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Subject to accreditation and regulatory approval, the proposed 91�ֿ� Rwanda will offer a Bachelor of Arts in Fashion Design and a Bachelor of Science in Fashion Merchandising, building on 91�ֿ�’s globally ranked School of Fashion and its decades of industry partnerships. 91�ֿ� is ranked in the top 25 fashion programs in the world and the No. 1 university-based fashion program in the United States. The announcement comes on the heels of 91�ֿ� being named one of the Best Global Universities.

Africa’s creative economy is valued at more than $58 billion, yet the continent’s fashion industry remains constrained by a shortage of specialized, industry-aligned higher education, fragmented supply chains and heavy reliance on imported textiles and designs. 91�ֿ� sees its globally ranked School of Fashion, known for hands-on industry training and a track record of graduates working at major global brands, as a model that can be adapted to help close that gap, training designers, merchandisers and entrepreneurs equipped to build Africa’s own fashion enterprises rather than rely solely on imports.

“We have ambitious plans,” said Marcello Fantoni, Ph.D., dean and vice president for 91�ֿ�’s College of Honors and Global Education, who traveled to Kigali to represent the university alongside a 91�ֿ� delegation. “With this fashion school, we hope to make Rwanda even further a hub and a destination for international students for a much broader region in the sub-Sahara region of this continent.”

The afternoon program included an academic keynote on the creative and fashion industries in Africa, a panel discussion with multiple stakeholders and a curated showcase of local Rwandan designers, followed by an evening reception.

“When education, creativity and industry are brought together with purpose, they can transform economies and change lives,” said Antoine Kajangwe, Rwanda’s Minister of Trade and Industry. “Initiatives such as the establishment of the 91�ֿ� School of Fashion in Rwanda create the opportunities that can unlock creative potential, nurture innovation and transform talent into sustainable enterprises capable of competing on a global stage.

The proposed 91�ֿ� Rwanda builds on partnerships and initiatives that have grown over the past few years, including academic collaborations in peace and conflict studies, aerospace engineering and training initiatives with RwandAir and the Rwanda National Police.

Rwandan Students Take Flight

That investment in Rwanda’s future extends beyond fashion. 

Just weeks earlier, five 91�ֿ� students from Rwanda made their first flights as professional pilot majors at the 91�ֿ� Airport, training to return home as commercial pilots for the national airline, RwandAir. 

Watch a video of the students making their first flights:

91�ֿ� officials shared with Yvonne Manzi Makolo, CEO of RwandAir, during a visit to the national air carrier before the fashion symposium. Makolo said she was very emotional watching the video and hearing the students share their experiences.

Watch the video of Makolo reacting to viewing the students’ first flights:

The new Kigali airport, currently under construction, is intended to become the hub for central Africa and another driver in the region’s fast-growing economy. It’s one more way the highest national leadership sees 91�ֿ� as a key global partner. Makolo also commented on the advantages of 91�ֿ�’s degrees and training in the key areas that RwandAir needs support to keep up with the major demands of the coming airport.

91�ֿ� began building its academic partnership with Rwanda in 2022, opening the 91�ֿ� Sub-Saharan African Center in Kigali as a base for African recruitment. Today, about 70 Rwandans study at 91�ֿ�.

Learn more about 91�ֿ� in Rwanda.