16/07/2026
ACADEMIC CRIMINALS HAVE NO PLACE IN HIGHER EDUCATION – HEA DG PROF. CHINSEMBU
LIVINGSTONE - The Higher Education Authority (HEA) has drawn a hard line against individuals who falsely call themselves professors, with Director-General Professor Kazhila C. Chinsembu labeling the practice as intellectual fraud that damages the credibility of Zambia’s higher learning institutions.
Addressing delegates yesterday at the official opening of a three-day Winter School Capacity Building Workshop for Higher Education Institutions held at Chrismar Hotel in Livingstone, Prof. Chinsembu said the sector can no longer treat title abuse as a minor issue.
The workshop, running from 15th to 17th July 2026 under the theme _“Strengthening higher education curriculum quality through quality assurance in the era of digital transformation and artificial intelligence,”_ is aimed at equipping HEIs with tools to improve curriculum standards and academic integrity.
In his keynote, Prof. Chinsembu was blunt about the scale of the problem.
“Let us call this what it is. Those who deliberately misrepresent themselves as professors are academic criminals. They commit intellectual fraud,” he said.
He emphasized that becoming a professor is not automatic and cannot be claimed for status. The title is earned through sustained scholarship, published research, years of teaching, and service to the academic community.
“The title of Professor is not a decoration to be worn at will. It is the highest academic rank, earned through years of scholarship, research, teaching and service,” Prof. Chinsembu stated.
The Director-General said the rise of fake professors continues to stain the higher education system. These individuals, he noted, appear in public and on institutional platforms as distinguished scholars without the qualifications, research record, or peer recognition required.
Beyond misleading the public, Prof. Chinsembu warned that such actions harm students, parents, employers and government institutions that rely on academic credentials to make decisions.
“When people claim expertise they do not possess, they pollute the knowledge environment. They lower standards and they diminish the value of degrees earned through sacrifice and genuine academic work,” he said.
He urged universities, colleges and other stakeholders to tighten systems for verifying qualifications, publicly expose those engaged in academic fraud, and ensure offenders face consequences.
“There is no place for academic criminals in higher education. We must protect the integrity of the professoriate and safeguard public trust in our institutions,” he added.
Prof. Chinsembu said Zambia’s higher education system must remain a space for real scholarship, especially as institutions embrace digital transformation and artificial intelligence. Upholding standards, he noted, is key to producing graduates who are competitive locally and globally.
The three-day workshop is expected to produce recommendations on curriculum quality assurance, digital learning, and measures to strengthen academic ethics across HEIs.
Issued by:
Alfred Chimba
Media and Public Relations Officer
UNICOHS University College
