Remembrance: This article is dedicated to or is in Memory of the late Dr. Prosper Yao Tsikata. May he continue to RIPPP! The issues of fake master’s, and doctorate degrees, fake Professorship tittles, honorary doctorate titles and the awarding (rather purchasing) of degrees from unaccredited or diploma mill institutions have once again reared their ugly heads.
The Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC), formally known as the National Accreditation Board (NAB), has recently revisited the issues of fake degrees, especially master’s and doctorate degrees from diploma mills or unaccredited institutions, as well as the inappropriate use of honorary degrees and Professorships, and is showing some teeth. In that regard, we would like to re-enter the discussions and share a few thoughts with the general public.
It is on record that Dr. Prosper Tsikata and Dr. A. Kobla Dotse conducted an investigation and submitted a report to NAB, but we were disappointed with the handling of the issues. Given the seriousness of the issue, one critical question arises: why not simply make it a criminal offence to use the title “Dr.” when it is an honorary degree? Another, less effective solution would be to allow such individuals to use the title “Dr. (Honorary)” and only in writing or “Dr. h.c.”, as is done elsewhere.
They should not be addressed as “Dr.” in speech. Moreover, abbreviated forms like “Dr. (Hon)” or similar should not be permitted either. Again, such titles should appear only in writing, and not to in verbal address. It is unfortunate that many of these individuals insist on being addressed and celebrated as “Dr.” despite not having earned the title academically.
Support for this credentialing practice comes from real-life conventions. The most common abbreviation for an honorary doctorate is “h.c.” or “hon. c.”, derived from the Latin phrase “honoris causa”, meaning “for the sake of honour”. Another acceptable abbreviation is “Dr. h.c.” or “Dr. (h.c.),” which combines the honorary status with the title “Doctor”.
Here is a more detailed breakdown:
“h.c.” or “hon. c.” – These abbreviations are placed after the degree name to indicate it is an honorary degree. For example, “LL.D. (h.c.)” representing an honorary Doctor of Laws. “Dr. h.c.” – This abbreviation is used to indicate that the individual has been awarded an honorary doctorate and may be addressed as “Doctor” in certain contexts, such as within the awarding institution or in correspondence specifically related to the degree.
“Dr. (h.c.)” – This is a variation of the previous abbreviation, sometimes used to indicate that the title “Dr.” is associated with an honorary degree.
“Hon. D.A.”, “Hon. D.F.A.”, etc. – Some institutions use a prefix such as “Hon.” to denote an honorary degree. For example, “Hon. D.A.” stands for an honorary Doctor of Arts.
It is important to note that while recipients of honorary doctorates may be addressed as “Doctor” within the awarding institution or in contexts directly related to the honorary degree, it is generally inappropriate to use the title “Doctor” in broader professional or academic settings unless the individual also holds an earned doctorate.
The primary distinction between an earned doctorate (such as a PhD) and an honorary doctorate lies in how they are acquired. An earned doctorate signifies the completion of rigorous academic study and original research, while an honorary doctorate is symbolic recognition of significant contributions to society, the arts, public service, or a specific professional field, often outside of formal academic scholarship.
Earned Doctorate (e.g., PhD):
Requirements: Completion of a structured doctoral program that includes advance coursework, original research, the writing of a dissertation, and typically a public defense of the dissertation.
Purpose: Demonstrates expertise and advanced knowledge in a specific academic field.
Significance: A requirement for career advancement in academia, research, and highly specialized fields. It validates the holder’s academic rigour and subject mastery.
Honorary Doctorate:
Requirements: Not based on academic achievement – coursework or research. Instead, it is awarded in recognition of outstanding contributions to society, a professional field, or a specific institution.
Purpose: Serves as a symbolic acknowledgement of exceptional achievements and contributions in areas such as public service, arts, leadership, or philanthropy.
Significance: Whilst it is prestigious, an honorary doctorate does not carry the academic weight of an earned doctorate and is not typically valid for academic or professional advancement.
Use of Title: Individuals with honorary doctorates may use the title “Dr.” in written form only, and even then, with a clear indication that it is honorary (e.g. Dr. (h.c) or Dr. h.c. ). It should not be used in formal academic or professional settings as if it were earned.
In essence, an earned doctorate validates academic and research prowess, while an honorary doctorate recognizes significant societal or institutional impact (as explained by MCM Academy).
