Fake award of professorship title in Zambian Universities

1. Larry for the first time I concur with you. Please also question the doctorate awarded to one Godfrey Bwalya Mwamba because very soon he’ll become a professor.

   • I have said this before as well. I agree with Larry today, am also a guest lecturer at Community Colleges, these old guys I work with are hard-core education, and never go about Dr Dr Dr.
     Zambian outbreak of fake universities has turned UNZA into a junk yard.

   • This is the problem with Zambia.. every standard is now so low… the country even has a present who know one knowns which primary school he went to or even know anyone who was in primary school with him. Worse still no one even knows his parents….

     How can someone just appear from no where….

     Came on…. Zambia is better than this

   • Larry, it depends on whether you are talking about the British or European and American systems. The two are very different. Just like our politics, we get confused between the two. We have a President and Legislature which is expected to be American but behaves like the British monarchy.

2. I doubt that professorships are being awarded without merit. It must be possible to petition for a review of a professorship built on academic corruption. The criteria for promotion to professorship is open and transparent. It includes Teaching; Research; and Outreach. Others would add Leadership. Under teaching, the issue of duration is also critical. Teaching experience must be substantial, at least 10 years from first teaching appointment depending on the case under consideration. Lecturers joining academia from industry or public service may gain some notches or one level but usually duration is proof of engagement. Research is measured by participation in research projects, presentation of scientific or scholarly papers and publication of research findings in reputable journals or…

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   • Ba Makasa ikaleni fye.
     Even KK, Nkandu Luo etc have said to stop these rubbish.
     I never being to UNZA, am college educated, with college degrees, but I have read at least 10 PhD papers for UNZA graduates, it’s demoralizing to say the list.
     Even Cosmo Mumba is Dr. Cosmo.
     I think divinity has only remained in Zambia Army.

3. Research is measured by participation in research projects, presentation of scientific or scholarly papers and regional and international conferences and the publication of research findings in reputable journals or publishing houses. Outreach involves active involvement in community life, including private and public professional associations, charities and government bodies.

4. Sounds like its targeted at Lubinda Habazoka……nice write up though

5. The most controversial professorship that I can recall was the one awarded to Russian trained microbiologist Nkandu Luo because she lobbied so hard for it especially after her Tasinta Program. Most professors in medical circles that I know were not awarded locally, so who are you talking about? Definitely not Lupando Munkonge or Kasonde Bowa. I don’t know about other disciplines

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6. I know Larry as many Zambians think, if an individual didn’t go to the same school with him that individual is not educated. Its time you came to terms with the truth Baba. Zambian education is one of punishment and we need to advocate for a change. A person in Zambia cannot go thru university without English and Maths which is pathetic and a sign that colonial education is still predominant.

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7. I wish things were like this. ….people giving sensible points not disparaging other people because of their belief. Everyone has found common ground on this subject.

8. Every University sets its own criteria for conferring one with professorship its not based on what we see on google

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9. Bati pa zed chabe a lot of rubbish shuwa like the requirement of a grade 12 certificate with blah blah blah in maths what and masters in ….. what for a Director position what the fcuk fo you want grade 12 for?

10. That bridge which has collapsed in Florida. …imagine if it’s in Zambia what accusations and innuendos. …

11. Larry,
    You need to do more research further on this subject. In some countries like where I was trained in the USA, anyone who meets the minimum entry for lecturing at a university is first appointed as associate professor. Then after experience, publications and research they are promoted to full professor. Mind you the title is acquired as academic promotion after assessing your works, and each university has its criteria though experience, publications, research and minimum every requirements are a common ground. Anyone with master’s degree and above can be appointed professor depending on their works. Check authors of a number of American books you will find authors are professors with master’s as highest qualification.
    Be careful as you generalise as fake, and if there is…

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    • Hey, point of correction: you don’t begin as Associate Professor in U.S. Here you begin with Assistant Professor not Associate! Being an Associate Professor comes in after those publications in top journals. On average, it takes at least about 5 years or so, of doing and publishing quality journal articles…

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12. I KNOW YOU ARE REFERRING TO NKANDU, ANYWHERE NKANDU DOES NOT EXHIBIT ANY PROFESSIONALISM. YOU CANT TELL IF NKANDU IS WHAT NKANDU CLAIMS TO BE. SEE, IT’S JUST ACTION SPEAKING LOUDER THAN WORDS. AIIEEE .

