Higher education in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo is facing another disruption as the government has suspended academic activities at 11 public universities and higher education institutions in Goma and Bukavu.
The decision, contained in a ministerial order signed on August 20, applies to the 2026-27 academic year and remains in force until further notice. It covers five institutions in Goma and six in Bukavu, including the University of Goma and the Official University of Bukavu.
Students at the affected institutions will not be able to register or enroll, attend classes, take examinations or complete other procedures linked to the award of academic qualifications while the suspension remains in place. The government cited the deteriorating security situation in both cities and the need to protect students and staff.
Goma and Bukavu are currently under the control of the AFC/M23, which has established parallel administrative structures in areas it controls. The suspension follows moves by the group to appoint administrators at several higher education institutions in Goma, adding an institutional dimension to the broader dispute between M23 and the government in Kinshasa.
Kinshasa has also raised concerns over the validity and regularity of academic qualifications issued by institutions operating under the control of the rebel administration. The government says the suspension is intended in part to preserve the integrity of the national higher education system while the security situation remains unresolved.
For students in Goma and Bukavu, the decision creates uncertainty at the start of a new academic year. Universities in both cities serve as important centers of education and professional training for eastern Congo, where access to higher education has already been disrupted by years of conflict and displacement.
The move comes as fighting continues in parts of North and South Kivu despite ongoing diplomatic efforts to reduce hostilities. The latest weekly assessment by the Institute for the Study of War and the Critical Threats Project reported continued clashes between M23-linked forces and groups aligned with the Congolese government in South Kivu.
The suspension shows how the conflict is increasingly affecting institutions beyond the battlefield. For eastern Congo's universities, the immediate issue is no longer only whether campuses can operate safely, but also which authority can determine their academic administration and issue qualifications recognized by the national government.
