Government plans major reforms to university degrees

The Ministry of Higher and University Education in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is working hard on reforms to the structure of degrees, under which universities will offer programmes based on the French system. This week the head of the Francophone University Agency (AUF) visited the DRC, where it is “significantly increasing its presence”.

Many Francophone countries have introduced the French-style system, known as licence-master-doctorate (LMD), in the past decade. Among the aims have been to harmonise African higher education internationally and continentally, and shorten sometimes lengthy degree structures.

The reforms will start with new students in a pilot phase this year, and will be rolled out in other classes if all goes well, according to officials. Among other things, it will enable students to continue studying in the same university until they get a PhD in a significantly shorter period than currently.

Muhindo Nzangi Butondo, the minister for higher and university education, said the move would standardise higher education and help it conform to the international level.

He said that institutions from government and academia had been working together to ensure all requirements were in place to launch the system.

“This academic year, we are focusing on starting classes as a pilot phase before we can scale it up,” said Butondo, describing the reforms as a very important move towards higher education standardisation.

The government hoped that the LMD system would be applied at all higher education institutions, he added, as the model had been evaluated by the council of ministers, and had been developed and agreed upon.

The LMD system

LMD is the three-level organisation of post-secondary education that is shared by most countries in the European Union. The system standardises the higher education levels and facilitates recognition of degrees in the different countries.

In February this year, DRC President Félix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo asked the council of ministers to gather stakeholders together to discuss ways to establish much-needed reforms.

He asked that they look into essential prerequisites before the launch of the LMD system, such as the country’s regulatory framework, human resource capacity and infrastructure status, among other aspects.

According to Patrick Muyaya, the Congolese government spokesman, the establishment of LMD across all higher education institutions will require vigilance regarding meeting certain essential prerequisites.

“There is a need for strengthening the capacities of human resources and infrastructure in order to guarantee the expected efficiency of both teaching and administrative staff and students, the main beneficiaries of this reform,” he explained.

The French connection

Recently the Francophone University Agency (AUF) announced that its rector, Professor Slim Khalbous, was visiting the DRC from 24 to 30 April for high-level meetings, including with the prime minister and higher education minister and numerous institutions.

Established six decades ago, the AUF brings together 1,007 universities, grandes écoles, university networks and research centres using the French language in 119 countries. It is one of the world’s largest higher education and research associations.

The meetings would enable Khalbous to continue advocacy around a “prosperous scientific diplomacy and for the benefit of the professional integration of the country’s youth”.

The AUF said that with the recent opening of a national office and two employability centres in the capital Kinshasa and Lubumbashi in the east, the AUF was “strengthening its presence in the DRC where it is involved in nearly 14 projects”. It said 35 universities, higher education establishments and research centres were AUF members.

During this first visit to the DRC, the AUF would strive to strengthen cooperation with the country, “a major player in the scientific Francophonie in the Central Africa and Great Lakes region”. Khalbous would receive an honorary doctorate from the University of Lumbumbashi, located in the conflict-ridden eastern DRC, and would attend an international symposium there on violence, identity and nation building.

Students speak out

Students have welcomed the move to introduce the LMD system, pointing out that it had already been applied in other countries and would benefit students if well planned.

“Many African countries have already implemented the LMD system and everything is going well there. I don't see why DR Congo [should] hesitate to start it as well,” said Georges Bihamba, a second-year student in communication of organisations at the University of Goma in eastern DRC.

Bihamba believes, however, that there are certain basics to be fulfilled before the system is implemented countrywide. “I think the system should be rolled out gradually, starting from the universities that demonstrate readiness.

“It should not be generalised but rather conditions such as good infrastructure, laboratories, modern libraries, internet connection, reliable electricity and competent staff should be set up and monitored before allowing the university to start the system,” he added.

Marie Lusambo, a second-year student in accounting at the Institut Supérieur de Commerce de Goma, believes the country is not ready for the reform. Almost all buildings of public universities are old and no institutions have basic equipment.

“Reforms can start this year and the system will be implemented gradually and conditions to meet should be set, but starting directly with the LMD system this year is not practical,” she argued.

Officials have underscored that the LMD system will benefit students and lead to the internationalisation of higher education in the DRC.