THE Council on Higher Education (CHE) has urged the country’s public and private universities to be cautious when awarding honorary doctorates and professorships and avoid honouring persons holding public or political office.
The CHE has issued a good practice guide on honorary degrees and professorships following concerns about misuse of honorary degrees and professorships by recipients and the potential abuse of the practice despite higher education institutions’ good intentions for the awards.
“Honorary degrees are not normally awarded to serving politicians or government officials or anyone currently holding public or political office,” the council stated in the guide.
According to the CHE, exemptions from this practice might be allowed if an institution has clear justification and institutional policy allows for it under clearly expressed conditions.
The CHE is an independent statutory body responsible with the mandate to advise the minister of higher education and training, establishing and managing an external quality assurance system as well as quality control for the sector.
It added that most universities also consider current employees and affiliates to be ineligible to receive an honorary degree and several also exclude current members of council and anyone currently holding public or political office.
However, the CHE also noted that there have been reported cases of problematic practices and lack of clarity on criteria for award of honorary degrees, professorships and the use of the associated honorary titles.
“Most universities provide recipients of honorary professorships with information about how the title may be used. Universities are divided about whether honorary professors are permitted to use the title of ‘Professor’ in public and outside of the awarding university’s specific context,” the council explained.
As a result, many universities also confer other professorial titles including Distinguished or Senior Professor, Extraordinary Professor, Visiting Professor, Professor Emeritus, Professor of Practice and Adjunct Professor.
“Matters of concern have arisen where there are variations, inconsistencies, and lack of clarity in institutional policy and practice, and in national regulations relating to the conditions and the purpose for the award of an honorary degree or professorship,” the CHE said in the guide.
Such lack of clarity, the council warned, can create public dissatisfaction or distrust and can allow unscrupulous organisations or individuals to take advantage.
It urged higher education institutions to follow judicious and diligent checking of the background and track record or the nominated individual as well as their political, social and ethical conduct to ensure that they conform to the set criteria and those listed in universities’ policies.
“There are also concerns where honorary titles are seen to be awarded for commercial advantage, political leverage and/or institutional self-aggrandisement, leading to devaluing of universities and the degrees that they confer.
Another concern is that the honorary titles are excessively and inappropriately conferred,” the CHE stated, adding that there is general agreement that the awarding of honorary degrees can be problematic.
The CHE wants honorary degrees to be revoked if recipients are guilty of criminal misconduct or unethical behaviour, or unacceptable (in terms of the principles of awarding institution) social or political views.
In addition, there is a lack of assurance of standards, rigour and regulation, a lack of clear information, and in some cases, inconsistent and problematic use of titles.
The said a number of universities were largely unaware of any of the few existing guidelines or regulations regarding honorary degrees and professorships and expressed a need for the development of principles of good practice.
The CHE also established that most institutions appear to give minimal guidance to recipients on the use of honorary degrees and differ on whether recipients of honorary doctorates may use the title of ‘Doctor’ in public and outside of the awarding university’s specific context.
The council has told higher education institutions that honorary degree or professorship does not accord the awardee, who does not already possess an earned doctoral degree or an earned professorship, the right to use the title of "Dr., Prof. or Professor " in the broader community.
Honorary doctorate or professorship recipients should not insist nor expect to be referred to with the title “Dr.” or “Prof.” in a setting outside of university events or activities and should only be referred as such in correspondence with the awarding institution.
Earlier this year, former higher education and training minister Dr. Blade Nzimande warned the Trinity International Bible University to stop awarding honorary doctorates after honouring some of the country’s celebrities while not being a registered private higher education institution.
Several former Cabinet ministers and political party officials have also received honorary doctorates from some of public and private higher education institutions while still in office.
loyiso.sidimba@inl.co.za