Burundi: Vice Rector

Opportunities

A vice rector is needed to assist the dean of Light University in the capital city of Bujumbura, Burundi. The vice rector will assist with the school’s teaching schedule in addition to contacting potential faculty members in Burundi and abroad.

Qualifications

Applicants must be committed to the Christian faith, have a master’s degree, and have expertise and experience in the area of administration.

Language Requirements

Although it is not required, a knowledge of French will be helpful on the field. Kirundi and Swahili are also spoken in Burundi.

Length of Service

• Mid-term: four weeks to one year

• Long-term: two or more years. A vice rector is needed on a long-term basis, but a mid-term vice rector will be accepted as well. For mid-term volunteers, Light University will arrange for housing, transportation, and meals.

Ministry Description

Light University opened in September 2000 and has grown to become Burundi’s second-largest university. More than 5,000 students attend the school’s three campuses, all of which are located in Bujumbura. Classes are taught in both English and French, and there are more than 120 staff members at the school. The university has schools of engineering, communications, law, computer science, clinical psychology, economics, international relations, political science, and health (which includes nursing and public health). Master’s programs are also offered in business administration, leadership, business law, development, gender and institutions, and public health.

Quick Facts

• Approximately 68 percent of Burundi’s  population lives in poverty.

• Burundi is called the “Little Switzerland of  Africa” because of its beautiful mountains. The economy is predominantly agricultural  with more than 90 percent of the population dependent on subsistence farming. Main agricultural products  include coffee, cotton, tea, corn, sorghum, bananas, sweet potatoes, manioc (tapioca), beef, milk, and hides.  Coffee and tea account for 90 percent of Burundi’s export earnings.

• Burundi’s literacy rate is 67.2 percent for those 15 years of age and older. The low rate is based on low school attendance as only one in two children attends school. Because of the low literacy rate, oral tradition is strong in Burundi as history and life lessons are told through storytelling, poetry, and song.