How do PhD and publication criteria act as barriers for skilled lecturers?

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PhD and publication requirements can block skilled lecturers from being interviewed or hired, especially when their qualifications or output do not match the exact screening thresholds.

In many Malaysian universities, hiring for lecturer roles often starts with two gatekeeping checks: whether applicants hold a PhD in the relevant field and whether their publication record, including an H-index, is above a set level. This approach can function as a barrier because the PhD requirement was described as a relatively new Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA) rule from about two to three years ago, so even people with years of teaching experience may struggle to get an interview if their PhD is not related to the department. Publication expectations have also been adopted by some private institutions, partly because higher counts of staff with strong indices can support international rankings such as QS and Times, which can bring in more students.
The PhD rule can exclude experienced teachers who lack the “right” field or credential
The PhD requirement was described as a new MQA rule introduced about two to three years ago, and it can be used as an early screening filter by HR or academic leadership. In practice, if someone has taught Business or Journalism courses for eight years but does not hold a PhD related to the department they apply to, they may have difficulty even securing an interview. The same screening logic can also reject Masters holders for Bachelor-degree teaching even when they have proven years of dedication and skill.
Publication and H-index thresholds can filter out strong teaching-focused staff
The publication requirement, including an H-index threshold, has been described as something many private institutions adopted of late. The problem highlighted is that universities may need lecturers who are present throughout the semester, work closely with students, and support department activities, yet some of these people may not write or publish frequently in academic journals. When hiring systems treat publication output as a key proxy for quality, lecturers who excel in teaching and student engagement but do not publish enough can be turned away.
Practitioner disciplines may not produce “journal output” in the same way
In fields described as practitioner-oriented, such as journalism, video production, teaching, and graphic design, the reference argues that strong publication in top-tier academic journals may not be a reliable indicator of excellence. It also notes that top people in these areas may not have time or interest to produce long academic manuscripts in formats like APA 7th edition. As a result, a publication-heavy hiring screen can become a mismatch for disciplines where professional practice is central.
The combined criteria shrink the pool of eligible educators
Putting the PhD and publication checks together creates a narrow “Venn diagram” of who gets considered, even though the reference describes many capable lecturers who do not meet one or both conditions. It argues that these near-immutable criteria can act as barriers to entry for skilled lecturers who either do not hold a PhD or do not publish as much as a department expects. The stated outcome is fewer opportunities for students to benefit from lecturers whose main strengths are teaching commitment and day-to-day support.

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How do PhD and publication criteria act as barriers for skilled lecturers?

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