Measures for M&E of HE Programmes & Qualifications Evelyn Garwe Headlines Fearing action, 1400 primary teachers with fake degrees resign in Bihar Indian Express 02/07/15 President suspends VC over ‘fake’ degree given to former first lady New Zimbabwe 17/10/18 LEAKED: 500 Serving Teachers Names With Fake Fake degree Qualifications holders sue Uganda EXPOSED Tumfeko Christian University Zambia 24/09/18 Observer 20/07/17 REPORT: Corruption scandal hits universities: Degrees sold for $9,000 Lebanon lbcgroup.tv/news 23/07/18 "Fake degree claims dog prominent Spanish politicians", The Guardian 4/10/2018 'Staggering' trade in fake degrees revealed UK BBC 02/01/18 24 active pilots have fake degrees, CAA Informs SC Headlines Express News10/05/18 SAQA has so far identified 1276 fake academic qualifications www.iol.co.za 16/03/17 Problem QF is rarely tackled constructively: dramatised by the media dismissed by authorities 25-30% applicants falsify their academic credentials QF has reached alarming levels worldwide “I studied in the States.” “I am Dr so & so.” Credential craze “I worked have several degrees” “I graduated from Harvard University.” Outline Qualification fraud (what, why, who, how?) Combating Qualification Fraud Authentication Verification Academic Qualifications/Credentials Degrees Diplomas Certificates Provisional Certificates Skill Certificates Transcripts Mark Sheets Results Slips Others Definitions? The crime of intentional misrepresentation of qualifications to deceive others or gain unfair advantage. Magnitude of the problem 200,000 fake degrees are sold/year in USA for US$ 1,000-30,000 each, ≥25% are PhDs >100 fake Chinese ‘HEIs’ sell degrees St Regis University sold 10,000 degrees to clients in 120 countries 26 HEIs in India were in 2013 declared fake, awarding worthless MPhil & PhDs ‘Belford University’ in Dubai, a degree mill sold a counterfeit degree to a dog Causal-effect of Qualification Fraud Currency for education & employment Rationalisation Pressure Ego & Societal stigma ICT affordances Opportunity Qualification Fraud Status goods for: power, authority, respect & prestige Public safety & protection of public assets Loss of life or money Embarrassment, Guilt, Humiliation & Shame Reputation/Mar value of education & training Erosion of public confidence in holders of bona fide qualifications Types of QF Forged or altered Fabricated / Fake / counterfeit Creative translations Official, legitimate documents that have been manipulated by omitting, adding, or changing names, DOB, graduation dates, grades, curricular content, etc. Unauthorised reproduction of official documents from real/non-existent HEIs using official or fabricated stationery Inaccurate & misleading (fabricated) translations of foreign documents Perpetrators Inside jobs Individuals or Agents Degree or Diploma Mills Documents are produced by employees, usually for a fee; based on fraudulent evidence - difficult to detect upon initial review Unauthorised reproduction of official documents from real or non-existent institutions using official or fabricated stationery Award illegitimate but authentic-looking qualifications that have no academic value from unaccredited or authentic HEIs Ways to combat fraud Verify Verify Verify Performance based interviewing Networks of evaluators for sharing fake institutions Increased focus on improved security features & legislation Broad‐based public education Prosecution & Penalties Accreditation/recognition of HEIs & programmes Establishment of a national regulatory authority to accredit HEIs & study programmes & evaluate academic qualifications Combating Qualification Fraud Promote Quality, Integrity & Reputation Verification Evaluation Comparison Authenticity of the award Reliability of the qualification documents Accreditation status of the programme HEI recognition or accreditation status Verification process Insist on eyeballing original documents Be conversant with the education system in question Check for biodata consistency in all documents Use the checklist to ensure that there is no missing information using the academic terminology of the awarding country. Use of familiar terminology (e.g. transcript) you may invite manufactured document. Verification process Does the institution exist or did it exist at the time of the award? Confirm the existence of the institution through reference sources e.g. International Handbook of Universities, the Commonwealth Universities Yearbook, Ministries of Education websites. If the institution is not listed there, you may call the appropriate foreign consulate or embassy Verification process Crosscheck credentials against similar ones assessed from the same country during the same period Check the DOB against graduation date to ascertain that the student was old enough to have graduated Verify the authenticity of credentials with HEI. Direct inquiries to the office of the signatory of the credential but not to a particular individual Challenges in combating fraud Prosecution Criminal (beyond reasonable doubt) Civil (preponderance of evidence) • Police need evidence & a complainant • Evidence collected can be disputed: Legality of the acquisition of the evidence Integrity of the evidence Interpretation of the evidence Suggestions to combat fraud within HEIs • • • • • • • Commitment to Prevention & Detection Design & Implement Internal Controls Exercise due diligence Identify red flags Consult experts Set fraud reporting measures e.g hotlines Awareness & education Rules of combating fraud • Do not be rushed into accepting a credential for which you have reservations. • For every copy of a document there has to have been an original. • Never make any interpretative assumptions. Stick to the facts Red flags pointing to possible QF 1 Qualification does not tally with the CV/bio 2 Location of the institution is suspect 3 HEI is accredited but does not offer programme 4 Qualification is premised on life experience 5 HEI is not listed by any reliable sources 22 Red flags pointing to possible QF 6 Special offers “Register by Midnight Tonight/Now” 7 HEI does not show accreditation status or is accredited by an unfamiliar agency 8 Out of sequence qualifications - BSc, MSc, PhD 9 Quickie Degrees - it generally takes specific general periods to earn a qualification 10 Having more degrees ‘than a thermometer’ 23 Qualification Fraud prevention, detection & prosecution National Quality Assurance Agencies National Anti-Corruption Commission Special Investigations/ Audits Police Institutions Legislation Others??? Final word "“If one wears a mask for too long, there will come a time when it is impossible to remove it without removing one’s face.” ~ Matshona Dhliwayo Contact me Zimbabwe Council for Higher Education 21 JM Nkomo Road, Hatfield, Harare, ZIMBABWE Tel: +263 772222298 Web: www.zimche.ac.zw Email: garweec@gmail.com
