UK Education - Fake degrees

Fake degrees 'blight UK standing' 
Online degrees offered by bogus foreign companies with British sounding names may be compromising the reputation of British universities according to the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA).

The agency has identified a loophole which allows them to do so on the condition that they do not claim to be awarding British degrees.  

"At present, there is no regulation of foreign higher education providers in the UK so long as they don't pretend to award UK degrees", said Peter Williams, the chief executive of the agency.

"A large number of these seem to be operating on the margins of legality, with dangerous consequences for the reputation of UK higher education internationally", he added.

Mr Williams described the problem as identifying what was bona fide and what was not.

"This isn't just a matter of 'buyer beware': foreign governments are beginning to wonder about all our institutions," he said.

Concern has reached such a stage that many institutions and qualifications are now required to be properly registered to maintain a checks and balances system. The Department of Education & Skills and the General Medical Council are just some of the organisations which maintain checks and balances to counter degree fraud.

Higher Education Minister Bill Rammell recognised the gravity of the issue but said that this was a global matter and one which required international cooperation.

"We recognise the problem of degree mills operating in the UK but this is a global problem", he said.

By Neil Rao