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13. Intellectual Arrogance comes in many forms and shapes. It is one of the emerging stumbling blocks to Academic and Professional Development in Developing Countries.
    It is not how many degrees one has acquired and from which Universities or Continent. It is the positive impact, Change, and motivation to achieve even more that ensue from ones Educational and Training pursuits, that ultimately counts.

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14. I do not know which UNZA Larry Mweetwa and other bloggers are referring to. Certainly, it is not the same UNZA I know. Let me clarify the academic progression at UNZA. First to be allowed to be a lecturer at UNZA, you have to have a minimum qualification of a Master’s degree. And this not just any MA; it must have the requirements of both course work and research with a transcript of results that is above board. If these requirements are met, you are appointed at Lecturer II level. If you have a PhD from a reputable and recognized university, you are appointed as Lecturer II.

    • Correction: “And this not just any MA; it must have the requirements of both course work and research with a transcript of results that is above board. If these requirements are met, you are appointed at Lecturer III level”

15. To progress to Lecturer I, one must have contributed significantly to research, teaching, and university and public service. Attainment of Senior Lectureship requires even stronger track record of research and teaching and, of course a PhD. The transition to Associate Professorship and full Professor requires even more stringent credentials. I personally know of academics at UNZA with qualifications from Ivy League and Oxbridge universities with more than 20 years of service at UNZA who are still just Senior Lecturers and not even Associate Professors. And I know of three Professors from UNLUS, CBU, and ZOU, who were downgraded to Senior Lecturers because they didn’t meet UNZA’s stringent promotion criteria. Let us for once be objective and fair to our public universities.

16. The story if course very different with our private universities. There are people with highly questionable academic credentials who have made quantum leaps into professorship. A typical example is Pinalo Chifwanakeni who, with a Master’s degree only and a Lecturer III position at CBU is not only Vice Chancellor at UNLUS but has suddenly catapulted himself into professorship. Eustarcio Kazonga was cabinet minister only yesterday but is now a professor at UNLUS. Patrick Kalifungwa has no teaching experience even at primary school and has no PhD but is, out of the blue, a professor and Vice Chancellor at LIUTBEM. None of these charlatans would qualify as academics at UNZA. So Larry and other misinformed bloggers here, please, leave UNZA out of this nonsense.

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17. I meant to say: “The story is course very different with our private universities.”

18. Larry Mweetwa…..

    Before you even finish yowa ka phd, you start underestimating our learned professors. It does not mean ngawaikala ku england ninshi wakwata amano. imwe ba guy was a ka student diploma student at evelyn hone college and when unza introduced a degree in pharmacy you enrolled as a mature. Surprisingly nomba you even have wits to start demeaning our professors. iyo kwena efilya balanda ati it is never always that ubuchushi bupela amano. And that you can never remove the village mentality out of a villager. Grow up for once and mind yowa business.

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19. Most comments have missed the point and quality and original contribution to knowledge. Mwindache Siamwiza is the most cited analytical chemist perhaps in Africa and was meritoriously awarded associate professorship in less than 5 years teaching and research. And so was Benjamin Mweene an authority in Algeria for original contribution to mathematics and the simple finite theory of Algeria. Thus showing leadership in one’s field is perhaps the most important criteria for the award of professorship. Sadly there may be a few bad eggs in a baskets as with all human endeavours.

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20. It’s not a necessary requirement to have a PhD to be a professor. Nor is publication in a popular journal a requirement, rather it’s just an advantage. However, I do concur that one needs a verifiable track record of achievements in their field e.g. an invention that is demonstrated is sufficient even if it is not published in any journal.

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