Seinäjoki, Finland – October 9, 2025 — The first day of a three-day working visit to Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences (SeAMK) brought together a high-level Rwandan delegation led by Hon. Claudette Irere, Minister of State for Education, for discussions aimed at strengthening collaboration between academia and industry.
The delegation included representatives from the University of Rwanda, Rwanda Polytechnic, INES-Ruhengeri, Inyange Industries, and Hills Connect, a Rwandan diaspora-founded company in Finland that bridges businesses and institutions with Rwanda.
The day began with a warm welcome and an introduction to the Seinäjoki region by Mr. Jaakko Kiiskilä, Mayor of Seinäjoki. The delegation then held strategic discussions with SeAMK’s leadership team, led by Dr. Jaakko Hallila, President of the University, and Dr. Anne-Maria Aho, Dean of the Faculty.
The talks focused on how Rwanda can draw lessons from Seinäjoki’s successful model of linking academia with the private sector — a system that has spurred innovation, driven practical research, and strengthened local economic growth. The discussions also highlighted how similar approaches could align with Rwanda’s National Strategy for Transformation (NST2) goals, particularly in promoting innovation-driven education and skills development.
In the afternoon, the delegation met with Into Seinäjoki, the region’s business development agency, and the Seinäjoki Chamber of Commerce to explore partnership opportunities between Rwandan and Finnish businesses.
As part of the engagements, the Rwandan Embassy extended an invitation to the Seinäjoki business community to participate in the upcoming Nordic-Baltic Forum in Rwanda, scheduled for March 2026, as a platform to deepen cooperation in education, innovation, and trade.
The visit continues with further institutional exchanges and site visits aimed at identifying practical areas of collaboration to enhance Rwanda’s innovation ecosystem and strengthen ties between Rwandan and Finnish institutions.