Professorship
The title Professor (Prof.) should only be used by those who have been formally conferred with the rank of Full Professor, not just simply because they are engaged in “teaching”. Teaching, itself, can occur at any level and does not qualify an individual for the title. Besides, teaching is only one of several criteria required for promotion to full Professorship. Part-time teaching of a course, in particular, does not warrant the use of the title.
A solid track record of scholarship, professional achievements, and recognition as a subject matter expert (SME) in the relevant field are among the most important qualifications for becoming a full Professor – not merely teaching.
A professor is an academic at a college or university, typically holding the highest rank among the teaching faculty. They are experts in their field, actively involved in research, teaching, and mentorship of students. The term “professor” also refers to a specific academic rank, usually the most senior within the academic hierarchy.
Role and Responsibilities
Teaching: Professors teach undergraduate and graduate courses, develop curriculum, and mentor students.
Research: They conduct original research, publish their findings in academic journals, and contribute to the advancement of knowledge in their field.
Mentorship: Professors guide and advise students, supporting their academic and professional development.
Service: They often serve on university committees, participate in academic conferences, and contribute to the broader university community.
Academic Rank
In many institutions, “professor” is the highest academic rank for a faculty member, above positions such as lecturer or instructor.
Within the professorial ranks, there are further distinctions:
• Assistant Professor
• Associate Professor
• Full Professor (the most senior position).
In Ghana we have the following professional ranks:
• Lecturer
• Senior Lecturer
• Associate Professor
• Full Professor (the most senior position)
Some professors may also hold honorary or special titles, such as “Distinguished Professor” or “Endowed Professor,” in recognition of exceptional academic achievements and contributions to their discipline.
Types of Professors:
Tenure-track Professors: Hold permanent positions at the institution where they are employed.
Adjunct Professors: Part-time professors who teach on a contractual basis.
Visiting Professors: Hold temporary teaching and research positions at a host institution.
Clinical Professors: Educators who teach students in a clinical setting, often in professional programs such as medicine, nursing, or law. In essence, a professor is a highly knowledgeable and experienced academic who plays a crucial role in higher education by teaching, conducting research, and mentoring the next generation of scholars and professionals.
It is important to clarify that, a teacher, instructor, tutor, lecturer, or even senior lecturer is not equivalent to a Professor. A Professorship encompasses far more than teaching alone. Unfortunately, the title “Professor” is increasingly abused even in the developed countries such as the US, where Assistant and Associate Professors are referred to simply as “Professor” without distinction. In Ghana, verbally, we observe that an Associate Professor is referred to as “Professor”. The distinction is however made when it is written – Associate Prof.
Lastly, a Professor Emeritus is not merely a “retired” Full Professor. The title is a prestigious honour, conferred upon extraordinarily accomplished Professors, often, those who have held Distinguished Professorships or Endowed Chairs. Emeritus Professors retain their title for life, along with the rights, privileges and academic status associated with a full Professorship at the awarding institution.
Consequences and Previous Efforts
If Ghana allows corruption to creep, infiltrate and control academic, scientific and scholarly achievements, our ability to build a merit-driven society will be severely compromised – if not entirely lost.
In 2016, even the Ghana Embassy in Washington, DC USA, the two Ministers of Education (under both the NDC and NPP administrations), NAB, now GTEC, UTAG, NMC, NEC, and other key stakeholders were petitioned, but to no avail. Unfortunately they all looked the other way.
Today, many individuals holding dubious online doctorates, who have never stepped foot in a graduate school, are found on the teaching faculties of universities across Ghana. It is therefore no surprise that some of these institutions are producing semi-literate graduates.
However, from recent GTEC posts circulating on social media, it appears that the current authorities are making efforts to address these deeply rooted issues in Ghana. We wholeheartedly approve, support and commend their renewed commitment and efforts to crack the whip and restore credibility in higher education. Kudos to GTEC.
GTEC’s efforts to sanitise the system should also be integrated into President John Dramani Mahama’s broader reset agenda for our dear mother Ghana as well.
Accrediting agencies, many of which have existed for over a century, should ensure that colleges and universities meet standards of quality by evaluating all aspects of their operations, including finances, governance, and student outcomes.
