By Diplomatic Correspondent- In response to the recent decision by the United Kingdom government to downgrade one of its degrees to a diploma level, the University of Zambia (UNZA) has issued a robust rebuttal.

According to a report by Lusaka Times, the UK Home Office has excluded graduates from the University of Zambia from eligibility for the High Potential Individuals (HPI) visa, citing concerns about the perceived quality of their degrees.

The HPI visa program is specifically aimed at attracting highly skilled graduates from international universities outside of the UK to bolster various sectors, including science and technology.

The report further stated that the UK-NARIC (National Academic Recognition Information Centre) had assessed UNZA’s bachelor’s degree in humanities as equivalent to a British two-year Higher National Diploma, while degrees in medicine, engineering, and law were deemed comparable to the three-year British Bachelor (Ordinary) Degree standard.

In response to these assertions, UNZA issued a statement emphasising the need for clarification.

The university firmly stated its position, challenging the validity of the comparisons made by UK-NARIC.

UNZA maintained that its degrees uphold rigorous academic standards and are on par with international benchmarks.

Below is the full statement by UNZA: