Problem. The Republic of Rwanda granted the request of the Seventh-day Adventist Church to establish and operate a private university. Rwanda agreed to provide land and recognize degrees and diplomas. The church agreed to have its programs approved by the Ministry of Higher Education. This study was to identify and determine the potential goals of higher education in Rwanda that could serve as guidelines for the Adventist University of Central Africa.
Method. The population included all twenty-eight academic senate members, 110 faculty members, and 285 randomly selected students enrolled at the National University of Rwanda (1981-82 school year).
The data-gathering instrument used was the French version of the Institutional Goals Inventory.
Two statistical methods were used: descriptive analysis, and analysis of significance using the t-test for correlated samples, one-way analysis of variance, and the Scheffe a-posteriori test.
Summary of Major Findings. The major findings were as follows: (1) All rating groups unanimously agreed that there was a discrepancy between "Is" and "Should Be" in each goal statement and goal area. (2) All unanimously agreed on the highest need priority-goal statement in the following areas: Individual Development, Humanism/Altruism (top-ranking priority), Vocational Preparation, Advanced Training, Research, Meeting Local Needs, Democratic Governance, and Innovation. (3) There was a significant difference between the means of "Is" and "Should Be" goals in each of the fourteen goal areas and among the perceptions of the senate, faculty, and students.
Conclusions. It would appear from the consensus of discrepancies between "Is" and "Should Be" goals that the institution was in need of improvement.
These should provide an agenda for study of goals and programs for the Adventist University of Central Africa.
Recommendations. It is suggested that the Adventist University of Central Africa consider the following recommendations: (1) Use this study as a framework for developing goals and curricula; (2) Determine the religious, intellectual, occupational, physical, and social goals consistent with the purposes of Adventist higher education; (3) Direct goals to meet the needs of the Adventist society in francophone Africa. . . . (Author's abstract exceeds stipulated maximum length. Discontinued here with permission of author.) UMI