Without an accreditor’s seal of approval, institutions are ineligible for government backed student education loans and grants, which are the lifeblood of many schools. Unfortunately, the previous leadership of NAB woefully failed in fulfilling its critical role of ensuring academic quality, regulating unaccredited institutions, and curbing the misuse of fake and honorary doctorate degrees.
Accreditation boards are also responsible for verifying the academic qualifications of institutions they accredit to protect institutional integrity.
For instance:
• An institution may only offer degrees if its faculty members hold at least a Master’s degree in their respective fields.
• Only faculty with earned doctoral degrees should teach in graduate programs.
• Institutions are expected to offer programs aligned with the credentials of their teaching staff, as stipulated by accrediting bodies.
In Ghana, the accreditation of both institutions and academic programs is still relatively new, which has resulted in a lack of standardization. The Ghanaian system currently serves as a hybrid between the British and American models, but greater clarity, enforcement and reform are needed.
Recommendations
Individuals using fake master’s degrees, doctorate degrees or honorary doctorates inappropriately should be penalized. However, in Ghana, it often boils down to the question: “Who will bell the cat?” This is because the responsible institutions have consistently failed in their duties. Alarmingly, some of the very custodians of the law are also perpetrators of these same and similar crimes.
This problem spans across sectors – politicians, civil servants, national security agents, media practitioners, clergy or religious leaders, chiefs or traditional rulers, tertiary institutions “professors”, business leaders, and more. Some readers may recall the investigative research dossier, exposes, and several published articles on these matters which include lists of institutions and individuals involved.
We strongly recommend that GTEC, along with all relevant institutions and stakeholders, conduct a comprehensive review of all university faculty and staff, and all government employees, politicians and public officials, especially those holding degrees at levels of master’s and above.
Colleges of education and nursing training colleges that are currently offering bachelor’s degree programs should have faculty promotion requirements that include research and publications, just as is required in the universities.
Additionally, rewards should be provided to whistleblowers who expose individuals holding fake academic credentials. It must also be clearly stated that honorary academic titles, such as Dr. or Prof., cannot and should not be used as earned titles.
The enforcement of these policies should not rely solely on external bodies. Hiring agencies must take primary responsibility for verifying any academic qualifications through submitted transcripts and authentic certificates. These hiring agencies should therefore be held responsible if they fail to do due diligence.
We further propose that online degrees be clearly identified using qualifiers, for example Dr. (ON). Another strong disincentive would be to criminalize the use of fake academic titles, with offenders facing mandatory jail time. Earned degrees and academic titles should be conferred by accredited academic institutions and not granted on the basis of professional, business, association, organizational, societal, or other non-academic activities.
To address misuse of unearned degrees and academic titles, we suggest a parliamentary review of the Higher Education Act, aimed at standardizing academic rankings across all institutions and faculties. Additionally, the press should undertake thorough investigations prior to calling out people for holding unearned qualifications, as the current approach has proven largely ineffective and unfruitful.
One of the most common abuses of academic titles is the inappropriate use of “Professor” by Lecturer/Senior Lecturers and Assistant/Associate Professors. In many universities, the term “professor” is loosely referred to anyone teaching at the college or university level, regardless of academic rank. This tradition, while widespread, does not make the practice acceptable. The only generally accepted exception is when the instructors refer to themselves as such.
In the US, standard academic ranks include: Instructor, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, and Professor (Full Professor).
For example, many of my former university students still loosely refer to me as “Prof” because I lectured them in Chemistry at various institutions, including:
• Kwame Nkrumah University of Science Technology (KNUST, formerly University of Science and Technology), Ghana
• Kings College London, University of London, United Kingdom
• The University of British Columbia, Canada
• Georgia Institute of Technology, USA
• University of West Virginia, USA
However, this does not mean I hold the terminal academic rank of a full professor, and as such, I would never refer to myself as “Professor”. A student may refer to me informally as their “Professor of Chemistry,” but that remains a student’s designation, not an official title.
Ultimately, it is only through strict penalties including, heavy fines and jail terms that we can curb these practices of academic fraud, credential misrepresentation, dishonesty, and notoriety.
A. Kobla Dotse, B.Sc. (Hons) KNUST (Ghana), M.Sc. Kings College U of L (UK), M.S. UBC (Canada), Ph.D. Georgia Tech (USA)
Former Academic and currently Technical Director, R&D Leadership and Management
Contact: dotse@earthlink.net
