UNIKIN Examination Regulations

UNIKIN Examination Regulations

CHAPTER VI. EXAMINATION REGULATIONS

1. INTRODUCTION

               Assessing learners' learning is one of the most critical and crucial steps in the educational process. It requires the collaboration of all stakeholders and must be objective and transparent.

               Given the importance of this stage in the training of students, the Ministry of Higher and University Education has, since 1976, adopted a series of regulatory texts with a view to better management of evaluations in all of our Universities and Higher Institutes.

               Some are outdated. Others are no longer fully adapted to the current situation. Therefore, they needed to be harmonized, updated for greater efficiency, and consolidated into a single instruction.

               Consequently, these Academic Instructions repeal and replace all previous provisions.

1. OF THE TEST

Article 1^er : For each year of study, students take a test covering all the subjects included in the year's program.

Article 2: No student may be admitted to an examination unless he or she has regularly attended the relevant course. Objections to registration based on this ground shall be decided by the jury and notified to the Rector or Director General and to the person concerned at least fifteen days before the date set for the opening of registration for the examinations. Registration shall be made at the Faculties or Sections under the supervision of the Academic Secretary General. The Faculties or Sections shall forward the lists of registered candidates to the Academic Secretary General.

Article 3: The one-year study test includes:

• The tests organized during the year;
• Practical work,
• Exams on all subjects taught,
• Internship and professional practice when they are included in the year's program,
• The End of Cycle Project for final year undergraduate students or the dissertation for those in the second cycle.

Article 4: The result of the test is determined by taking into account the numerical assessments obtained in each of the parts that constitute it.

Article 5: In accordance with the provisions of Article 3 above, in Universities, the results obtained in tests, practical work, professional practice, internship, final project or dissertation account for at least 30% and at most 50% in the overall result. In Higher Technical and Pedagogical Institutes, the internship, final project and dissertation account for 60% of the total test result. These proportions are set by decision of the Institution's Management Committee before each examination session, on the proposal of the Faculty or Section Council and according to the learning objectives. For courses, the weighting attached to each branch is based on the hourly credit of each course and related practical work. (hourly volume divided by 15 hours). It is applicable in all Faculties/Sections and years of study.

Article 6: Two examination sessions are organized, one beginning at the earliest eight days after the end of classes, the other during the month preceding the start of the academic year.

It is at the end of each of these two sessions that deliberations are held to establish whether the student has succeeded or not.

Where possible, the exam schedule is established by mutual agreement with students. At the end of the first semester, exams are held for the subjects for which the teaching (lectures and practical work) is fully completed. To achieve this, classes are suspended for two weeks: the first week will allow students to prepare for the exams, and the second to take them.

When a course is taught by a visiting professor, the examination may be held immediately after the end of the course. The same applies to courses taught by permanent teachers whose teaching ends after the half-yearly examinations.

Article 7: First-year undergraduate students take a five-subject assessment exam after the first semester.

                    When it is a subject whose teaching is fully completed, and if the student has passed it, this examination is taken into account during the deliberation of the first session. If the student has not passed, the examination must be considered as a control examination and he can retake it in the first session.

                   If the subject has not been fully taught, the exam is also considered a follow-up exam. The student must take it again in the first session or at the final exam that may be organized before the first session.

Article 8: Every student has the right to take the exams twice during the academic year, subject to the provisions of Article 7, but the second time must take place during the second examination session.

Therefore, if he fails the exam during the year, he can only retake it in the second session.

No one may present more than four sessions for the same test.

Article 9: Students are given at least two exams per subject during the year. The format of the exams (oral or written) is determined by the internal regulations of the Faculty or Session.

Article 10: Practical work relating to a specific subject and professional practice are subject to a numerical assessment at the end of each term.

Article 11: The candidate in the final year of the cycle may be authorized by the jury, for a reason deemed valid, to present the exams and the dissertation or final project separately, the former being to be completed before the end of the examination sessions, the latter at the latest at the end of the following academic year. In this case, the student is deliberated separately on all the courses and the internship and will obtain as a mention either "adjourned", or "assimilated to adjourned" or "admitted to the dissertation/final project". A student who has not passed, due to a failure for the dissertation/final project and/or for the internship may be authorized to retake the part(s) concerned of the test during the following academic year.

                   In this case, it will be declared either adjourned for the dissertation/end-of-cycle project”, or adjourned for the internship”, or “adjourned for the dissertation/end-of-cycle project and the internship”.

                   A student who does not present the part of the test concerned before the end of the following academic year loses the benefit of the entire session and repeats the year.

                   The result obtained by the student in a subject, during an internship or in professional practice is expressed in the form of a numerical grade on a scale of 0 to 20.

                   The assessment can also be qualitative. The following correspondence is established between the qualitative assessment and the numerical assessment:

                       18 and over . : Brilliant

                       From 16 to 17.5: excellent

                       From 14 to 15.5: very good

                       From 12 to 13.5: good

                       From 10 to 11.5: quite good

                      10: passable

                      From 8.5 to 9.5: insufficient

                      From 7 to 8: mediocre

                      From 5 to 6.5: bad

                      From 1 to 4.5: completely bad

                      From 0 to 0.9: zero

2. ON THE COMPOSITION OF THE JURY

Article 12: Each jury consists of at least five members.

Article 13: Members of the jury are those who actually taught one of the subjects included in the exam program and those who were associated with this teaching to the extent that they personally awarded a mark taken into consideration for the deliberation.

Article 14: The jury is placed under the direction of an Office composed of the president, the secretary and a designated member.

                   For an audience of more than 100 students, several jury secretaries may be appointed, each of whom, under the supervision of the same jury president, is responsible for a group of students. No jury president may preside over more than one jury at a time, regardless of the number of students in a given year of study.

Article 15: The Jury Office is responsible for preparing the organization of examinations and deliberation sessions, ensuring their conduct and handling all special cases requiring a rapid solution within a period not exceeding 48 hours.

Article 16: The Rector or the Director General appoints the members of the Jury Office on the proposal of the Faculty/Section Council concerned.

Article 17: The Jury Office is appointed at the beginning of the second term of each academic year.

Article 18: The appointed Bureau exercises its mandate until the closing of the second session, that is to say after the examination and publication of the results of any appeals registered during this session.

Article 19: If for a legitimate reason, a member of the Jury Office is prevented from sitting in on the deliberations, the Faculty/Section or in case of emergency, the jury may designate a member of the academic body to replace him/her.

                     The reasons for the impediment are communicated in writing to the Rector or the Director General by the person concerned or, failing that, by the president of the jury.

                     The substitute assessment must obtain communication of the marks for practical work and written tests awarded during the academic year, as well as any possible observations that the absent holder considers useful.

Article 20: Members of the scientific staff may, under the responsibility of a member of the jury, intervene in the preparation, supervision and correction of written exams and practical work.

Article 21: Upon its appointment, the Jury Office receives from the Academic Authority of the Faculty/Section the necessary documentation relating to the evaluations: academic instructions, results of the evaluations organized before the appointment of the Office, etc.

Article 22: The Jury Office is not responsible for creating new regulations regarding assessment.

