By Tabora Bojang
The National Accreditation and Quality Assurance Authority, NAQAA, has issued a statement calling on all stakeholders and the public to refrain from referring to honourary degree holders as “Doctor” whether in writing, or speech.
The authority says the clarification is necessary to uphold the integrity of academic tittles and ensure consistency in their use within the country’s higher education system.
“An honourary degree is a ceremonial award and does not equate to an academic qualification. As such it must not be used for academic, professional or work related purposes,” the authority stated.
It went on to explain that honourary doctorates may only be conferred by recognised public or private universities and typically fall under three categories namely, Doctor of Laws (LLD), Doctor of Letters (DLitt) and Doctor of Science (DSc).
“The nomenclature for honourary degrees must clearly state the category and must not include the term PhD,” the authority added.
It advised that recipients must explicitly indicate that the award is honourary and it will be incorrect and misleading to present such titles as PhD or to use the prefix Dr.
“All honourary degrees obtained from foreign institutions must meet NAQAA’s standards before they can be recognised in The Gambia.
