Honorary titles not important – expert

Wed, 31 May 2017 13:12:43 +0000

By LINDA SOKO TEMBO

PEOPLE with honorary qualifications should not force the public to address them by titles that have not been earned.

Zambia Qualification Authority (ZAQA) Director and Chief Executive Officer Mirriam M.A Chiyaba said the honorary degree and professorship, would only merit title if one has earned it academically.

Speaking at a briefing Mrs Chiyaba explained that a qualification in the context of the Zambia qualification framework was an award granted for successful completion of a programme of study. She emphasised that it is the formal outcome of an assessment and validation process which is obtained when a competent body determines that an individual has achieved pre- determined learning outcomes to pre-determined standards.

“(To the honor) is conferred as a way of honouring individuals for their outstanding contributions to a specific field or to society”, she said.

She said honorary degrees do not require a programme of study with defined learning outcome or set standards and such degrees cannot be designated as qualification but as honours.

Mrs. Chiyaba said in this regard that (ZAQA) shall not recognise the honorary degree placed on any level of the Zambia qualifications frameworks.

She also explained that a professor is a lecturer of the highest academic rank in a department of a university or university collage.

“In the case of professorship, there is no universal set of standards set of standards or programme of study and hence it is not a qualification but an appointment”, she said.

Mrs Chiyaba said ZAQA wishes to state the professorship is not a qualification but an academic rank conferred by a competent awarding body.

And that it will not be registered and accredited on any level of the Zambia Qualification Framework.

“One of the roles of the authority is to verify and evaluate the qualification that are offered as indicated, the honouring doctorate is an honor that has been
given by an institution however that institution must be competent”, she said.

She said as an authority they will engage various individuals in society, by visiting them so that they can determine which institution have awarded them with honorary degrees and in what categories.

Mrs. Chiyaba urged the media houses to help ZAQA distinguish between earned degree and honorary degree to the public by writing whatever the title Dr. should be used in the case of honorary doctorate the abbreviation “h.c.” (Honoris causa) and that if the recipient insists to be called Dr. “Honorary Degree” should be added in full against his or her name.