                     In carrying out its mission, it correctly and scrupulously applies the regulations in force. Its members must make the necessary effort to master all the examination regulations.

Article 23: The Jury Offices or the Jury Presidents of a Faculty/Section cannot constitute themselves as a deliberative body or replace the jury.

3. ON THE CONDUCT OF EXAMS

Article 24: The Faculty or Section Office sets the timetable, the nature of the examinations, the premises for deliberations and communicates these provisions to the Rector or the Director General for approval.

Article 25: The Jury Office, in collaboration with the Faculty/Section office, will make all necessary arrangements for the normal conduct of examinations. In case of emergency, it may make any changes it deems appropriate to the timetable or order in which students present themselves. It will immediately notify the Rector or Director General and post them on the exam boards.

Article 26: Examinations are held in public. They take place on the official premises of the Institution or, exceptionally, on premises authorized by the Academic Authority.

Article 27: The exam schedule and the locations for the first session's exams are announced at least eight days in advance by the chair of the examination board. The exam schedule for the second session is posted before July 31. Except in exceptional cases, no exams may be held at the source at the end of the week or on public holidays.

Article 28:  When an examination includes a written and an oral part, the written part precedes the oral part. The student may request that the end-of-year examinations be entirely in writing; the justified request must be sent in writing to the chair of the examination board before the examination session.

Article 29: The jury on the necessity or advisability of establishing anonymity in written examinations by assigning each student a number.

Article 30: Any student has the right to request, by written request addressed to the chair of the jury, the presence of at least one member of the jury for any (oral) part of the examination. The chair of the jury has the power to impose the presence of at least two members of the jury for an examination when he deems it useful.

                     No one may examine alone a spouse, a relative or a relative up to and including the third degree; the presence of at least two members of the jury is obligatory.

Article 31: The dissertation or final year project is examined by a committee of at least three members appointed by the Faculty or Section office and responsible for reporting to it on the value of the work.

                     The final thesis may be defended. The dissertation must be publicly defended. The director of the final thesis/dissertation must be a member of the evaluation committee.

Article 32: It is imperative that the course instructor be present and take full responsibility for the proper organization and running of the exam.

4. OF DELIBERATION

Article 33: All members of the jury are required to attend the deliberations. Any member who is unable to attend must provide the Rector or Director General with a written explanation of their absence. They must submit their notes to the president, possibly including a comment.

Article 34: No jury may deliberate unless at least three-quarters of those who interviewed the students are present. If this quorum is not reached, the deliberation is postponed until the following day. After two postponements, the Rector or Director General is notified and takes the measures required by the emergency.

Article 35: The marks awarded by each examiner are submitted in good time to the secretary of the jury to serve as a basis for discussion during deliberation. If the jury considers itself insufficiently informed, it may decide, by a simple majority, to proceed, according to the method it determines, to a new examination on one or more subjects.

Article 36: Before the deliberation, the Jury Office and the jury check all the scores once again. The chair establishes a work plan, recalls the provisions of the examination regulations and the assessment criteria, etc. so that the deliberation takes place calmly, without unnecessary delay or haste. Before deliberating, the jury sets out the borderline cases likely to trigger the deliberation process, by drawing up a table of standards to be applied in all similar cases. The jury decides on the student's marks entered on the deliberation grid. The juries deliberate collectively. When opinions are divided, decisions are made by a majority of the members present. In the event of a tie, the solution most favorable to the student prevails.

Article 37: The Rector or Director General has the right to participate in the deliberations of the juries. In this case, the presidency of the session falls to him ex officio. In the event of impediment, the Rector or Director General may delegate his power to one of the three other Academic Authorities. The Academic Authority who attends the deliberations limits his interventions to ensuring compliance with the regulations and discipline. He does not have a deliberative vote, except in cases where he has provided teaching and awarded a grade taken into account in the deliberation.

Article 38: A student who has not passed is deferred, treated as deferred or inadmissible in the same course of study.

Article 39: If, pursuant to Article 11, the student submits his or her final dissertation or thesis before the end of the first semester of the current academic year, the deliberation is considered to be part of the second session of the previous year. If, on the other hand, the student submits his or her final dissertation or thesis after the start of the second semester, it will be deliberated during the first session of the current academic year. In this case, the student will be re-entered for the current year.

Article 40: In order to ensure objectivity in the examination of cases where the jury is called upon to deliberate on the final result, it is necessary to popularize, before the session, the deliberation criteria.

5. CRITERIA FOR DELIBERATION

5.1. Basic principles

Article 41: The subjects taught in a course of study are divided by the Faculty or Section into three categories, namely:

1. Vocational training subjects or specialist subjects which prepare the student for the future practice of the profession;
2. Subjects supporting professional training or those which aim to provide the candidate with scientific information necessary for the future exercise of the profession;
3. General training subjects or those aimed at giving him general skills or attitudes.

Article 42: The jury decides on the student's grades entered on the deliberation grid. It may only modify these as part of an adjustment carried out under the conditions defined by Article 49 below.

Article 43: Equalization consists of a transfer of a maximum of two points from one course to another of the same weighting and the same category in order to alleviate a serious failure or eliminate a minor failure.

Article 44: It applies to a single course and only once to unweighted grades. The points to be added by equalization are indivisible and cannot be used to remove or reduce more than one failure.

Article 45: When the marks obtained in exams and annual work (practical work, tests) are combined or included separately on the deliberation grid, the equalization takes place in favor of the overall mark.

Article 46: Any grade equivalent to 8 or 9 out of 20 is considered a minor failure, and any grade below 8 out of 20 is considered a serious failure.

Article 47: In the marking, the examiner expresses the final mark obtained by the student as a multiple of 0.5.

Article 48: The deliberation criteria are binding or obligatory and immutable regardless of the session.

                   The deliberation must be done by equalization and within the same category of subjects. If equalization cannot work in the case of a single serious failure, the jury will carry out a new evaluation of the student.

Article 49: The number of failures likely to trigger the deliberation process is set at the integer of the division of the number of subjects by 5.

5.2. Automatic success cases

Article 50: The number that gets half the points in each of the branches has succeeded.

5.3. Deliberable cases

Article 51: The result of the student who did not obtain half the points in all branches, but who obtained half the points for the entire test is submitted for deliberation and the decision is made after a vote by a simple majority of the members of the jury.

Article 52: After the application of the equalization, no serious failure, in any subject, can be accepted for the passage of a student from one year to another.

Article 53: In subjects falling under the first category, a slight failure may be tolerated.

Article 54: In subjects falling under the second and third category, he passed.

1. The student whose general average is between 50% and 54.99% and who has only one minor failure;
2. The student whose general average is between 55% and 59.99% and who has one or two minor failures;
3. The student whose general average is at least 60% and who has at most three minor failures.

Article 55: After deliberation on the results, the successful student obtains one of the following distinctions:

• Satisfaction (S): if the overall result is at least 50% and less than 70% points;
• Distinction (D): if the overall result is at least 70% and less than 80% points;
• Great Distinction (GD): if the overall result is at least 80% points and less than 90%;
• Highest Distinction (PGD): if the overall result is at least 90% points.

