Quality Assurance Challenges in the Award of PhDs in Kenya

The rapid expansion of higher education in Kenya and globally, entrance of market forces in higher education delivery (online, open and distance modes), and globalization of education (private entrepreneurs and diploma mills) necessitates the formation of structures and mechanisms, standards and guidelines, to assure quality.Five definitions of quality exist; the highest possible standard of academic achievement; fitness for purpose;effectiveness in achieving institutional goals;conformity to a specification or standard and meeting the stated or implied needs of customers. The findings reveal that there exisists quality challenges in the institutional processes established for the award of the PhDs across Kenyan the universities. These in turn impact negatively on the type of PhDs that are produced in the country and consequently the type of human resource generated for the economic well-being of the country.It is hoped that the findings will stir debate and urge the universities to re-evaluate and re-vamp their quality control systems for the award of not only the PhDs but all their other degrees and diplomas.