Rectors and directors of higher learning institutions in the Maniema province have issued a strong call for the comprehensive operationalisation of the Licence-Master-Doctorat (LMD) system across all universities in the region, following a high-level conference held on Monday, June 23.
The gathering, which brought together leaders from the province’s public and private institutions under the banner of the Ministry of Higher Education and University (ESU), aimed to address long-standing structural and academic challenges within the Congolese tertiary education framework.
One of the conference’s central outcomes was the collective recommendation to activate and strengthen LMD cells—specialised administrative and academic bodies designed to guide the implementation of the LMD reform.
According to the participants, the effective rollout of LMD cells is essential to harmonising academic programs with regional and international standards, ensuring consistency in curricula, and fostering quality assurance across institutions.
“This recommendation is vital for the advancement of higher education in Maniema.
We must ensure that all institutions, regardless of their size or status, are aligned with the LMD structure,” a statement from the conference noted.
The LMD reform, which follows a three-tier academic system (Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctorate), was officially introduced in the DRC to align the country’s higher education system with the Bologna Process and improve student mobility and degree recognition across Africa and beyond.
The Maniema conference also addressed broader concerns affecting universities, including funding shortages, the need for faculty development, and demands for greater institutional autonomy.
As the province moves to implement these resolutions, observers view the recommendations as a pivotal moment in the drive to modernise higher education and equip students with the skills needed for a rapidly changing world.
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