The National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) has issued a firm public warning against the growing misuse of honorary doctorate titles, citing concerns over individuals misrepresenting themselves to gain academic and professional recognition.
According to the NCHE, honorary degrees—known as honoris causa—are purely ceremonial and should not be equated with earned academic qualifications.
In a recent press release, NCHE Chairperson Prof. Joy C. Kwesiga emphasized that while honorary degrees recognize exceptional public service or philanthropy, they do not confer academic or professional standing.
“An honorary award (Honoris Causa) is not an academic credential and must not be used for academic or professional purposes,” Prof. Kwesiga stated.
She warned that individuals who present themselves as academic doctors based solely on honorary degrees are misleading the public and undermining the integrity of Uganda’s higher education system.
To curb this misuse, the NCHE has introduced mandatory nomenclature guidelines. Recipients of honorary degrees must explicitly indicate the honorary nature of the award by including the designation “(Hon. Causa)” in any written or spoken reference—for example, Daniel Musheke, LLD (Hon. Causa) or Agnes Tumusiime, DSc (Hon. Causa).
The Council stressed that under no circumstances should recipients of honorary degrees be addressed as “Doctor” or use the suffix “PhD.” Academics, media professionals, and the public are urged to avoid using such titles when referring to honorary degree holders.
“Members of academia, the public, and the media should NOT address a recipient of an honorary degree, either orally or in writing, as ‘Doctor,’” Prof. Kwesiga reiterated.
In Uganda, only public universities, public degree-awarding institutions, private chartered universities, and accredited private institutions are authorized to confer honorary doctorates. Any foreign honorary degree must be formally recognized by the NCHE before being acknowledged as valid in Uganda.
The Council further stipulated that honorary degrees should only be awarded to individuals with prior academic qualifications and a proven record of national service or leadership. Institutions must ensure their criteria for conferring such awards align with national education goals.
According to NCHE, valid honorary doctorates fall into only three categories:
- Doctor of Laws (LLD) – for eminent public service or leadership
- Doctor of Letters (DLitt) – for distinguished contributions to the arts and humanities
- Doctor of Science (DSc) – for outstanding achievements in science and technical fields
The Council made it clear that the “PhD” designation must not be used in association with any honorary award.
This directive follows a rise in cases where individuals have adopted the “Dr” title after receiving honorary degrees—often from unaccredited or obscure institutions, both locally and abroad.
NCHE reminded the public that it is mandated under the Universities and Other Tertiary Institutions Act, Cap 262 to regulate, equate, and validate all academic and professional qualifications in Uganda. Non-compliance with its guidelines may result in reputational damage to institutions and sanctions against individuals who mislead the public.
“We urge all higher education stakeholders and the general public to uphold these standards,” Prof. Kwesiga said. “The misuse of honorary titles threatens the credibility of Uganda’s academic system.”