Founding Institutions

ICART was established in 2013 by Panzi Foundation and the Evangelical University in Africa (UEA), with advisory support from the University of Michigan, to train local researchers in essential research skills, aiming to enhance the DRC’s research impact and foster transformative change.

2010

ICART was established in 2013 by Panzi Foundation and the Evangelical University in Africa (UEA), with advisory support from the University of Michigan, to train local researchers in essential research skills, aiming to enhance the DRC’s research impact and foster transformative change.

2011

In order for such an initiative to be successful, however, a local university with a strong mandate for research was sought to be a key partner. The Evangelical University in Africa was started in 1991. A new building for the Faculty of Medicine was built in 2011 located within walking distance of Panzi Hospital. Students from UEA train at Panzi Hospital and assist with research being conducted by UEA professors and academics from other local and international universities. With the mandates of both, Panzi Foundation and UEA, being to strengthen research capacity, it was decided that the research center would be a joint initiative between these two organizations. The University of Michigan was intended to serve in an advisory and technical support role, working closely with these two organizations to establish the research center, but ensuring ownership and governance as the responsibility of Panzi Foundation and UEA.

2013

ICART, born in 2013, was intended to conduct training programs, for local researchers, on research methods, human subjects research and ethics, data collection, management and analysis, scientific writing and presentations, and how to publish. This was sought to ensure that staff and faculty at Panzi Foundation, Panzi Hospital and UEA will learn the skills necessary to become strong voices and leaders in the international research community, addressing the needs and future direction of the DRC. They will use the knowledge gained from their research to inform more effective policies and programs, leading to greater overall change and development and a better quality of life of all Congolese.

Our Partner Institutions

Panzi Foundation

Courses cover research ethics, human subject research, data management, and scientific communication, preparing researchers to collect, analyze, and share critical findings effectively.

Panzi Hospital

Located in Bukavu, DRC, Panzi Hospital founded by 2018 Nobel Laureate Dr. Denis Mukwege, is renowned for its work with survivors of sexual violence. It offers specialized medical care for survivors and women with complex gynecological injuries while also serving as a general hospital for around a million people, addressing both health and social needs.

Evangelical University of Africa

Founded in 1991, UEA offers programs in fields like medicine and economics. Its medical faculty, launched in 2011, trains over 800 students, many collaborating with Panzi Hospital. UEA focuses on building research and practical skills, with professors who also work as physicians and partner on research projects with local and international experts.

Our Sponsors

ICART began with financial support from the University of Michigan. In 2020, after Michigan withdrew, the University of Montréal took over leadership, incorporating ICART into the Tumaini Project for health and rights research. Tumaini, funded by Global Affairs Canada, supports ICART’s mission by funding key staff and constructing a new facility for completion in 2025. One ongoing goal is to secure sustainable funding to ensure ICART’s long-term impact.

Administrative Bodies

The development of ICART is based on the collaboration between 3 partners: Pansy Foundation, Université Évangélique d’Afrique (UEA), and Université de Montréal (UdeM). Operation is represented by the following flowchart:

People Behind ICART

G. B. Cardière
The Board of Directors (BoD)
Sioban Harlow
The Board of Directors (BoD)
Denis Mukwege
The Board of Directors (BoD)
Marie Hatem
The Scientific Committee
Susanne Alldén
The Scientific Committee
Désiré Alumeti
The Scientific Committee
Esto Bahizire
The Scientific Committee
Marie Berg
The Scientific Committee
Olivier Bouchaud
The Scientific Committee
Etienne Carbonnel
The Scientific Committee
Olivier Nyakio
The Scientific Committee
Olivier Venderberg
The Scientific Committee

Support research that transform the lives of victims affected by conflict

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Coming Soon in 2025

This page is currently under construction and will be launched in 2025. We appreciate your patience and invite you to check back for updates.

Term of Project Application
Project Application Requirements for Use of the Panzi Database

All applications must provide sufficient detail to allow assessment of the project’s feasibility and relevance to Panzi and ICART. This includes data requested, research costs and professional merit.

A project’s request for access to Panzi Bank data must be detailed in a maximum of 10 pages. It must include:

  1. Project title;
  2. Research rationale: context, frame of reference, research questions (and hypotheses where relevant) and the project’s contribution to the scientific literature;
  3. Analytical approaches and proposed methodology, ethical considerations;
  4. Detailed requirements for data use:
  • Justification for using the Panzi data bank;
  • Data requirements;
  • Period covering the required data;
  • Complete and final list of required data and variables. This can be appended. Note that adding or modifying data after project approval requires the approval of the ICART Scientific Committee (may require additional costs).


Expected results:

  • Data cross-tabulation: List of variables involved; number of tables and their dimensions; Statistical summary to support analysis; 
  • For modeling: dependent and independent variables, type of modeling or regressions.
  • Applicable weighting for data, if relevant. Software(s) used. 
  • Anticipated project start and end dates;
  • Detailed budget and source of project funding;


Name and contact details of principal investigator and other investigators and staff. It is important to indicate which researcher(s) must have access to the data so that they can be granted an access account;

  • Appendix 1: If this is a student research project (1st, 2nd or 3rd cycle), include the supervisor’s letter of support. 
  • Appendix 2: CV (not included in the two (2) page protocol).
  • Appendix 3: Questionnaire (any other collection tool in the case of a project not using the Panzi banks).
  • Appendix 4: Consent form. 
  • Appendix 5: Knowledge transfer/application plan.


All research projects conducted at Panzi by international researchers must respect the following principles:

  • Partnerships must be developed with accomplished Congolese researchers or those in training;
  • Research projects must meet international and Congolese research standards. They must also obtain the approval of the local ethics committee, as required by Congolese law;
  • A data management agreement must be signed before the research begins. A copy of the final data resulting from the research, as well as the code book, must be shared with the relevant local institutions;
  • Congolese researchers, as well as Congolese researchers-in-training, will participate in the production of publications related to the project.