The Zimbabwe Council for Higher Education (ZIMCHE) has warned the public against an illegal and unauthorised honorary degree conferment ceremony scheduled to take place on February 13, 2026, at the Rainbow Towers and Conference Centre in Harare.
In a press statement issued on recently, ZIMCHE said it had identified that Iconic International Holdings (Pty) Ltd, a private company registered in South Africa, intends to confer honorary degrees at an event dubbed the Iconic Global Summit.
“The Zimbabwe Council for Higher Education (ZIMCHE) is issuing an urgent warning to the public regarding an illegal and unauthorised ‘honorary degree’ conferment ceremony planned for Friday, 13th February, 2026,” reads the statement.
ZIMCHE said the company claims to be awarding the honorary degrees in partnership with Prowess University of Delaware in the United States and American Management University of California.
However, the council said neither institution is recognised in Zimbabwe nor by the United States Department of Education.
“Neither of these foreign institutions is recognised in Zimbabwe by the ZIMCHE nor by the United States Department of Education. Consequently, they have no legal authority to award degrees in their home country or in Zimbabwe,” said ZIMCHE.
The council said under the ZIMCHE Act [Chapter 25:27], no institution, whether local or foreign, is permitted to award degrees in Zimbabwe without proper registration and accreditation.
“Under the ZIMCHE Act [Chapter 25:27], no institution, local or foreign, may award degrees in Zimbabwe without proper registration and accreditation with the ZIMCHE,” the council said.
ZIMCHE further stated that Iconic International Holdings is not registered as a higher education institution in Zimbabwe and therefore lacks the legal mandate to confer degrees.
“Iconic International Holdings (Pty) Ltd is NOT a registered higher education institution in Zimbabwe and lacks the legal mandate under the ZIMCHE Act [Chapter 25:27] to offer, facilitate, or confer degrees within Zimbabwe,” reads the statement.
The council warned that conferring degrees without its approval constitutes a criminal offence and that any honorary degree issued through the planned ceremony would not be recognised.
“Conferring degrees in Zimbabwe without the ZIMCHE’s approval is a criminal offence,” ZIMCHE said, adding that “any ‘honorary degree’ issued by Iconic International Holdings is legally worthless and will not be recognised.”
ZIMCHE also cautioned recipients of such awards against using the title “Doctor”.
“Any individual who accepts these unrecognised awards and proceeds to use the title ‘Doctor’ (Dr.) may face legal action for misrepresentation or fraud,” the council said.
The regulator said its position is supported by a High Court ruling in the matter ZIMCHE vs International Institute of Philanthropy (HCH1469/24), which confirmed that honorary degrees are academic qualifications subject to ZIMCHE oversight.
ZIMCHE said it has already initiated legal processes to stop the unauthorised ceremony.
“The ZIMCHE has already initiated legal protocols to stop this unauthorised ceremony,” reads the statement.
The council urged members of the public to verify the accreditation status of institutions before accepting any academic or honorary qualifications and to report any unregistered entities offering such awards.
“The ZIMCHE remains committed to protecting the public and the integrity of Zimbabwe’s higher education system and will continue to take civil and criminal action against those operating outside the law,” the statement said.
