Column: Why Is a PhD Essential for University Teaching?

Guest Author – Azizul Haque
Assistant Professor, Yeungnam University.

These days, we often see in newspapers or on social media that university faculty are being hired without a PhD, or that many professors at various universities do not have a PhD degree. This issue raises not just questions about academic qualifications, but also profound concerns about the structure and quality of higher education in our country.

From personal experience, when I finished my MS from Bangladesh Agricultural University, I felt like I knew a lot. I thought if I got a job, I’d be able to teach everything. Even when I enrolled in a PhD program, I initially felt the same. But over time, I realized I knew very little about the modern aspects of my subject. What I did know might have been enough for good exam scores, but it was extremely limited for conducting real research or contributing to advanced studies. Gradually, I came to understand that the knowledge gained up to an MS is quite limited, and if someone with these limitations is given the responsibility of a university faculty member, it’s a kind of deception towards the students.

In many courses at numerous Bangladeshi universities, the material taught has been obsolete in many developed countries for over 20 years. A university is a place for advanced pursuit of knowledge, where new ideas should emerge in pace with current developments. Simply conducting classes, finishing the syllabus, or grading exam papers according to the curriculum is just a small part of a faculty member’s job. A true university teacher doesn’t just give lectures using PowerPoint; rather, they create new knowledge through research, think about solving relevant social and national issues, and help students develop analytical and inquisitive skills. Without these abilities, one is merely a note reader, not a teacher.

Unfortunately, I have seen many Bangladeshi faculty members who, after their university appointment, pursued a PhD only to get the degree, not to learn. Many times, they even proudly say, “I already have a permanent job, now I just need the certificate.” If even 1% of faculty hold this mindset, who will take responsibility for wasting public funds in the name of PhD degrees?

In many cases, university faculty have no international publications (Web of Science Indexed), have not received any scholarships, yet they teach advanced research methods, review theses, and even evaluate research. Thus, thousands of students are obtaining degrees without learning the core practices of research, and at the end of the day, the country ends up with more degree-holders, not researchers. Of course, it’s not fair to say that lack of a PhD automatically means someone is unqualified. But the real question is, if a teacher does not know research themselves, how can they nurture the next generation of researchers?

So, now is the time to more strongly demand that a PhD be mandatory for university faculty appointments. Having faculty members without a PhD means creating a generation in the education system lacking research and critical thinking. If we truly want to build a Centre of Excellence, then it’s not enough for university teachers to just have a PhD; their research quality, international recognition, project participation, and research contributions must also be considered. To ensure universities become not just centers for distributing certificates but genuine centers of knowledge creation, it is essential to recruit qualified and research-oriented faculty members.

A university teacher is a guide, researcher, and mentor. To truly fulfill that role, a PhD is not just important—it is essential.

Note: Sourced from Facebook.