Protecting the reputation of universities

SENIOR officials at universities are well aware of the sometimes dubious use of honorary doctorates.

Occasionally, unscrupulous individuals claim to have degrees and titles that they have not been awarded – both doctorates and honorary ones, says Sunway University vice-chancellor Prof Graeme Wilkinson.

“This is a worldwide problem. It is important for potential employers to be vigilant and check with the awarding institutions, if in any doubt about the credentials,” he says.

Dr Wilkinson says the university gives recognition to distinguished individuals who are able to inspire their students.

“Their association with our university may also encourage them to become our ambassadors. Nominations for such awards have to be approved both by our Academic Senate and by our board of directors,” he says.

Last year, Universiti Malaya issued a statement saying it never conferred any doctorate in entrepreneurship on a motivational speaker. Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia and Infrastructure University Kuala Lumpur also denied conferring any doctorates on the person.

Sunway Education Group senior executive director Elizabeth Lee describes honorary doctorates as the highest awards any university can confer.

“Usually the honoree would serve as a kind of shining beacon in his or her area of expertise, inspiring other students to rise as leaders in their own field,” she says.

Lee says universities should take pride in choosing their honorary doctorate recipients and not risk discrediting their standing by honouring someone who isn’t deemed worthy.

Taylor’s University deputy vice-chancellor Prof Dr Pradeep Nair, who is also the university’s honorary award committee chairman, says the stricter control will help prevent honorary doctorates from being misused.

“Recipients must have genuine achievements, proven track record and deserving of the award. If these are met, the tendency of them misusing the title is less, if not none.”

Dr Pradeep says the awarding university is expected to derive benefit by virtue of the association with the person in question by conferring the award to him or her.

“In the case of Taylor’s University, we select individuals who fulfil such requirements and have worked with us in some capacity in the past.

Observing that some Malaysians desire titles as a status symbol, Council of Federal Datuks Malaysia secretary-general Datuk Josephine Clement says it is also a combination of the need for the glamour associated with it and for vanity.

“But the question is, have they contributed to society to deserve such prestigious titles?

“Some receive titles at such a young age, leading others to question what he or she did to deserve such an honour,” she says, adding that this is more common with Datukships.

Josephine points out that the Government has passed two Acts to make it an offence to solicit for awards, sell fake awards and take advantage of an unrecognised award and such laws should be fully implemented.

The two laws are the Offences Relating to Awards Act and Emblem and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) Act.

“If you want something so badly, earn it. Work for it. Don’t buy it,” she says.

An academician, who wishes to be known only as Dr T, says honorary doctorates cannot be put on the same level as earned doctorates as awarding them serves a different purpose.

“Honorary doctorates are given as a gesture of appreciation to an individual. The awarding university in turn, benefits from being associated with such an individual,” he says.