5.4. Automatic adjournment criteria

Article 56: Is automatically adjourned

1. The student who has not obtained at least 50% points in all subjects;
2. The student who has a serious failure after the application of equalization.

Article 57: The unsuccessful student is:

• Postponed if the overall result is 40% points or more
• Assimilated to adjourned: if the student has not presented all parts of the test for a duly justified reason deemed valid by the jury;
• Not admissible in the same course of study (NAF): if the overall result is less than 40% points;
• Assimilated to those not admissible in the same course of study (ANAF): anyone who has not presented part or all of the parts of the test for reasons deemed invalid by the jury or who has been absent from one or more parts of the test without having previously notified the jury office in writing.

Article 58: A student who, after deliberation, is declared "failed" is exempt from re-siting, in the second session, the subjects in which he/she obtained at least 10/20. These marks will be automatically included in the results of the following deliberation and those who awarded them will have a deliberative vote in this deliberation.

                      The chairman of the jury informs interested students, by posting notices on the valves within three days after the deliberation, of the exams from which they are exempt.

Article 59: In the event that a material error has been made, neither the jury president nor the jury secretary, nor the Management Committee nor any other body or institution are authorized to make any modification to the jury's decision; it must be made by the jury itself, recorded in the deliberation register and signed by the three members of the Bureau. Such corrections must be brought to the attention of the Academic Authorities in writing.

Article 60: No numerical result can automatically lead to the student's failure and no Professor has the right to oppose, alone, the success of a student. However, during deliberation, the jury may take into consideration the importance it attaches to a given subject in view of the purpose of the teaching. A student may thus fail for very serious deficiency in a single subject considered essential to his training.

5.5. Publication of results

Article 61: The jury president announces the results with honors in a public session. The results obtained in each subject are communicated to the students by the jury secretary.

Each student must contact him individually.

                      Communicating results to students is particularly important at the end of the first exam session. It is an ideal opportunity to provide advice on how to prepare for the second exam session.

Article 62: The secretary of each jury records the minutes of the jury's proceedings in a register. The minutes provide reasons for the decisions taken in disputed cases. They must be signed by the jury members. The registers are kept by the Dean of the Faculty or the Head of Section.

Article 63: After the results are announced, all Professors are still available to students according to a schedule set by the Deans or Section Heads.

Article 64: Any complaints must be submitted within three days of the official notification of the results.

5.6. Fraud and sanctions

Article 65: In the event of fraud duly noted by the examiner or invigilator, the following procedure must be followed:

• The person who notices the fraud immediately notifies the person concerned;
• She draws up a report, signs it and has it countersigned by at least two witnesses and by the offender himself;
• She asks the latter to make himself available to the president of the jury;
• The report signed by the person who noted the fraud and the offender is sent the same day to the president of the jury who convenes the Jury Office within 24 hours;
• The jury office summons the student and hears him;
• The Jury Office reports and makes one of the following sanction proposals to the Management Committee:
• Cancellation of the relevant examination;
• Cancellation of the entire session test;
• Exclusion from the current academic year's exams.

               In all cases, the decision of the Management Committee must be communicated to the president of the jury before deliberation.

5.7. Management of copies of practical work (TP), graded tutorials (TD), tests and exams

Article 66: The student carefully keeps all copies of practical work, graded tutorials, and quizzes. The assessors must constantly remind him of this. He receives from the Faculty or the Section an examination sheet indicating

• His identity: name and post (pre) names, registration number, year of studies, Department;
• on the first line of a double-entry table: the date, the subject, the times (start and end of exams), the student's signature, and the signature(s) of the invigilator(s).

Article 67: In the event of fraud involving a foreign body who presents himself for an exam in place of a student, the student must be permanently excluded from the Establishment and made available to the courts in the same way as the intruder, regardless of his status.

Article 68: In the event of fraud facilitated by a member of staff, without prejudice to legal proceedings, the latter shall be sanctioned in accordance with the staff regulations.

Article 69: Presentation of the exam sheet at the beginning and end of an exam is mandatory.

Article 70: The Jury Office

• Assign a sufficient number of invigilators to each examination room;
• Provides each team of invigilators with the complete alphabetical list of students registered for the examination session;
• Divide students into small groups when there are a large number of them.

Article 71: The supervisor

• Receives the student's exam copy,
• Make him sign the examination form,
• Sign it and check the student's name on the alphabetical list received;
• Compare the number of copies collected to the number of names checked;
• Draw up the minutes of the examination, indicating any incidents observed;
• Returns each student's exam sheet except in disputed cases;
• Provides the course instructor with the minutes, exam copies, alphabetical list of names checked and exam sheets for disputed cases.

Article 72: The course holder

• Handle and store exam copies carefully to avoid losing them;
• Submissions to the Jury Office along with the list of points and the standard exam answer key;
• Ensures, before transmitting the list of points to the Jury Office, that each name is checked on the alphabetical monitoring list, that there is no dispute and that each name has a mark.

               The jury office, against a receipt, makes copies of exams available to the jury for possible verification in the event of a complaint.

Article 73: In the second session, in the case of an exam to be retaken, the renewal of the so-called best mark is formally prohibited.

5.8. Remedies

Article 74: Within 72 hours of the official publication of the results, any student who feels aggrieved may file an appeal with the chair of the jury. After this statutory deadline, no appeal may be filed by the student or accepted by the jury office.

Article 75: The appeal relates, each time, to a specific grade or course.

Article 76: The following are the subject of an appeal:

• Incorrect transcription of notes by the teacher or the jury secretary;
• The incorrect calculation of grades;
• The omission of notes on the deliberation grid;
• Failure to correct copies;
• Loss of copies by the teacher;
• Failure to transmit notes to the jury;
• The confusing identification of copies.

               The jury is not competent to hear any appeal based on unverifiable evidence. If necessary, the jury will refer the matter to the competent hierarchical Academic Authority.

Article 77: The examination of student appeals is the exclusive responsibility of the jury. No hierarchical authority (Academic Authority, Board of Directors, Ministry) may be seized of them or take them up.

Article 78: A press release posted on the valves, 72 hours after the publication of the results, definitively closes the period for filing appeals.

A copy of the press release is reserved for the Academic Secretary General of the Establishment and the Office of the Faculty or Section.

Article 79: The appeal and the appeal form are free.

Article 80: From the day of the official publication of the exam results for the session in question, teachers make themselves available to students and the jury to better handle any appeals concerning their teaching.

Article 81: The day following the expiry of the deadline for registering students' requests, the President summons all members of the jury to examine all appeals.

Article 82:   The jury sits within 24 hours of being summoned.

                   An ad hoc report is drawn up after the deliberations.

Article 83: The final results of the jury's deliberations are immediately communicated to those concerned by means of a notice. The conclusions thus made public definitively close the examination session in question and must not be the subject of any further appeal.

Article 84: The end of the appeal period is confirmed by an official statement from the jury signed jointly by the President and the Secretary. A copy of the statement is sent to the Academic Secretary General and to the Faculty or Section.

