Academic excellence has reached a new level in Togo. In an official statement published on January 22, 2026 , Professor Essohanam Batchana , Director of Academic Affairs and Student Services (DAAS), announced stricter rules for thesis defenses. From now on, digital plagiarism analysis is a prerequisite for admission to the jury.

A "non-negotiable" digital dossier

The days when simply submitting a paper manuscript was enough are over. For both Master 's and Doctoral students, the defense procedure now includes a systematic electronic verification step.

Key points of the new procedure:

1. Unique format: The research work must be submitted exclusively in PDF format.
2. Early submission: The digital file must accompany the administrative file from its initial submission.
3. Immediate sanction: Any file lacking its digital version will be automatically rejected by the DAAS, without review or grace period.

"This file is not a simple administrative duplicate, but the central element of the academic validation process," explains the University management.

The hunt for "copy-paste" violations is on.

The objective of this reform is clear: to guarantee the originality of research and protect the institution's reputation. By generalizing the use of similarity detection software, the University of Lomé is aligning itself with international standards for scientific research.

This measure imposes new responsibilities:

1. To students: Absolute rigor in referencing sources and writing to avoid excessive similarity rates.
2. To thesis supervisors: A strengthened supervisory role to anticipate potential problems before the DAAS stage.
3. At the institution: Increased traceability thanks to the centralization of digital data.

Towards a University 2.0

This decision is part of a broader digital transformation strategy. Beyond research ethics, it aims to modernize university administration and streamline the monitoring of academic records.

For candidates, the message is unequivocal: scientific quality and intellectual honesty are now the only passes to the title of Master or Doctor.