Addis Ababa, Ethiopia — The Ethiopian government has passed a new law banning people with honorary doctorates from calling themselves “Doctor” outside of the universities that awarded them.
Honorary doctorates are special academic awards given to people (living or deceased) who have made outstanding contributions in their profession or to society. Unlike academic PhDs, recipients do not complete coursework or research to earn them.
The new directive was signed in July 2025 by Berhanu Nega, Ethiopia’s Minister of Education.
What the New Law Says
Title Restriction: Holders of honorary doctorates cannot use the title “Doctor” in public or professional settings outside the awarding institution.
Political Figures Banned: Serving government officials and political candidates can no longer be nominated for honorary doctorates.
University Standards: Only established universities that have graduated at least eight cohorts of students and offer advanced degrees like PhDs can confer honorary doctorates.
Eligibility Limits: Full-time employees, senate members, or administrators of a university cannot be nominated unless they have formally ended their employment with the institution.
Quality Check: Universities must meet both national and international standards before they can award honorary doctorates.
Why the Change?
The move is aimed at upholding the value of academic titles and preventing misuse of honorary degrees, especially in politics and public life.
Similar Moves in Ghana
Ethiopia is not alone. In June 2025, the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) also banned people from publicly using honorary doctorate or professorship titles. Ghana warned that politicians, business people, and religious leaders who flout the rule risk being named, shamed, and taken to court.
Reactions
While some welcome the Ethiopian directive as a way to protect academic integrity, critics argue that it may reduce the symbolic value of honorary awards.
For now, the message is clear: in Ethiopia, unless you earned a doctorate through study and research, you cannot go by “Dr.” in public.