Article 85: Every teacher must do their job conscientiously to avoid as many opportunities for appeals as possible. Any teacher who is responsible for numerous material errors or numerous well-founded appeals must be severely sanctioned in accordance with the scale of sanctions provided for in the regulations for Higher and University Education staff. The same applies to members of the jury who, through negligence, cause numerous appeals.

Article 86: The wholesale rejection of student appeals without prior review constitutes professional misconduct. A teacher who fails to respond to a student's appeals because they have lost their exam papers or have incorrectly marked them is committing serious professional misconduct and should also be severely punished.

Article 87: A student who falsely accuses the teacher of losing a copy or of incorrectly marking a paper, or who negotiates his or her success by claiming a "material error", must be permanently excluded from the establishment.

Article 88: The teacher and the student involved in complacent appeals or in haggling over grades will be sanctioned in accordance with the provisions of the Higher and University Education Staff Regulations and the student regulations. The same applies to the Academic Authority which protects or does not negatively sanction teachers or students guilty of reprehensible behavior or who encroaches on the jury's responsibilities or interferes with its decisions. Any member of the Jury Office who abuses his or her position to promote the success or cause the failure of a student is also sanctioned.

Article 89: Notwithstanding the specific sanctions provided for by the special provisions relating to Higher and University Education staff and students in the event of misconduct or serious breaches of their duties, the following sanctions are applicable:

1. with regard to students:

• Cancellation of the exam;
• Cancellation of the session;
• Temporary exclusion;
• Permanent exclusion from the Establishment.
• Permanent exclusion from Higher and University Education;

1. With regard to teachers or any other member of the staff of Higher and University Education:

• The blame;
• The layoff:
• The compulsory resignation;
• Withdrawal from courses;
• The revocation.

5.9. From the report on the organization of the examinations of the first session

               At the end of the first session, each institution will draw up a report on the organization of the session's examinations. This report will include, among other things, the following points:

1. Statistics on the results of the first session, by option and by year of study;
2. The conduct of examinations: establishing timetables, respecting established timetables, out-of-session examinations, organization of written examinations;
3. The conduct of examiners: professional conscience, regularity and integrity.
4. Disciplinary measures and sanctions taken against guilty teachers.
5. The course of deliberations: presence of jury members, compliance with examination regulations;
6. Student behavior: regularity, discipline, etc.
7. As for exam fraud, indicate the cases encountered and report the sanctions taken for each case;
8. The conduct of the announcement of results and the academic degree conferral ceremony;
9. The diplomas: were they printed, written and signed?
10. The arrangements made for the conduct of the session's examinations.

5.10. On the formula for announcing results (1^erand 2^thcycles) by the Dean of the Faculty or the Head of Section or the President of the Jury Office

               The jury responsible for organizing the final exams for (Bachelor's, Agricultural Engineer, Pharmacist, Doctor of...) received the candidates' exams.

After deliberations behind closed doors, the jury made the following decisions:

Successfully graduated with High Distinction: …

• Successfully completed with Distinction: …
• Successfully completed with Satisfaction: …
• The following are adjourned: …

So : ……………

1. Successfully completed with great distinction:

1) …

2) …

3) …

2. Successfully completed with distinction:

1)  …

2)  …

3)  …

3. Have successfully completed:

1) …

2) …

3) …

               The requirements of Ordinance-Law No. 81-026, 027 and 028 of October 3, 1981, as amended and supplemented to date, relating to the conferring of academic degrees in Universities, Higher Pedagogical Institutes and Higher Technical Institutes being rigorously respected, we invite the Rector/Director General to kindly confer the grade of (Licentiate, Civil Engineer, Pharmacist, Doctor of Medicine, etc.) to the aforementioned candidates.

Done at ………………. on ………………..

The Dean of the Faculty of/

The Section Head/Jury President

5.11. On the formula for conferring the grade

               We, Professor ………….. Rector/Director General of …………

Having seen the minutes of the jury responsible for carrying out the examinations of ………………

Whereas all the requirements of Ordinance-Law No. ……. of ……….., as amended and supplemented to date, relating to the award of academic degrees have been complied with;

We confer on the above-mentioned candidates the rank of …………………………………………

These candidates have the enjoyment of all the rights attached to the academic degree obtained in accordance with the aforementioned Ordinance-Law.

Done at …………on …………..'…..

CHAPTER VII: STUDIES OF 3^thCYCLE

1. HIGHER EDUCATION DIPLOMA (DES)/ADVANCED EDUCATION DIPLOMA (DEA)

Article 1: Before presenting the thesis, the candidate produces proof of successful completion of the DES or DEA. This diploma authorizes the holder to continue preparing for the doctorate.

Article 2: The study program of 3^th cycle is applicable for all doctoral grades and the obligation of the DES or DEA is strictly applicable for all doctorates.

1.1. Of the purpose

Article 3: The Diploma of Advanced Studies (DES) or Advanced Studies (DEA) constitutes a stage clearly distinct from second-cycle education by its aim of training specialists. Candidates acquire in-depth knowledge in a group of subjects constituting their specialty as well as a high level of epistemological and methodological mastery of their discipline.

1.2. From the program

Article 4: The preparatory study programs for the DES/DEA consist of seminars from which the necessary exchanges are organized and developed to develop the learner's capacities for imagination, creativity and invention.

Article 5: The total number of hours is at least 445 hours and at most 600 hours for the two years. Each program includes:

• A scientific component: 6 seminars of 30 hours each (i.e. a total of 180 hours);
• Scientific research methodology: 30 hours;
• A foreign language, preferably English: 45 hours;
• Computer science: 45 hours;
• Management: 45 hours;
• The writing and public defense of a dissertation.

               To enable the candidate to complete his or her research, the supervisor may offer the candidate the opportunity to participate in up to two seminars focused on the subject of the research but not included in the program established by the Supervisory Ministry. Their time commitment may not exceed 60 hours.

Article 6: In its presentation, the program specifies:

• The specialty concerned;
• The needs met by the training;
• Places of education;
• Admission requirements;
• The objectives and contents;
• Training strategies;
• Assessment strategies;
• The bridges;
• Professional integration;
• The overall hourly credit (for the two years) and annual;
• The different subjects by year of study.

Article 7: The educational component is provided by the Permanent Studies Commission as part of the continuing education of candidates who intend to go into teaching.

Article 8: Teachers involved in the implementation of the DES/DEA program must demonstrate high scientific qualities, both through their mastery of the specialties taught and through their experience in research management. The three main selection criteria are as follows:

1. The skill which involves the pursuit of high scientific activity in the field of research;
2. The availability necessary for continuous supervision of students;
3. The teaching experience in communicating knowledge and stimulating reflection.

Article 9: Each seminar is led by a team of at least two professors to allow students to benefit from their broad scientific experience. This team defines, each year, the main guidelines and practical arrangements for organizing the seminar.

Article 10: The allocation of teaching is decided by the University Council on the proposal of the Faculty Council, the Departmental Council and the Chair concerned having been heard.

1.3. Admission requirements

Article 11: A candidate who has a general average of at least 60% over all grades obtained in the first two university cycles is eligible for the DEA/DES. A candidate currently employed must provide a recommendation from their employer and two of their former professors. A certificate of physical fitness is required.

