Students’ views on the implementation of the Bachelor’s-Master’s-Doctorate system at the Higher Institute of Medical Techniques in Mbandaka, City of Mbandaka, in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Abstract

This research explores the transition to the Bachelor’s-Master’s-Doctorate (LMD) model at ISTM-Mbandaka, a reform initially aimed at international standardisation and the professional integration of graduates.

The central objective is to assess students’ perceptions in order to identify the barriers to the social acceptability of this structural change.

Using a qualitative phenomenological methodology, the study involved semi-structured interviews with 22 students, supplemented by a literature review.

The results reveal a predominantly administrative adoption: whilst management by semesters and credits has been established, the Competence-Based Approach (CBA) remains poorly implemented. Students’ experiences are marked by academic stress linked to the concentration of exams, as well as by a major digital divide that hinders their ability to access resources independently.

The discussion highlights a ‘superficial shift to semesters’, where the change in the academic calendar has not yet brought about the expected pedagogical transformation of the learner’s role.

In conclusion, the success of this reform at ISTM-Mbandaka requires moving beyond the regulatory framework through concrete investment in digital infrastructure, the harmonisation of academic supervision through the ‘ ’ initiative, and the introduction of postgraduate programmes to meet students’ growing desire for specialisation.

Keywords: Opinion, Student, Implementation, LMD system.

Received Date: February 22, 2026

Accepted Date: March 14, 2026

Published Date: April 02, 2026

Available Online at: https://www.ijsrisjournal.com/index.php/ojsfiles/article/view/676