Libya’s Higher Education Institutions Mark Historic Achievement with First PhD Awards

Government-Led Initiative Ushers in New Era for Doctoral Education in Libya

In a landmark development for Libya’s academic sector, several higher education institutions have conferred their first doctoral degrees, marking a pivotal moment in the country’s pursuit of academic excellence and research advancement. This milestone, achieved in July 2025, reflects the Libyan government's strategic commitment to strengthening higher education and scientific research through targeted reforms and national planning.  Among the institutions leading this transformation are the Libyan Academy for Postgraduate Studies (LAPS), Ez-Zitouna University, the University of Benghazi, and Al-Asmarya Islamic University. Each has successfully supervised and approved its inaugural PhD theses. Ez-Zitouna University described the endorsement of its first doctoral dissertation since its founding as a historic achievement, following a rigorous academic review that underscored its commitment to scholarly integrity and academic rigour.

On 15 July, LAPS announced the approval of its first doctoral thesis by Amhamed Milad Al-Zakkar, which proposed a Balanced Scorecard model for evaluating the performance of financial audit institutions. The academy celebrated this as a major academic milestone and made the thesis defence publicly accessible online. Similarly, the University of Benghazi awarded its first PhD in June 2025, nearly 70 years after its establishment. Al-Asmarya Islamic University conferred two PhDs in Islamic jurisprudence in April 2025, further contributing to the country’s growing academic credentials.

These achievements follow the 2023 launch of local PhD programmes under Libya’s national 10-year strategy to reform higher education and research. The plan aims to elevate academic standards, enhance scientific output, and align national efforts with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Amal Rhema, a lecturer at Al-Jabal Al-Gharbi University, noted that the expansion of local PhD programmes could support national development by bridging academia and society, fostering innovation, and supplying skilled labour and knowledge.

Rhema emphasised that promoting doctoral education would require strategic partnerships with local businesses and alignment with Libya’s socio-economic priorities. She advocated for collaborative, home-grown programmes involving universities, research centres, the private sector, and industry to share resources and strengthen research relevance. Such efforts, she argued, would help build a robust scientific workforce and accelerate Libya’s progress toward global development targets. Engineer Walid Gashout, president of the Higher Education Students Foundation in Libya, welcomed the launch of local PhD programmes, describing the recent doctoral awards as a direct outcome of government-led modernisation efforts. He explained that the initiative introduced updated admissions procedures, supervision standards, curricula, research evaluation mechanisms, quality assurance frameworks, and international collaboration. According to Gashout, the reforms were designed to reduce the financial burden of studying abroad and expand access to doctoral education within Libya.

Nevertheless, he acknowledged persistent challenges, including unclear academic standards, limited research funding, and inadequate infrastructure. While public universities currently lead in awarding PhDs across disciplines such as business, medicine, education, and the humanities, Gashout noted that private institutions may begin offering doctoral programmes as their academic quality improves. At present, private universities in Libya offer only undergraduate and select master’s programmes with initial regulatory approvals.

He further stressed the need for comprehensive reforms to build a strong and sustainable higher education system. These reforms should include creating a stable academic environment, improving supervision and research relevance, strengthening international partnerships, and enhancing quality assurance. However, Libya continues to face structural challenges, including weak academic institutions, limited research focus, and a lack of long-term strategic planning. Libya’s progress in doctoral education marks a promising beginning, but sustained investment and systemic reform are essential to realise its full potential.

Editor's Note:

The conferral of doctoral degrees by several Libyan higher education institutions signifies a pivotal moment in the nation's academic growth. This is more than just symbolic; it indicates a substantial move towards fostering a research-focused environment, bolstering institutional capabilities, and nurturing intellectual capital within Libya. Libyan institutions like the Libyan Academy for Postgraduate Studies, Ez-Zitouna University, the University of Benghazi, and Al-Asmarya Islamic University have granted their initial PhDs, showcasing dedication to academic excellence and national self-sufficiency. This success stems from government initiatives to modernise doctoral education, decrease reliance on foreign institutions, and align academic outcomes with Libya's socio-economic goals. This progress boosts the credibility of Libya's academic institutions, fosters innovation via relevant research, and develops a skilled workforce to tackle national challenges. It also promotes vital collaboration between academia, industry, and government for sustainable development.

Skoobuzz noted that Libya’s ongoing education reforms underscore the importance of strong doctoral programmes as key markers for future policy direction and institutional growth. This progress reflects both academic commitment and a promising step forward for the country’s development.