Article 12: The application for admission to the DES/DEA is addressed to the Chair Master, the Head of Department and copies are communicated to the Vice-Dean in charge of research and the General Academic Secretariat. It includes copies of the candidate's academic qualifications and curriculum vitae. After the application for admission has been submitted to the Department secretariat, the Departmental Council decides on the candidate's eligibility and submits them to the Faculty Council, which decides on the opinions issued by the Departmental Council. Admission proposals are forwarded through the hierarchy to the Rector for decision.

Article 13: Registration is confirmed by the payment of registration fees and tuition fees, the rate of which is set annually by the University Council. Depending on the type of study, additional fees may be considered.

1.4. From the student residence

Article 14: During the duration of participation in the seminars, the candidate's main residence must allow them to attend them regularly. However, in agreement with the thesis director, the candidate may request and obtain from the Faculty an exemption allowing them to attend seminars at a university outside the city of residence or the country. The Faculty must provide for the remote organization of seminars for those candidates working at universities in the city concerned and/or outside the country. In the same vein, the Faculty must ensure subscriptions for each doctoral candidate to national or foreign libraries.

1.5. Assistants and Heads of Work working within a Faculty/Section

Article 15: The Assistant or the Head of Research enrolled in the DES/DEA program must devote themselves entirely to research and training. Their hourly workload remains suspended as long as they continue their studies. In the event that the Faculty/Section cannot completely do without their services, their hourly workload must be reduced to 50% of the normal workload.

1.6. On the organization and duration of studies

Article 16: The duration of studies leading to the DEA/DES is two years at most. After the DEA/DES, the candidate has at least three years to prepare and defend their doctoral thesis.

Article 17: From the first year, the Chair or the Departmental Council appoints, for each candidate, a Research Director based on the scientific interests of the candidate and the scientific experience of the Director. The Research Director is required to personally monitor the studies and research work of the students under his supervision. Twice a year, at the end of the first semester and at the end of the academic year, he sends to the Head of Department, for the attention of the Departmental Council, a report on the progress of the studies and research work. Copies of these reports are sent to the Dean of the Faculty and to the Academic Secretary General.

Article 18: At this level of study, supervisors will not give lectures as they do in the first two cycles. Their introductory seminar presentations are enriched by the individual work of doctoral students. This work is evaluated by the supervisor(s).

Article 19: As far as possible, the first year is devoted to all the seminars included in the program; the second year to writing the dissertation and evaluation.

1.7. Program evaluations

Article 20: The final evaluation of the candidate is done as follows:

• 40% of the points come from annual individual work done within the framework of the seminars;
• 30% final exam points;
• 30% of the dissertation or thesis.

Article 21: The final exam focuses solely on the scientific component and must be a summary of the training received. It involves reflection work aimed at solving a concrete problem. It is not assessed, as in the first two university cycles, based on questions to which the examiner expects a stereotypical answer. It involves writing an essay or reflecting on a concrete problem in society and proposing possible solutions.

Article 22: For the purpose of assessing the scientific dissertation, the Faculty Council, after consulting the Departmental Council, proposes the members of the jury to the Rector, who appoints them. This jury comprises four full members, two of whom are from the Department concerned, and two alternates. The Director of the scientific dissertation must be a member. No less than thirty nor more than sixty days may elapse between the date of the jury's constitution and that of the public defense; vacations suspend these deadlines.

1.8. From the formula for conferring the grade

               We, Professor, Rector of the University of ………………………………

Having regard to the minutes of the jury responsible for conducting the examinations for the final test with a view to obtaining the grade of Diploma of Higher Studies in

Whereas all the requirements of Ordinance-Law No. … of …, as amended to date, relating to the conferral of academic degrees have been complied with;

We hereby confer upon the above-mentioned candidate the degree of Graduate of Higher Studies in ………………………………………………..

This candidate has the enjoyment of all the rights attached to the academic grade obtained in accordance with the aforementioned Ordinance-Law.

Done at …………… on ………………

2. DOCTORAL STUDIES

2.1. Of the purpose

Article 23: The intensive organization of doctoral studies is justified for the following reasons:

• The increase in the number of higher education institutions organizing second cycle studies;
• The proliferation of universities and higher education institutions is generating an increased need for academic staff;
• Training of executives with a view to preparing the next generation of academics following the aging of the academic body;
• The concern to provide for the replacement of the oldest members of this body;
• The desire to increase the competitiveness of the higher education system.

2.2. Admission requirements

Article 24: No one is admitted to the doctoral program unless they hold a Diploma of Advanced Studies (DES) or a Diploma of Advanced Studies (D.EA). The admission of candidates holding a diploma other than a DES or DEA is conditional upon the reestablishment of an equivalence of this diploma in accordance with the legal and regulatory texts of the Democratic Republic of Congo. In addition to the above conditions, candidates with foreign status must present evidence establishing that they are in good standing with the migration services of the host country.

2.3. Duration, registration and supervision

Article 25: The duration of the doctoral program is at least three academic years. In no case may it exceed six academic years. Before admission, the candidate chooses a Research Director, who, in turn, sends a letter of acceptance to the Department within a period not exceeding 15 days. If the Department accepts the application, it forwards the file to the Faculty for approval. The application for admission must be accompanied by a biographical statement, a copy of the diplomas obtained, a project outlining the purpose of the research and the means of its realization and finally, an assessment of the candidate and his project by the thesis director.

               The Department reviews the completed file and issues an opinion on the matter. If the decision is favorable, the candidate confirms their registration by paying the tuition fees.

               The Department then appoints two other Professors who, with their thesis supervisor, assist the candidate in preparing the thesis. One of them must be a full-time professor at the host university.

Article 26: The thesis supervisor presents the candidate with a schedule of their training up to the defense of the thesis. If necessary, they may offer the candidate additional training. The objective of such training is to increase the candidate's scientific expertise and improve their research skills.

2.4. Doctoral and higher intelligence aggregation exams

Article 27: The examination for doctoral degrees (with the exception of the degrees of doctor of medicine and veterinary medicine where a thesis is not required) includes the presentation and public defense of an original and unpublished dissertation in its overall presentation.

               This test can only be taken at least two years after obtaining the DES/DEA grade.

Article 28: During the preparation of the thesis, the candidate makes an annual registration on the roll.

Article 29: After each member of the jury has reviewed the dissertation, the jury decides whether to accept it. The jury decides by a simple majority of its members. If the dissertation is accepted, the recipient is called upon to defend it publicly on the date set by the jury. No less than thirty days or more than two months may elapse between the date the jury is formed and the date of the public defense. Vacations suspend deadlines.

Article 30: The dissertation is submitted in ten copies to the Dean of the Faculty. The candidate adds the summary of the dissertation in as many copies as there are specialist Professors of the Department of the Faculty or Section as well as five copies of the list of his scientific publications. No dissertation may be submitted unless a member of the teaching staff of the Faculty or Section of the University or Institute or a foreign University has agreed to assume its supervision.

Article 31: The jury is comprised of five members, three of whom are from the Faculty. The thesis supervisor and a supervisor are required members. The composition of the jury is proposed by the Faculty Council at its first meeting following the submission of the dissertation and approved by the Rector.

