Overview
Rwanda
Rwanda is a small, landlocked country of about 14.6 million people in east-central Africa. Covering roughly 26,300 km², it borders Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Despite its small size, Rwanda is one of the most densely populated countries in Africa. Known as the “land of a thousand hills,” it is largely mountainous, with the Virunga volcanoes in the northwest and Lake Kivu along much of its western border. The Virunga region is also home to endangered mountain gorillas, protected in Volcanoes National Park. Kigali is the capital. Formerly a Belgian colony, Rwanda gained independence in 1962. In 1994, between 500,000 and 1,000,000 people, mostly Tutsi, were killed in the genocide against the Tutsi. The country is now a presidential republic and has one of the highest proportions of women in parliament worldwide. Kinyarwanda, English, French, and Swahili are the official languages, and Christianity is the predominant religion.
Rwanda is a low-income country with a rapidly growing economy driven largely by services. Tourism is an important source of foreign exchange, particularly through wildlife tourism centred on mountain gorillas. Other major exports include coffee, tea, and minerals, while agriculture employs about 35% of the workforce. In 2025, GDP per capita was approximately US$1,124, and real GDP grew by 9.4%.
Source: World Bank. (2026). World Development Indicators, from https://data.worldbank.org/country/rwanda
Institutions
Institutions with at least one Faculty Member Registered with Ivey Publishing
- Adventist University of Central Africa
- African Leadership University
- Kabgayi Catholic University
- Kigali Health Institute
- Kigali Independent University
- Kigali Institute of Education
- Kigali Institute of Science and Technology
- National University of Rwanda
- Rwanda Tourism University College
- School of Finance and Banking
- University of Kigali
- University of Tourism, Technology and Business Studies
Source: Ivey Publishing. 39C Accounts by Country. Provided by Adrianna Gleam-Fossaceca, Ivey Publishing, August 11, 2026.
Cases
Ivey-Copyrighted Cases in or involving Rwanda
Ivey Publishing and the 39 Country Initiative welcome additional case submissions that deepen understanding of Rwanda’s businesses, institutions, industries, and broader economic and social context.
| Case | Authors | Published / Revised | Product Number | Pages |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zipline Drones: Diffusion of AI-Based Innovations in Health Care Systems | Mahdi Tajeddin, Hadi Eslami, Yasser Rahrovani | Oct 20, 2025 | W46631 | 11 |
| Where Have You Been? An Exercise to Assess Your Exposure to the Rest of the World’s Peoples | Paul W. Beamish | Nov 27, 2025 | W48085 | 11 |
| African Entrepreneurship: Weighing Adventure Travel Business Opportunities | Shreshthi Mehta, Marilyn Anthony | Jul 7, 2023 | W31908_P | 14 |
| Wilderness Safaris: Leveraging Technology for Impact | Ning Su, Megan Singh | May 31, 2022 | W28393 11 | 11 |
| SafeMotos: Scaling up Innovations in African Ride Hailing | Darren Meister, Ramasastry Chandrasekhar | Oct 28, 2020 | 9B20M182_P | 11 |
| Sawdust, Co. | Nicole R.D. Haggerty, Murty S. Kopparthi, Chris Janssen, Salima Ladhani, Jamie McKeown | Jun 5, 2015; revised Jul 30, 2018 | 9B15M034_P | 8 |
| A Public Relations Campaign for Rwanda | Mary Weil, Ken Mark | Jul 23, 2014 | 9B14A035 | 17 |
| Rwanda Backpackers | Nicole R.D. Haggerty, Dan Hernden, Annika Wang | Jan 23, 2014; revised Jul 27, 2018 | 9B13A046 | 8 |
| Rwanda & David Cechetto | Frederick Keenan | Sep 28, 2007 | 9B07M063 | 9 |
| City Water Tanzania (A): Water Partnerships for Dar es Salaam | Oana Branzei, Kevin McKague | Jun 15, 2007 | 9B07M025 | 17 |
| City Water Tanzania (B): Privatizing Dar es Salaam’s Water Utility | Oana Branzei, Kevin McKague | Jun 15, 2007 | 9B07M026 | 6 |
| City Water Tanzania (C): The Private Sector Experiment | Oana Branzei, Kevin McKague | Jun 15, 2007 | 9B07M027A | 3 |
| City Water Tanzania (C): Striking a Deal | Oana Branzei, Kevin McKague | Jun 15, 2007 | 9B07M027B | 4 |
| City Water Tanzania (D): Things Fall Apart | Oana Branzei, Kevin McKague | Jun 15, 2007 | 9B07M028 | 6 |
Source: Ivey Publishing. Retrieved October 23, 2026, from https://www.iveypublishing.ca/s/
Workshops
Workshops Provided to Institutions in Rwanda
The 39 Country Initiative’s most substantial outreach to date has centered on faculty development through in-person case-teaching workshops. The first workshop series in Rwanda took place in Kigali on March 24–27, 2026. Iris Berdrow, Professor of Management and MBA Program Director at Bentley University in the United States, led case-teaching workshops at five institutions:
− Adventist University of Central Africa
− University of Kigali
− University of Tourism, Technology and Business Studies
− Kigali Independent University
− African Leadership University.
Photos from the workshop series can be found at https://www.ivey.uwo.ca/39country/news/2026/03/rwanda-workshop-on-ivey-cases-and-the-39-country-initiative/.
Following the workshop at the University of Kigali, Ogechi Adeola, Professor of Marketing and Deputy Vice-Chancellor, said academic staff had benefited greatly from guidance on using the case method in teaching, learning, and classroom engagement. Opportunities remain to extend this engagement and reach a wider number of institutions in Rwanda.