Min Aung Hlaing received an honorary doctorate in Public Administration from Yangon University amid protests from the public, academics, and alumni who consider it a blow to the prestige of the nation’s historic educational institution.
On 6 February 2026, Myanmar's Yangon University awarded an honorary doctorate in Public Administration to Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, the military leader who has held power since the 2021 coup.
The awarding of the degree sparked intense criticism within Myanmar society, ranging from disbelief to open dissatisfaction with the institution. Many questioned whether the university was confusing "state governance" with "destruction of the country."
Dr. Zo Zo Seng, the military government's Minister of Education, publicly defended the decision, affirming it honored Min Aung Hlaing’s leadership in guiding the country through political turmoil. He praised the military leader’s handling of sanctions, election management, and the construction of a large pagoda in Naypyidaw, as well as his personal sacrifices and notable achievements.
A joint statement from the Interim University Council, the Faculty Association, and the Myanmar Student Federation declared that this act was tantamount to awarding academic robes to an instrument of violence. They described it as an overt symbol of military domination over the education system and a stain on Yangon University, founded in 1920 and historically central to the country’s independence and anti-dictatorship movements.
However, a Human Rights Watch report noted that since the coup, over 3.6 million Myanmar citizens have been internally displaced, and more than 15 million are facing severe food shortages—issues that were not acknowledged in the laudatory remarks.
Source: Irrawaddy