               The jury chooses a president and a secretary from among its members. The dissertation director cannot be chosen as president.

Article 32: The date of the public defense, the names of the candidate and the subject of the thesis are announced by the Rector at least eight days in advance ad valves and by a notice published in the local press.

Article 33: The private and public defenses are presented before all members of the jury. For the public defense, in the absence of a jury member, the Rector, upon proposal from the Faculty, may appoint a substitute. The public may present their arguments.

Article 34: When the examination is declared closed, the jury withdraws to deliberate on the recipient's result. As soon as the deliberation is over, the public session resumes and the president announces the jury's decision and the award of the grade.

Article 35: The general provisions relating to the organization of examinations apply to the doctoral exam.

Article 36: The examination for the degree of agrégé de l'enseignement supérieur in medicine and veterinary medicine includes the presentation and defense of an original and unpublished dissertation, constituting a notable contribution to the progress of science and an oral lecture. The oral lecture precedes the public defense of the dissertation. The provisions established for the organization of the doctoral examination apply to the examination for the aggregation of higher education.

2.5. On the formula for announcing results

               The Jury responsible for organizing the doctoral or higher education aggregation exam in medicine has examined the thesis presented by the candidate:………………………………….. with a view to obtaining the degree of doctor or higher education aggregation in medicine.

               After deliberation in camera, the Jury made the following decision: Mr (Ms)……………………………………………

………………passed the entire test with distinction………………………….. with a view to obtaining the degree of Doctor of ………………. or Associate of Higher Education in Medicine.

               The requirements of Ordinance-Law No.……. of ……. as amended to date, relating to the conferral of academic degrees being rigorously respected, we invite the Rector of ………………….. to kindly confer the degree of Doctor of ………………… or Associate of Higher Education in Medicine on the aforementioned candidate.

2.6. From the formula for conferring the grade

               We, Professor………………. Rector of the University of…………..

               Having regard to the minutes of the Jury responsible for conducting the examinations for the final test with a view to obtaining the degree of Doctor of ……………or of Associate of Higher Education in Medicine………………;

               Whereas all the requirements of Ordinance-Law No. ………. of…… as amended to date, relating to the award of academic degrees have been complied with;

               We hereby confer on the above-mentioned candidate the degree of Doctor of ………………… or Associate of Higher Education in Medicine.

This candidate has the enjoyment of all the rights attached to the academic grade obtained in accordance with the aforementioned Ordinance-Law.

Done at ………… On …………

3. OF THE DOCTORATE HONORIS CAUSA

Article 36: A Faculty may organize the award of an "Honoris Causa" doctorate to Congolese or foreign individuals who have distinguished themselves in research, teaching, or any other area of Congolese national life related to organized disciplines. Upon the proposal of one of its Departments, the Faculty deliberates on the advisability of awarding an "Honoris Causa" doctorate to the candidate based on the argument presented by the said Department. If the Faculty's opinion is favorable, the decision is communicated to the Rector, who, in turn, examines the candidate's file and the argument attached thereto. If the Rector's decision is positive, the latter communicates it to the University Council, which makes a decision and instructs the Rector to execute it. The Rector sets the date for the award of the diploma and presides over the ceremony.

CHAPTER VIII: DIPLOMAS AND CERTIFICATES

1. ON THE WRITING OF DIPLOMAS AND CERTIFICATES

               For writing diplomas, black Indian ink must be used. For certificates, ordinary ink (reservoir fountain pen) is permitted; the same applies to signing both diplomas and certificates. Any use of Bic pens and markers is strictly prohibited.

               Use current (neat) writing except for the name of the Establishment and Faculty, for the name of the degree conferred and for names.

For some sections, capital letters are required: see below.

Here are the different sections for diplomas. For explanation purposes, we'll start with a graduate diploma template and follow the text section by section.

Section 1 : Establishment.

Complete the name of the Establishment using the same capital letters as those used for printing. The use of a typograph is not permitted. It is advisable to entrust this work to a calligrapher who must present it as carefully as possible. This is also why 2 lines are provided for Institutes, thus allowing the title to be centered. In the case where the same Establishments are located in several places, for example: ISPs, ISDRs, the Place of establishment of the Establishment must be added.

Ex. HIGHER INSTITUTE OF PEDAGOGY OF BUNIA

Section 2: Diploma number

The number consists of three groups of digits, in total: 9 digits.

The first three digits, forming the 1st group, are those used to identify the Establishment; e.g.: ISTM: 403, ISP/BUNIA: 505. The following 4 digits indicate the continuous numbering order within the Establishment: e.g. 0001 to 9999.

The last two digits indicate the year of graduation. For those who completed their studies in 1975, write: 75. The three groups of digits are separated by a period.

Example: for a diploma issued at the IPN in 1979: no. 501.0127.79. It should be noted that groups of numbers cannot be separated by bars.

Section 3 : We, President, Secretary and Members of the jury responsible for carrying out the examinations of ………..

To complete the text, we use current writing and follow the names and presentation used in the ministerial decree setting the durations and programs of studies and in the brochure "Organization of studies" published in 1977, both for the wording and for the use of lowercase letters.

If the grade is followed by an option, a comma is placed after the grade; after “option” a colon is placed.

If the option is followed by an orientation, a colon is placed after "orientation".

Example: third degree in medical technology, option: nursing sciences, orientation: anesthesia (followed by a comma, except at the end of the diploma/certificate).

Section 4: Whereas …..

We write in full “Madame”, “Monsieur”, etc. as appropriate.

Names are written in single capital letters. Names are entered as completely as possible. If there are several post-names and space does not allow for them all, at least one post-name is entered; the others will be abbreviated.

If applicable, names may be written in full at the end of the diploma under the heading "have conferred and confer on...". Since the indication Madam, Sir is no longer necessary, it is possible to write in full even very long names. The formula "born (e)" must remain as is, whether it is a boy or a girl. For the place of birth, when it is a locality other than Congolese, the country will be indicated in parentheses. For the date of birth, you will write the day in numbers, the month in lowercase letters (in full) and the year in numbers.

Example: December 14, 1956.

Section 5: Holds a diploma ………………….

It will be completed according to the instructions already mentioned in section 3.

The candidate's grade will be written in lowercase, without abbreviations or quotation marks. E.g.: distinction. Dated: the day will be written in figures, the month in lowercase letters (in full) and the year in figures. In this case, it is the date on which the result was announced.

For some years, there may be this coincidence with the one written at the bottom of the diploma.

For diplomas that will be established for previous years, these dates will indicate when the winner was successful.

Section 6: The exams included in the third-year graduate program….

It will be completed according to the instructions mentioned in section 3.

Section 7: Have conferred and confer on…….: the full name in capital letters.

                        See section 4 on this subject.

Section 8: The grade of GRADUE IN: write the grade in capital letters; only the grade and as worded in the ordinance-law relating to the conferral of academic degrees.

For these capital letters, follow the same style as that used by the printer.

Options and orientations will be written in lowercase as indicated below. Example: GRADUATE IN MEDICAL TECHNIQUES, option: Nursing sciences, orientation: anesthesia.

