SILAS LWAKABAMBA

Rector, Kigali Institute of Science and Technology, Rwanda

Professor Silas Lwakabamba is currently Rector of the Kigali Institute of Science, Technology and Management (KIST), Kigali - Rwanda. He received his BSc and PhD in Mechanical Engineering in 1971 and 1975 respectively from the University of Leeds, England. He subsequently worked as Head of Department of Mechanical Engineering, Associate Dean and Dean of the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Dar-es-Salaam for 10 years. He progressed rapidly through the ranks to attain professorship in 1981.

In 1985, Prof. Silas Lwakabamba joined the UN- Sponsored African Regional Centre for Engineering Design and Manufacturing (ARCEDEM), based in Nigeria, as a founding Director of Training and Extension Services. For 12 years, he was responsible for organizing many workshops and training programmes for the benefit of the whole region. It is from this post that Prof. Silas Lwakabamba was called in 1997 by the Government of Rwanda to establish the Kigali Institute of Science Technology and Management. He holds the position of the Rector of KIST since October 1997 to date.

Since 1975, Prof. Silas Lwakabamba has been a member of several boards and committees at the National, sub-regional and international levels. These include the membership to the Executive Board of UNESCO, African Virtual University (AVU) Board of Directors, Governing Council for Africa of the International Association of University Presidents (IAUP), Chairperson of the Board of Director of the Rwandan Parastatal telephone company (RWANDATEL), President of the Institution of Engineers of Rwanda, Member of the International Institute for Information Technology (INIIT), Deputy Chairman of Academic Advisory Committee (AAC) of the UNESCO International Centre for Engineering Education etc. And in Nov. 2001, he was elected Fellow of the World Innovation Foundation based in United Kingdom.

Email: lwakabamba@avu.org. or rector@kist.ac.rw