Acting Dean—Faculty of Medicine

Prof. Dr. Rahmat Dapari was appointed as the Acting Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Gitwe in June 2025. In this strategic leadership role, he is spearheading the reengineering and relaunch of the proposed Faculty of Medicine, aiming to align it with national priorities and global standards in medical education.

A distinguished academic and Public Health Medicine Specialist, Prof. Dr. Dapari serves at the Department of Community Health. He brings a wealth of expertise in public health systems, medical education, and community-based health interventions.

He earned his Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree from Universiti Putra Malaysia in 2007. Driven by a passion for advancing population health, he pursued postgraduate training in public health at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), where he obtained a Master of Public Health (MPH) in 2013. He continued his academic journey at UKM and was conferred the Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) degree in 2017. His outstanding academic performance was recognized with the prestigious Hidayasu Oyama Award, honoring him as the best DrPH graduate of his cohort.

Prof. Dr. Dapari is committed to strengthening medical education in Rwanda through innovation, evidence-based policy, and community engagement. His appointment marks a significant step toward the University of Gitwe’s vision of developing a robust and socially responsive Faculty of Medicine.