There is something worrying about the way we sometimes discuss education in Ghana. I have observed we quickly judge a degree by its Discipline instead of its substance. That is exactly what is happening with the discussion surrounding Dr Julius Debrah’s doctoral degree in Museum and Heritage Studies and his thesis on “Community Heritage and Tourism Development in Kwahu, Ghana.”
Many people have asked, “What is a PhD in Museum and Heritage Studies useful for?” That question says more about our understanding of development than it does about the discipline itself.
Some of the world’s leading universities, including the University of Leicester, Harvard University, University College London, the University of York, the University of Amsterdam, George Washington University, Johns Hopkins University, and the University of Toronto, all offer postgraduate and doctoral programmes in Museum and Heritage Studies. These institutions are recognised globally for academic excellence. They do not invest millions in programmes that have no value. They do so because they understand that heritage is not merely about old buildings or artefacts. Heritage is a national asset.
A country that does not study, preserve and develop its heritage gradually loses part of its identity. Heritage tells the story of who we are, where we came from and what we can become. It strengthens education, supports tourism, promotes cultural diplomacy, encourages investment, and creates jobs.
In Ghana, we are home to UNESCO World Heritage Sites, historic castles, traditional festivals, sacred groves, unique architecture, indigenous knowledge systems and cultural landscapes that attract visitors from around the world. These are not accidental resources. They require research, planning, conservation, and management if they are to benefit future generations.
Now consider his thesis itself: “Community Heritage and Tourism Development in Kwahu, Ghana.” Is this really something to laugh about?
We are all aware Kwahu is already known internationally for its Easter celebrations, beautiful landscape and growing tourism sector. A serious academic study of how community heritage can contribute to tourism development can generate practical recommendations for local economic growth, employment, investment, cultural preservation, and sustainable development. That is not an abstract academic exercise. It is applied research with real implications for national development.
Doctoral research is not merely judged by whether its title sounds fashionable, and/or how sophisticated the discipline is; it is judged by the originality of its contribution to knowledge, the quality of its methodology and the usefulness of its findings. Every academic discipline has its own way of addressing society’s problems. Engineers build infrastructure, medical scientists improve health, agricultural researchers strengthen food security. Heritage scholars protect cultural resources while helping countries transform them into educational, social, and economic opportunities.
It is also worth noting that countries with the strongest tourism industries invest heavily in heritage research. Italy, the United Kingdom, France, the Netherlands, and the United States all recognise museums and heritage as important sectors of their economies. They educate experts because they know that culture can create wealth just as surely as industry and technology.
Unfortunately, our public conversations often reveal a narrow view of education. We celebrate degrees only when they belong to familiar professions. Anything outside those professions is quickly dismissed without asking what knowledge it produces or what problems it seeks to solve. That attitude does not encourage innovation. It limits it!
Before laughing at the title of someone’s Ph.D., perhaps we should ask a better question: What problem was the research trying to solve? If the answer is helping communities use their heritage to improve tourism, preserve culture and create opportunities for local people, then that research deserves thoughtful discussion rather than ridicule.
Academic excellence is measured by the quality of ideas, not by how popular a degree title sounds. A society that mocks scholarship before understanding it, risks becoming a society that values noise over knowledge.
We do not have to agree with every public figure. Healthy criticism is part of democracy. But if we choose to criticise, let it be based on evidence, understanding and intellectual honesty rather than on the name of a degree programme.
Shalom!
By: Goldman Dodzi Awuku