ISAM/MBMPublic institution · Higher Education
A public institute serving the creative trades.
A public institution of Higher and University Education, ISAM Mbujimayi trains arts and crafts professionals in the capital of Kasai-Oriental: higher-level technical and professional education, grounded in research.
- 2017Opening order
- 4LMD Bachelor's degrees
- 3Master's from 2026
- 2Sites in Mbujimayi
01Overview
Where knowledge meets know-how.
ISAM stands out for a rare combination: academic rigour, mastery of professional techniques, artistic creativity, scientific research and preparation for entrepreneurship.
As creative industries carry growing weight in the economy, the Institute trains professionals who can unite theory and practice, embrace technological change and serve the development of their community.
For Kasai-Oriental, garment making, fashion, beauty therapy, hospitality and communication are powerful levers: they broaden skills, enrich the range of services and give rise to new economic activity.
- Academic teaching
- Professional techniques
- Artistic creativity
- Scientific research
- Entrepreneurship
in 2026
02Message from the Director General
ISAM is a cradle of job creators.
Nine years after opening its doors, the Institute is reaching a historic milestone with the launch of its second cycle, the Master's degree. This decision fulfils a long-standing ambition: to offer our students a complete academic pathway and guide them towards excellence.
“Our ambition is to make the Public ISAM of Mbujimayi a true centre of excellence in arts and crafts, fashion, design, the textile industry, hospitality and public relations.”
The Director General encourages every student to aim high: “Work hard to win the excellence scholarship created by the Management Committee to reward creativity and innovation.”
03Mission & values
Train, research, innovate, contribute.
To become a leading institution in the DR Congo for creativity, technical training and the professionalisation of arts and crafts, open to contemporary design, digital design tools and artificial intelligence.
- 01
Train
Qualified managers and professionals in arts and crafts, combining scientific, technical, artistic and practical teaching.
- 02
Search
Produce knowledge that improves professional techniques, design methods and teaching.
- 03
Innovate
In fashion, clothing, beauty, hospitality, protocol and public relations.
- 04
Contribute
To socio-economic development through entrepreneurship, links with the professional world and the passing on of know-how.
Our values
- Academic excellence
- Creativity
- Scientific rigour
- Professional integrity
- Integrity
- Responsibility
- Innovation
- Respect for cultural diversity
- Service to the community
04History
A story stitched together, step by step.
From its first cutting and sewing classes to the opening of the Master's, the Institute has grown in step with the modernisation of Congolese higher education.
- 2017Creation
Official opening of the Public ISAM of Mbujimayi
A ministerial order establishes a higher institution specialising in arts and crafts in Kasai-Oriental.
Ministerial Order No. 025/MINESU/CABMIN/RST/MM/2017 - 2017–18First classes
Academic activities begin
The first courses cover cutting, sewing and pattern making.
- ThenGrowth
A broader range of programmes
The Institute expands into beauty therapy, then hospitality, protocol and public relations, and adapts its organisation to national requirements.
- 2022Reform
Nationwide roll-out of the LMD system
The decree organising the Bachelor's-Master's-Doctorate system structures training around skills, teaching units and employability.
Decree No. 22/39 of 8 December 2022 - 202430 March
The Institute's 7th anniversary
A joint celebration with International Women's Day: talks, discussions and a fashion show.
- 20262 April
Nine years of existence
Celebration at the Hôtel Métropole in the presence of the Head of State's spokesperson, with a talk on women's entrepreneurship and a student fashion show.
- 2026July
Launch of the Master's programme
Announcement, at the graduation ceremony, of three Master's specialisations from 2026-2027; 118 new Bachelor's graduates.
05Governance
The Management Committee and its teams.
ISAM follows the administrative organisation of public higher education institutions. The Management Committee, which currently has three members (the Director General, the Academic Secretary General and the Administrative Secretary General), runs the day-to-day life of the Institute.
Management Committee
Responsible for the day-to-day management of the Institute and for implementing the decisions of the Institute Council, the Board of Directors and the supervising Ministry. Each member reports to the Committee on the running of their area.
-
DG
Director General
Prof. Peter Ngala Ntumba Kabashadi
Professor · Head of the Institute
Oversees and coordinates all the Institute's activities and chairs the Management Committee.
Duties & services
Duties
- Ensures that the decisions of the Board of Directors, the Institute Council and the Management Committee are carried out.
- Chairs the Institute Council and the Management Committee; exercises the Committee's powers in an emergency.
- Ensures compliance with the Institute's statutes and regulations; holds disciplinary authority on campus.
- Opens and closes teaching and examination sessions; countersigns diplomas.
- Submits draft budget forecasts to the supervising authorities.
- Represents the Institute in all its official external relations and reports annually to the Board of Directors.
Attached services
-
SGAC
Academic Secretary General
Jean-Pierre Kayembe Meji, Senior Lecturer
Senior Lecturer (Chef de Travaux) · Member of the Management Committee
Oversees and coordinates academic activities and reports on them to the Head of the Institute.
Duties & services
Duties
- Monitors all academic activities day to day and writes a report on academic life every semester.
- Supervises enrolment and the monitoring of students' academic records.
- Assesses staffing needs for academic and scientific staff and organises recruitment.
- Checks that course programmes are delivered and that the academic calendar is respected.
- Oversees the organisation of examinations and internships and the preparation of results.
- Follows up on research and supervises the issuing of academic documents and diplomas.
- Ensures that the guidance and counselling unit is active.
Attached services
-
SGAD
Administrative Secretary General
Nadine Mpwekela Mutanda, Teaching Assistant
Teaching Assistant (Assistant 2) · Member of the Management Committee
Oversees and coordinates staff management, student services and the Institute's estate.
Duties & services
Duties
- Staff management: careers, pay, social affairs and health.
- Student services: scholarships, accommodation, sport, culture and leisure.
- Estate: upkeep and maintenance of buildings and grounds.
- As there is no Budget Administrator, also carries out that role: budget forecasts, day-to-day budget management, budget reports and annual inventories.
Attached services
Duties based on the Vade-mecum for managers of higher education institutions (CPE, 4th edition, 2020), pp. 13-20 and 265-268.
TeamsISAM staff
The women and men who make the Institute.
Classified according to the managers' Vade-mecum: academic staff (Professors), scientific staff (Senior Lecturers, Teaching Assistants, Professional Practice Instructors, Librarians) and administrative, technical and support staff (PATO).
Categories and grades: Vade-mecum for managers of higher education institutions (CPE, 2020), chap. II. Names, grades, roles and photos: ISAM Mbujimayi staff cards.
06Partners
Cooperation and openness.
ISAM builds ties with institutions, foundations, professional organisations and companies, bearing fruit in scholarships, internships, scientific exchanges and continuing education.
Businesses, workshops, hotels, institutions: would you like to host interns or co-organise an event? Contact ISAM
- Management & student records
Administrative Building
No. 83, Katanda Avenue, Dipumba, Dibindi, Mbujimayi
- Classes & workshops
Tuya Kumpala Campus
Lycée Tuya Kumpala, Cathédrale Avenue, Mbujimayi