Online Reporter
Simbarashe Murima,Correspondent
In today’s world, university education remains a potent cornerstone of personal and societal growth.
However, some people have developed a fad of “obsession” with holding the title of “Dr”. They are either enamoured of the title to elevate their social standing or seek approbation and status in their inner selves.
Concerns have recently surfaced regarding the possible misuse and abuse of honorary titles, which can result in exploitation and distrust from the public since many individuals are unable to distinguish between an honorary doctorate and an academic doctorate.
Latterly, Ghana’s Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) piqued my attention because of the ban on the use of honorary doctorate and professorial titles by its citizens, putting an end to the prevalent adoption of elevations, particularly among its public servants to provide clarity on their purpose and dissuade deceitful individuals without academic credentials from misleading the public.
I subsequently stand to determine and examine the subject of honorary degrees in this article, primarily doctorates and professorial honours.
In addition to proffering limpidity, there is a crucial difference between an honorary doctorate and a PhD degree.
An honorary doctorate is awarded Honoris Causa, meaning “for the sake of honour”, in Latin.
It is the highest academic award that is conferred by a “registered and accredited” institution, such as the University of Zimbabwe, the University of Johannesburg, or the University of Namibia, for example.
This degree is awarded to an individual who has made significant contributions to the cultural, scientific, and/or social development of the country and the entire world.
But it does not carry the same legal educational weight as a PhD, which is the pinnacle of academic achievement.
A PhD, or Doctor of Philosophy, is a terminal academic degree that requires completion of the stipulated years of study, writing a thesis, conducting research, analysing data, and formulating solutions to the problem under study, among other requirements.
Unlike honorary doctorates, which are honours rather than degrees acquired through study, PhDs validate expertise in a specific field of study.
In essence, an honorary doctorate is not a PhD degree.
Thus, in my opinion, it is duplicitous to call yourself “Dr.” in public when you haven’t completed a PhD.
Instead of using the title “Dr.”, an honorary doctorate recipient should only use the title “doctor” in correspondence from the university that bestowed the honorary degree.
In contrast to PhDs, which demand comprehensive scholarly investigation, original research, and academic rigour, honorary doctoral degrees symbolise exceptional individual accomplishments, contributions, and societal service.
Notably, honorary doctorates are often awarded by universities worldwide to individuals who have significantly contributed to an industry or the community in its entirety.
The accomplishments and influence they have had on society and their industry are therefore amply demonstrated by this.
Honorary doctorates, on the other hand, regrettably do not inherently transfer teaching capacities to a university.
Also, when an honorary doctorate recipient’s conduct or activities go against the institution’s reputation or ideals, the university has the power to revoke the award.
Moreover, the honouree may be awarded multiple honours, often from different universities, but never from the same university.
To protect the authenticity and integrity of academic doctoral qualifications, they should advocate for robust government policies that ensure the legitimacy of the hard-earned degrees.
To uphold the integrity and legitimacy of academic doctoral degrees, it is necessary to ensure the validity of the degrees obtained.
It must be acknowledged that honorary degrees are symbolic, and real awards are conferred by universities to recipients as a testament to their accomplishments, influence, and leadership.
