is world class and relevant to local needs and vision, is a vital ingredient in any country's national development processes.

More so, Rwandans have been given an opportunity to pursue a high quality education without the necessity to travel abroad.

Importantly, the aspirations of Carnegie Mellon University-Rwanda should inspire other institutions of higher learning to aim higher and position themselves as top institutions, regionally as well as internationally.