The East African
Monday March 15 2021
Billy Byiringiro, a winner of the 2021 Rhodes scholarship. He will study MSc in Computer Science at University of Oxford and a DPhil (PhD) in Autonomous Intelligent Machines and Systems. PHOTO | CYRIL NDEGEYA | THE EASTAFRICAN
Summary
Billy Byiringiro beat off competition from other applicants from the five East African countries to win the oldest graduate scholarship in the world established in 1903 to study at the University of Oxford.
In a few months he turns 23, and will graduate with a first class degree in Artificial Intelligence and Computer Science from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland, where he studied on another scholarship.
First Rhodes Scholar to focus on artificial intelligence
The first Rwandan to be awarded a Rhodes Scholarship for study at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom aspires to harness artificial intelligence (AI) in areas such as education, economics, business and medicine and contribute to improving the lives of people on the African continent.
Billy Byiringiro, 23, was one of 2,300 applicants from the East African countries of Burundi, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda who competed for the prestigious scholarship, first awarded in 1902. He was chosen after a rigorous selection process which, because of COVID-19, was done virtually for the first time in the history of the scholarship, according to a statement from the Rhodes Trust.
byJean de la Croix Tabaro December 17, 2020 at 1:08 am
Billy Byiringiro
The Rhodes Scholar from East Africa for 2021 will be Billy Byiringiro of Rwanda, a communique from Rhodes Trust reads.
Rhodes Scholarship is an international postgraduate award for students to study at the University of Oxford Established in 1903, it is the oldest graduate scholarship in the world. It is the most prestigious international scholarship program in the world.
Beyiringiro, the scholar from Rwanda, this year broke the record becoming the only candidate from East Afircan memember countries Burundi, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda.
At the same time, he is the very first Rwandan to get this prestigious scholarship since it was estanlished in 1903.