Co-organized by Hills Connect and the Higher Education Pedagogies for Teacher Education (HEP-TED) project, the forum marked a new chapter in an evolving partnership rooted in long-term collaboration, shared goals, and local ownership.
The event welcomed 60 representatives from 11 Nordic universities and 22 companies. But beyond the numbers, the forum was a testament to how sustained partnerships in education can foster trust, innovation, and mutual benefit.
One full day of the forum focused on education and research, highlighting ways Rwandan and Nordic institutions can work together to improve the quality of higher education while responding to rapidly changing societal needs. Topics ranged from digital innovation to capacity building and collaborative teaching methods.
Speakers from both regions—including Dr. Edward Kadozi (Rwanda Higher Education Council), Annika Sundbäck-Lindroos (Finnish National Agency for Education), and Dr. Sylvie Mucyo (Rwanda Polytechnic)—underscored how cross-sectoral partnerships can help institutions navigate reforms and bridge gaps between policy and practice. Minister of Education Hon. Joseph Nsengimana was also present, and commended the partnership as a good model and also rejoiced over the high interest the forum drew.
A central feature of the day was the HEP-TED project presentation, led by Prof. Sai Väyrynen, Dr. Parfait Yongabo, Dr. Sami Suhonen, and Dr. Jussi Savolainen. The team shared how HEP-TED’s success is grounded in co-design, contextual sensitivity, and a deeply collaborative process. “It’s not just about sharing knowledge,” Prof. Väyrynen said, “but about creating it together.”
Behind the scenes of HEP-TED is a lesser-known but crucial story: its foundation was laid before the project even began, thanks to the work of Hills Connect—a Finnish-based startup founded by members of the Rwandan diaspora. A comprehensive needs assessment conducted by Hills Connect helped shape the direction and focus of HEP-TED, ensuring the project would be locally grounded from day one.
This early involvement has had lasting impact. During the project's first monitoring phase, the Finnish National Agency for Education (EDUFI) highlighted the partnership's strong local ownership and continuity as key to its success.
Seth Ndayishimye of Hills Connect reflected on the journey: “Building this partnership took time, but that time built trust—and now we’re seeing real results.” Those results include possible spinoff projects like the recently applied Erasmus+ mobility programs, joint research initiatives, and ideas of new models for industry–university collaboration. "Many other layers can be built on this solid foundation both on the width and higher levels, and including solutions to practical societal challenges", Ndayishimye notes.
Forum participants took a special interest in the Nordic model of ecosystem thinking, where academia, industry, and civil society work closely to co-create solutions. “It was inspiring to see how this model resonated,” Ndayishimye added. “We're proud to serve as a bridge—bringing people together, identifying synergies, and helping create something lasting.”
What began as a collaboration between a small diaspora-led organization and a higher education project has matured into a model of long-term, cross-continental partnership. With more joint ventures underway, Hills Connect and HEP-TED demonstrate how inclusive, trust-based collaboration can deliver real change in higher education—not just in Rwanda, but across borders.