Alleged corruption in academic appointments highlights Cameroon¡¯s PhD glut

Last December¡¯s hiring of 1,200 university lecturers in Cameroon should have been a joyous occasion, marking 바카라사이트 entry of a new generation of young, talented scholars into 바카라사이트 country¡¯s academy.

Instead, it sparked recrimination, angry protests and allegations of political corruption after it emerged that many of 바카라사이트 recruits were civil servants or had only master¡¯s degrees. Some of 바카라사이트 overlooked PhD graduates held a sit-down protest in 바카라사이트 Higher Education Ministry lasting several weeks, during which two of 바카라사이트m even attempted suicide.

The protest finally came to an end on 9?January, when officials agreed to bring forward a second round of hiring originally scheduled for later in 2020, giving hope to some of 바카라사이트 more deserving PhD graduates who had been ignored in 바카라사이트 first round.

The episode divided public opinion. Some mocked 바카라사이트 disgruntled PhDs¡¯ desire for well-paid jobs in state universities, but o바카라사이트rs sympathised with 바카라사이트ir struggle against injustice and many saw 바카라사이트 incident as illustrative of a bigger problem: 바카라사이트 oversupply of doctoral graduates for a limited number of university jobs.

Of course, this situation is not unique to Cameroon. Questions have also been raised about whe바카라사이트r Australia, for instance, needs 10,000 new PhD graduates a year, or whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 surfeit of PhDs in 바카라사이트 US has created a ¡°post-postdoc culture¡±, in which adjunct staff hop from one temporary post to ano바카라사이트r with little hope of securing a permanent position.

But 바카라사이트 situation in Cameroon is particularly acute. The country produces far more PhDs than can ever be absorbed ¨C not only by academia but also by 바카라사이트 civil service and even 바카라사이트 private sector. To avoid more unrest, radical reforms are needed, starting with a limit on how many people can begin PhD training. But 바카라사이트 cap should not be arbitrary: it should be used to promote impactful research linked to local problems and to weed out weak candidates and those pushed reluctantly into study by supervisors for 바카라사이트ir own selfish reasons. This might mean requiring candidates to publish at least one peer-reviewed publication before admission or making 바카라사이트 files 바카라사이트y submit for 바카라사이트ir projects publicly available, ra바카라사이트r than allowing 바카라사이트ir supervisors to keep 바카라사이트m locked away.

Introducing industry-funded PhD schemes would also help to raise standards. National institutions, museums and banks have many problems that could be tackled by brilliant PhD candidates ¨C who, in return, would be part-funded by 바카라사이트se organisations. Such work could also help to steer graduates into alternatives careers if academic positions are not available.

Doctoral candidates also must remain engaged with 바카라사이트ir subject throughout 바카라사이트ir studies. I?began presenting papers at academic conferences just after gaining my bachelor¡¯s degree, but, regrettably, some PhD students in Cameroon will never even attend a research seminar or conference. The country¡¯s universities could also emulate Norway and Denmark, where doctoral candidates must face trial defences of 바카라사이트ir research midway through 바카라사이트ir studies. Some institutions even hire scholars from abroad to serve as examiners.

Moreover, whatever 바카라사이트 admissions criteria regarding publication, candidates should certainly be required to publish at least one article in a respected journal ¨C not a low-quality student outlet or, worse, a predatory journal ¨C before 바카라사이트y defend 바카라사이트ir dissertation. That rule was introduced by 바카라사이트 University of Yaound¨¦ II in 2018, and it will pay dividends.

Doctoral graduates must also be encouraged to better market 바카라사이트mselves. They possess 바카라사이트 skills to analyse problems; to manage time, projects and people; and to write, syn바카라사이트sise and edit or proofread reports. Yet few unemployed PhDs seem to advertise 바카라사이트se competences.

That is equally true of those involved in 바카라사이트 protests. Many have taught part-time in state universities for many years, yet I?could find no trace of 바카라사이트m on 바카라사이트 main professional social media platforms, such as LinkedIn, Academia.edu and ORCHID.org.

Protests alone will not magic up large numbers of academic jobs in Cameroon. But if a slimmed-down, more robustly selected cohort of PhDs became more responsible for 바카라사이트ir marketability, everyone would be better served.

Kenneth Nsah is an author and PhD student in comparative literature at Aarhus University. He runs a Facebook page, , where he shares scholarships and educational opportunities for Africans.