Friday, November 7, 2025, Year 2 and Year 3 students from the Faculty of Journalism and Communication Studies at the Institut Catholique de Kabgayi (ICK) embarked on an educational field trip to two of Rwanda’s leading media houses, the Rwanda Broadcasting Agency (RBA) and The New Times, to gain firsthand experience of professional journalism in practice.
The group departed from the Muhanga campus early in the morning and arrived in Kigali at around 8:30 a.m. Their first stop was the RBA headquarters in Kacyiru, where they were welcomed and guided through various departments, including the newsrooms, radio and television studios, and production units.
During the visit, the Chief Editor of RBA, Nzabandora Leon walked the students through the process of news production, from gathering stories in the field to editing and broadcasting. He emphasized the increasing importance of digital skills in modern journalism, encouraging students to master video editing, motion graphics, and other multimedia tools to remain competitive in today’s digital landscape.
Adding to this message, Fidèle Irizabimbuto, a sign language interpreter at RBA, urged the students to keep learning and adapt to technological changes shaping the future of media.
After the RBA tour, the students proceeded to The New Times, Rwanda’s leading English-language daily newspaper. There, they toured the newsroom and interacted with journalists and editors engaged in daily story production.
Moise Bahati, one of news editors at The New Times, advised the students to focus on digital reporting and audience engagement.
“The media landscape today is dominated by digital platforms. To remain relevant, you must invest in digital storytelling and adapt to the needs of diverse audiences,” he told them.
Students expressed enthusiasm and appreciation for the learning opportunity.
Arlene Umubyeyi, a Year 2 journalism student, shared her excitement: “I always dreamed of visiting RBA, and I’m truly grateful to ICK for making it happen. This trip gave me a clearer understanding of how professional journalists work.”
Similarly, Jean d’Amour Ishimwe, a Year 3 student, described the trip as highly valuable and called for more similar initiatives.
“It was a rewarding experience. I hope the Faculty can organize more visits to other media houses and provide more tools for hands-on training, as the current equipment is limited,” he said.
This visit is part of ICK’s long-standing tradition of exposing journalism students to real-world media environments. In addition to such field trips, students from the Faculty of Journalism and Communication complete internships at various media organizations across Rwanda each year- a hands-on experience that has helped shape many of the professionals currently working in the country’s leading news outlets.
Umwanditsi: Rwema Roger
