What you require to qualify as a professor

Education Cabinet Secretary Jacob Kaimenyi (right) and Commission for University Education Chairman Henry Thairu, during presentation of report by The Ad Hoc Committee on Minimum Criteria For Appointment and promotion of academic staff in Universities in Kenya. (Photo:Jonah Onyango/Standard)

A new report recommends that professors must have a PhD or equivalent qualification in the relevant fields. They must also have three years teaching experience as Associate Professors or equivalent and research experience.

The report of the committee to harmonise the criteria for appointment and promotion of academic staff in universities also recommends that a professor should also have a minimum of 60 publication points since attaining Associate Professorship or equivalent, of which at least 40 should be from refereed scholarly journals.

The professor must also have supervised a minimum of five post-graduate students to completion and at least two students at doctoral level. The scholar at this level must have attracted research or development funds as an Associate Professor or equivalent.

For a person to be appointed an Associate Professor, they must have earned a PhD or equivalent qualification from an accredited university.

The person should also have three years teaching experience at the university as a senior lecturer, researcher or industry experience or equivalent.

They should have a minimum 48 publication points as a senior lecturer or equivalent, of which at least 32 should be from refereed scholarly journals. They should have supervised a minimum of four post-graduate students to completion, including at least one doctoral student.

They should also have attracted research or development funds as a senior researcher/senior research fellow.

To qualify to be a senior lecturer or senior research fellow, one must have earned a PhD or equivalent degree qualification or a master's degree in special cases in the relevant field from an accredited university. They should have at least three years of teaching experience at the university as a lecturer or six years experience in research or industry.

A minimum of 32 publication points as a lecturer or equivalent are needed, of which at least 24 should be from refereed scholarly journals. They should have supervised at least three postgraduate students to completion as a lecturer or equivalent.

A lecturer or research fellow must have earned a PhD or equivalent degree in the relevant field from an accredited university and be registered or registrable with the relevant professional body where applicable. Alternatively, they can have a master's degree in the relevant field with at least three years teaching experience at the university level or in research or in industry.

 Scholars at this level must have a minimum of 24 publication points, of which at least 16 should be from refereed journal papers.

They should also be registered with the relevant professional body where applicable.

Tutorial fellows or junior research fellows must have a bachelor's and a master's degree and be registrable for a PhD or equivalent.

The position of graduate or research assistants is to be on contract to facilitate the identification of outstanding bachelor's degree graduates to be trained for academic positions.