The "dream" of becoming a professor or doctor.

In recent days, public opinion has been buzzing about the Ministry of Education and Training's request for two universities to revoke the bachelor's and doctoral degrees awarded to an abbot of a temple in Ba Ria - Vung Tau province, after determining that his high school diploma was invalid.

Besides those who are truly talented and knowledgeable, there are quite a few people who try to obtain a PhD at all costs (illustrative image).

Based on the above story, the public is questioning where this person obtained their high school diploma in order to pursue bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees.

And it's not just now that the question "what's the point of getting a PhD?" has been raised, along with the question of what the doctoral dissertation should be about.

Professors and PhDs are individuals closely associated with scientific research, teaching, and laboratory work. The purpose of research is to identify current situations, limitations, and propose solutions that have a significant impact on the community or society as a whole. But how many regional-level publications and inventions have been published to date, compared to the number of professors and PhDs we have?

As early as 2014, statistics showed that Vietnam had 9,000 professors and over 24,000 PhDs. At that time, this number was five times that of Japan and ten times that of Israel. Since then, no further detailed statistics have been available.

According to statistics from the Ministry of Education and Training, from 2015 to 2020, more than 1,450 people nationwide were recognized as professors. However, the number of professors participating in teaching at higher education institutions is less than half.

As of December 31, 2019, universities and colleges had 78,250 lecturers, including 619 professors, 4,831 associate professors, and 17,035 PhD holders. The number of professors and PhD holders outside of universities and research institutes is unknown. Therefore, it is clear that a large number of professors and PhD holders are not directly involved in teaching and research.

And if all the doctoral dissertations from the last 10 years were published, it's likely that not only the "badminton doctorate" that caused a stir recently, but there would certainly be many more topics that would leave everyone astonished!

So, once they're not involved in teaching or scientific research, what are professors and PhDs doing? And what is their purpose in becoming a professor or PhD?

In many countries around the world, the title of professor is tied to the work of a particular research institute or university. And when they retire, their status as a professor ends.

In Vietnam, however, once someone is appointed professor, it's automatically something they hold for life, even if they don't teach or conduct research.

In society's perception, professors and doctors are considered talented individuals, the elite of the intellectual class. Perhaps that's why becoming a professor or doctor is a dream for many. And to make that dream a reality, alongside those with genuine talent and knowledge, there are many who strive to achieve it at all costs.

Perhaps that's why we have research theses like "A Study on the Effectiveness of Hatha Yoga Exercises on the Health of Elderly Women…", "A Study on Physical Development for 5-6 Year Old Preschool Children in the Province…", "A Study on Developing the Content of Recreational Sports Club Activities for University Students…".

Many professors and doctors don't attend classes or spend all day in the lab, yet they are introduced as professors and doctors wherever they go. Is that fair?

But having said that, there are topics that are not worthy of a doctoral dissertation, and the doctoral candidates lack the necessary qualifications, yet they still become PhDs? Even those without a valid high school diploma can still pass multiple rounds of the doctoral exam; who is responsible for that?

In science, dishonesty is never acceptable. This is especially true for those with doctorates or professorships, as they serve as role models for society and the scientific community.

On the other hand, I think that a PhD and professorship are only necessary for certain fields, such as education and healthcare.

But generally speaking, management work doesn't necessarily require the involvement of professors and PhDs. Misconceptions about the use of professors and PhDs may be the reason why many people strive to achieve their "dream" of becoming a professor or PhD.

Source: https://www.baogiaothong.vn/giac-mo-giao-su-tien-si-192241024231112089.htm