Section 10: Done at ……….on …………..: enter the place where and the date on which the diploma is issued.

For the date, follow the instructions already given.

Since there is very little time between the deliberation and the proclamation, it is advantageous, at least for the diplomas, to have them completed in advance with regard to the general headings (1, 2, 3, 5, 7 and 9), so that after the deliberation it will be sufficient to add the names, places and dates of birth, the mention and the date. In this case, it would therefore be necessary to estimate as precisely as possible the number of diplomas required.

Special provisions for drafting certificates.

When writing certificates, use capital letters only for the name of the institution and for names. As for the certificate number, use the same system as for diplomas. Also begin the series with 0001.

2. ON THE PRESERVATION AND TRANSMISSION OF DIPLOMAS AND CERTIFICATES

1. Each diploma and certificate has an identification number on the front. This number makes it possible to determine at any time where a diploma/certificate is located and who is responsible for it.
2. For the same purpose, a register must be established at the University/Institute and Faculty/Section level in which all movements of diplomas and certificates will be recorded: receipt, transmission, location, cancellation, etc. This register (hardcover, folio format) will be called register A.

It is completed and kept:

• At the University/Higher Institute level by the Academic Secretary General;
• At the Faculty/Section level by the Dean/Section Head.

               This register will be like a cash book and a logbook. Important facts relating to diplomas/certificates will be recorded there under double signature.

               In the event of a change of head of department, Academic Secretary General, Dean/Head of Section, the minutes of the submission/collection of the “diplomas-certificates” file must be recorded in this register.

3. Diplomas and certificates may only be collected from the Directorate of Academic Services by the Academic Secretary General of the University/Higher Institute or by a person duly authorized by him. The Academic Secretary General who wishes to obtain a specific number of diplomas/certificates must make a written request on an ad hoc form (form P), which he must submit to the Director of Academic Services of the Ministry of Higher and University Education. When collecting the diplomas and certificates, the Academic Secretary General will sign a discharge. From that moment on, he is fully responsible for these diplomas and certificates, either until their return (to the Ministry for signature and ratification, or in the event of interruption of studies) until receipt by the student.
4. The Academic Secretary General enters the list of diplomas and certificates in register A: Type of diploma and certificate (e.g.: certificate of a first graduate from a faculty, certificate of a first degree in a higher institute, etc.) as well as for each type the quantity and identification numbers of such diploma.
5. Whenever the Academic Secretary General transmits one or more diplomas/certificates to a Dean/Section Head, he/she shall enter it in Register A, specifying the type of diploma/certificate and the identification number, and shall have the person who received the diploma(s) or certificate(s) signed in the same register for receipt. Before transmitting diplomas or certificates, the Academic Secretary General shall ensure that the person receiving the diplomas/certificates has taken the necessary steps to prevent any loss or leakage.
6. At the Faculty/Section level, a register A must also be established in which all receipts and transmissions of diplomas or certificates are recorded under double signature. It is necessary that all diplomas and certificates can be located at any time. The Faculty/Section register must indicate which diploma/certificate, identified by its identification number, was issued in the name of which student.
7. In the event that a diploma can no longer be located and should be considered missing, the Academic Secretary General will notify the Rector of the identification number of this diploma, and will at the same time inform at what level and with which person the responsibility for this disappearance lies.
8. As soon as the diplomas/certificates are completed and signed at the Faculty/Section level, they will be handed over, against receipt, to the Academic Secretary General. The diplomas are thus once again under the direct responsibility of the Academic Secretary General.
9. In order for the awarding of diplomas to take place at the proclamation and for the diplomas awarded to be easily collected for signature by the Minister and for their ratification, it is requested that the Rector/Director General not sign the diplomas before the awarding. Thus, students will feel obliged to hand them over to obtain the signatures that will give legal value to the documents. In addition, in order to avoid any loss, finalists who have passed the exams will be asked to sign a discharge on an ad hoc form which they will submit to the Academic Secretary General or the Dean/Head of Section mandated by him during the awarding ceremony.
10. The Academic Secretary General will check that all diplomas have been returned. At this time, he gives the diploma or certificate its official number and enters it in the register reserved for the registration of diplomas and certificates. He does the same for certificates received from Faculties/Sections. Special registers must be printed with the headings printed on each page. There will be a register reserved for diplomas (register D) and a register reserved for certificates (register C). In the meantime, the register in which the titles are entered will be used: the order number, the identification number, the diploma number, the names, the place and date of birth, the grade, the distinction, the dates of deliberation, the establishment of the diploma/certificate, and (possibly) the ratification. The headings of the sections and the space to be provided for each section are given below. Before starting work, each page must be paginated and initialed.

Section 1: order number

This is a number which is only used to locate the entry in the register Space: 1.5 cm

Section 2: identification number

This is a number printed on the back of the diploma, certificate; it includes 6 digits.

Space: 2.5 cm.

Section 3: diploma number. It consists of 9 digits. For numbering, see below. Space: 3.5 cm

Section 4: Names

The same names as those appearing on the basic diploma/certificate that gave access to higher and university education

Space: 6.5 cm

Section 5: Place and date of birth

Space: 5 cm

Section 6: For diplomas: grade, option, orientation;

For certificates: grade, option, orientation, plus year

Space: 7 cm

It is forbidden to use abbreviations. In most cases, two or even three lines will be required.

The sign cannot be used, but if the same grade, option, orientation and year occurs, the term "idem" can be used in full.

Section 7: Mention

In the provisional register, it can be abbreviated.

Space: 2 cm

Section 8: Date of deliberation/proclamation of results

                     Space: 2 cm

Section 9: Date of Issue of Diploma/Certificate

                     Space: 2 cm.

Section 10: Approval No.

                       Space: 2 cm

These two sections only apply to diplomas. They will be completed after confirmation, based on the information entered on the diploma by the confirmation committee.

Section 11: Exit signature.

                       Space: 2.5 cm

The person collecting the diploma must sign and date here.

A larger space will be provided in the final register.

The Academic Secretary General will fill in the first eight sections.

The work may be carried out by another person, but under the direct responsibility of the Academic Secretary General, who must also personally sign at the bottom of each page, below columns 7 to 9, to certify the accuracy of all the information transcribed on the page.

For clarity of presentation, a vertical space of 3 cm must be provided for the recording of each Diploma/Certificate.

In the provisional register, diplomas and certificates may be entered in the same register, but separately.

11. After being registered, diplomas and certificates are submitted for signature to the Rector/Director General.

These Authorities are requested to sign these documents promptly and to take all necessary precautions to ensure that no diplomas are lost. The Academic Secretary General and the Rector/Director General are advised to set aside a pre-determined time for the processing of diplomas and certificates during which they cannot be disturbed.

