Court orders institution to withdraw honorary doctorates

The High Court in Zimbabwe has directed the withdrawal of all honorary degrees conferred mostly on government officials and business people by a private institution following a lawsuit initiated by the Zimbabwe Council for Higher Education (ZIMCHE).

The council, which was established to regulate teaching standards, examinations, academic qualifications and research in higher education institutions, initially ordered the International Institute of Philanthropy (IIP) to stop awarding honorary doctorates, saying it was in violation of the law as the institution was not registered and accredited with the council.

It also ordered the organisation to publicly withdraw all awarded degrees and inform recipients accordingly. In terms of Section 10 of the Zimbabwe Council for Higher Education Act, all degree-awarding institutions in Zimbabwe must be registered with the council.

However, the IIP, which has honoured government ministers and business people, defied the order, saying the Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters it was issuing was an award, and not a qualification.

It said its honorary doctorates were awarded in recognition of recipients’ significant contributions to humanity and philanthropy.

The IIP also insisted that ZIMCHE had no jurisdiction over matters related to the institution as its degree is an honorary title meant to show respect and appreciation amounting to a non-academic honour.

Court action

The matter then spilled into court, with ZIMCHE arguing that the IIP is undermining the credibility of the higher education system in the country.

ZIMCHE also sought a court order stopping members of the public from using titles awarded by the unregistered institution.

In an interview with University World News, ZIMCHE CEO Professor Kuzvinetsa Dzvimbo said his council had won the matter in court to stop the IIP from issuing honorary degrees.

He said his council is carrying out investigations to establish whether there were any other institutions issuing honorary degrees illegally in Zimbabwe.

A public notice issued on 14 November by ZIMCHE said the high court had directed the IIP to publicly revoke all previously awarded honorary degrees – but, it has not done so.

The council said it was declaring all degrees issued by the institution null and void.

“While ZIMCHE may not possess a comprehensive list of all recipients of these awards, known recipients will be notified individually.

“However, this notice extends to all recipients of these degrees, who are hereby advised to cease using the awarded honorary degrees. Continued use may result in ZIMCHE initiating legal action,” the council said in a statement.

“ZIMCHE will not hesitate to institute both criminal and civil actions to ensure compliance with the laws governing higher education.”

ZIMCHE has also said all registered and accredited degree-awarding institutions in Zimbabwe are available on its website.

‘Essential’ to address fake degree problem

Engineer Jacob Kudzayi Mutisi, the former chairman of the Zimbabwe Institution of Engineers (ZIE), told University World News the prevalence of fake academic qualifications in Zimbabwe is a pressing issue that continues to undermine public trust in government and institutions.

He said many officials are operating under fraudulent credentials, which raises serious questions about their competence.

Mutisi said the absence of a reliable qualification verification system in Zimbabwe has allowed this misconduct to flourish.

“ZIE developed a verification system through its ICT division, aimed at addressing the rampant issue of fake qualifications. However, the rollout has faced significant resistance,” he noted.

“Many individuals who were supposed to endorse the system were, themselves, found to have falsified qualifications, creating a conflict of interest that stalled its implementation.

“Recent audits have revealed that numerous senior managers across various sectors possess fake qualifications, further highlighting the urgent need for reform. If a thorough verification process were implemented to check the credentials of all government and council officials, it is likely that only a handful would pass the scrutiny,” he said.

He added that dealing with the crisis of fake qualifications is essential for restoring integrity and accountability in Zimbabwean higher education governance. A robust verification system would not only improve the quality of leadership, but also enhance public confidence in institutions.

“A reliable qualification verification system hinges on collaboration among various stakeholders, adherence to standardised processes and the integration of technology to ensure efficiency, accuracy and security. Regular audits and user feedback are essential for continuous improvement,” he said.