Introduction

In Ghana’s evolving tertiary education landscape, the urgency for national reforms in academic promotions has never been greater. The Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC), as the apex regulatory body, is uniquely positioned to spearhead this transformation and ensure that promotion standards reflect merit, integrity, and national development goals.

Academic promotions have become an issue creeping into Ghana's national discourse.

While this is primarily driven by unfair application of promotion rules within specific universities and non-standardised benchmarks across universities, a broader approach is to synchronise standards to ensure a strong national outlook.

Why Reform Is Imperative

Several reasons, including inconsistencies across institutional promotion criteria. Criteria vary widely among universities and colleges, leading to disparities in academic recognition and career progression. Also, without standardised benchmarks, academic promotions risk being influenced by favouritism or outdated metrics, undermining the credibility of institutions.

Further, Ghanaian academics must meet international standards to remain competitive in the global research and collaboration market – this can only be achieved by setting national benchmarks for all to adhere to.

Why now

While cases of unfair promotion abound in many academic institutions, the recent crackdown by GTEC has highlighted challenges in promoting some academics across several campuses. There is, therefore, a need to start or continue a national discourse on what the future should hold for the fair promotion of academics.

Looking globally, countries like Australia and the United Kingdom have adopted national frameworks for academic promotion that ensure consistency and fairness across educational institutions. These models demonstrate that implementing nationwide standards in Ghana is not only possible but could also significantly enhance the credibility and fairness of academic promotions nationwide.

What Exists

Each institution sets its own promotion benchmarks, often with significant disparities. For example, University A may require five journal articles for promotion, while University B demands 7, a 40% difference despite similar remuneration and rank. This fragmented criterion undermines uniformity in academic promotions.

Journal Standards and requirements also differ. Some institutions mandate publication in high-impact databases like Scopus or Web of Science, while others accept less rigorous outlets. This creates inequity and undermines academic rigour.

The use of H-index and i10-index offers a more objective measure of scholarly impact. This citation metrics model is currently used by the University of Ghana. International models like Australia’s ERA and the UK’s REF combine these metrics with peer review to assess academic excellence.

What should happen

To move toward harmonised standards, Ghana must adopt a systems-based approach:

1. Stakeholder Mapping: Identify key actors—universities, unions, policymakers, and GTEC.

2. Pilot Frameworks: Test unified promotion criteria in select institutions and gather feedback.

3. Iterative Review: Analyse pilot data, refine benchmarks, and build consensus.

4. Nationwide Rollout: Implement harmonized standards across all tertiary institutions.

This approach ensures that a professor at University X is comparable in merit and recognition to a professor at University Y—promoting equity and national cohesion.

Conclusion

Academic promotions are not just career milestones—they shape the intellectual backbone of the nation. GTEC should ensure that Ghana’s academic promotion system reflects excellence, fairness, and national pride. The commission has already hinted at policy reviews to align with the current state of tertiary education. This momentum must be harnessed to:

• Introduce transparent promotion rubrics
• Encourage mentorship and capacity building
• Recognise interdisciplinary and community-based scholarship
By doing so, Ghana will not only elevate its academic standards but also reaffirm its commitment to excellence and fairness in higher education.