12. Universities and higher education institutions will not affix their wet seal to diplomas. These will bear the wet seal of the Ministry of Higher and University Education. Certificates, however, will only bear the seal of the institution.
13. The Academic Secretary General will personally forward the diplomas to the Rector against receipt. He or she must attach the diploma that granted access to the studies undertaken as well as the certificates of achievement from previous years. As soon as the diplomas are signed by the Rector and ratified by the Minister of Higher and University Education, they will be forwarded to the Institutions again following the procedure described above.
14. The Academic Secretary General completes sections 10 and 11 of the ad hoc register and signs again at the bottom of the page. Interested parties can then collect their diplomas by signing for receipt in the register itself.
15. Certificates do not need to be sent to the Ministry. They must be kept at the Academic General Secretariat. The Academic General Secretary, who has already registered them in the appropriate register in the same way as diplomas, will complete the last section of the certificate: the date, the name of the institution, and their signature.
16. For students who continue their studies at the Institution, certificates will be kept. For those who interrupt their studies, certificates may be given to them against receipt in the register itself.
17. As for the storage and handling of diplomas, it is requested that they always be kept under lock and key and that all necessary arrangements be made to ensure that they are completely secure at all times.

3. OF THE ENDORSEMENT/APPROVAL OF DIPLOMAS

               Many working candidates have never received their diplomas; their employers keep asking for them. The psychosis continues, and everyone wonders when it will end.

Among the major obstacles blocking the operation of the ratification of diplomas, there are:

1. Poor maintenance of student records.
2. Failure to send diplomas to the Endorsement/Approval Commission

At this level, three constraints must be noted:

1. Failure to print diplomas;
2. Failure to complete these documents in the Establishments;
3. The lack of resources to send large batches of diplomas that have been accumulated for a long time in the establishments.
   3. The non-regular convening of the ad hoc Commission due to financial difficulties and sometimes a lack of materials (diplomas to be processed).

To put an end to the disorder that has taken root in this area, every official involved in the operation must take all necessary steps for their participation in this undertaking.

This is why it is recommended:

3.1. At the Establishment level:

• Proper maintenance of student files from the moment of admission. These files must be up to date and contain all required documents;
• Proper maintenance of archives: lists, schedules and minutes of deliberations;
• Student lists;
• The motivation of school attendants;
• Regular payment of the endorsement tax to facilitate the printing of diplomas by the Ministry.

3.2. At the level of the Endorsement/Approval Commission

• The regular convening of meetings of the commission;
• Timely monitoring of the schooling of all finalists of the year;
• The ordering of diplomas must be submitted by February of each year.

4. PROBATE FEES

• To put an end to the disparity in the rates of fees owed by finalists for the endorsement/approval of Higher Education and University diplomas, the level of said fees per diploma is set by the Supervisory Ministry...
• Since the payment of the endorsement fees only concerns finalist students in the first and second cycles, it is therefore appropriate that they understand the merits of fulfilling this obligation at the end of the first semester at the latest, in accordance with the terms that can contribute to accelerating the endorsement/approval process with a view to receiving endorsed diplomas within a reasonable timeframe. The funds collected, which constitute a catalyst in this matter, must, within the regular timeframes (month, quarter), be the subject of the necessary transfers for the proper and rapid processing of the finalists' files. It is understood that the finalists' files as well as the traditionally required academic documents must have been prepared and possibly transmitted to the endorsement/approval committee.
• The funds generated by the endorsement/approval of diplomas are to be distributed according to the distribution key determined by the Supervisory Authority.
• Disputed or unforeseen cases arising from the ratification/approval of diplomas will be subject to arrangements between the Institutions and the office of the ratification/approval committee. However, for diplomas ratified without prior payment of the ratification/approval fees, the amount to be paid is the amount in effect on the day the diplomas are collected. Diplomas from previous years not yet submitted for ratification/approval will be subject, where appropriate, to case-by-case processing at the request of the interested beneficiaries who will contact their respective Institutions.

5. OF THE APPROVAL/HOMOLOGATION COMMISSION

Article 1^er : The Diploma Endorsement/Approval Commission is composed of:

1. President :

The Secretary General for Higher and University Education;

2. Secretaries:

1^erSecretary responsible for Public Education: the Director of Academic Services;

2^thSecretary responsible for Private Education: the Director of Private Higher Education;

3. Assistant Secretaries:

• A Head of Division of the Academic Services Directorate;
• A Head of Division of the Directorate of Private Education;

4. Members:

• An Academic Advisor in the Office of the Minister responsible for Higher and University Education;
• An Academic Advisor to the Minister responsible for Private Higher and University Education;
• The Secretary of the Standing Committee on Studies;
• The Permanent Secretary of the Board of Governors of Universities;
• The Permanent Secretary of the Board of Directors of Higher Pedagogical Institutes;
• The Permanent Secretary of the Board of Directors of Higher Technical Institutes;
• The Advisor responsible for programs of the Standing Committee on Studies;
• The Heads of Divisions having the approval/approval in their responsibilities within the aforementioned Directorates.

Article 2: The commission may invite any person as an expert when the type of diploma submitted for examination for approval/approval falls within its specialty.

Article 3: The meetings of the Commission are chaired by the Secretary General for Higher Education and Universities, President of the said Commission or, in his absence, by one of the Secretaries of the Commission.

Article 4: The Endorsement/Approval Commission meets at least once a week on a fixed day and at fixed times.

Article 5: The members of the Approval/Approval Commission may be responsible for carrying out missions related to its purpose within Higher Education and University Establishments.

Article 6: The members of the Diploma Endorsement/Approval Commission and the technical office each receive a fixed allowance, the rate of which is set by the Minister of Higher and University Education.

Article 7: The withdrawal of an approved diploma is subject to prior payment of the related fees, the amount of which is set by Ministerial decree.

6. ON THE PROHIBITION OF CERTIFICATES IN LIEU OF DIPLOMAS

               By law, universities and higher education institutions are fundamentally tasked with training executives for the development of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Upon completion of this training, the relevant institutions are required to award them diplomas.

         Several Academic Instructions and circulars have been issued by the Supervisory Authority for this purpose. These include academic instructions relating respectively to the academic work schedule and the confirmation of diplomas.

               However, it is clear that Higher Education and University Establishments do not regularly fulfill this obligation, which requires not only the preparation of academic documents such as lists of registered students, awards, academic reports, but also the completion of certain operations such as printing, drafting and transmission to the hierarchy of diplomas for ratification or approval.

               Many Management Committees shirk this requirement by improperly awarding certificates of achievement in lieu of diplomas. And at the end of the year, during the academic degree conferral ceremony, they do not hesitate to hand their graduates blank sheets of paper in lieu of parchments.

               To put an end to this practice, which does not give excessive credibility to Higher and University Education and which is the source of the uncontrolled circulation of several false academic documents, the Management Committees of Public and Private Universities and Higher Institutes must:

• Stop printing and issuing certificates in lieu of diplomas;
• Award the approved or approved diplomas to the graduates each year, ideally during the academic degree conferral.

               To do this, the Secretary General for Higher and University Education, President of the Diploma Approval Commission, on the one hand, and the Heads of Establishments on the other hand, are each instructed as far as they are concerned:

• To take the necessary steps to recover in good time from the finalists the fees required for the endorsement or approval with a view, among other things, to ensuring the printing of the diplomas at the Mint of the Central Bank of Congo, through the competent services of the Central Administration;
• To also carry out as soon as possible the schooling checks of the finalists and, on occasion;
• To ensure that course programs are properly executed.

The prestige and quality of our education depend on it.