St. Linus University

Hi, Can anyone check the credibility of "St. Linus University". One of my friend is interested to pursue his studies there ?

ST. LINUS UNIVERSITY - Accreditation

 

Toward the bottom of their About Us page: Looks like every one of their "Deans" is a moonlighting clip art model.

 

based on this quotation . . .

"because the activities of Dominica-licensed private universities operating wholly outside that country are subject to statutory exemption and are the responsibility of the Registrar of Companies rather than the Ministry of Education as per IBC Act No. 10 of 1996."

I am wondering if this term "operating wholly outside that country" means that they have no offices in Dominica or does it mean that they do not have any students who live in Dominica or both?

 

Isn't that across the street from "St. Snoopy?":laughing:

 

The IBC is the "normal" device for incorporating MANY degree mills in other jurisdictions, e.g. BVI. It is usually very low-cost. The NIMBY (not in my back yard) provision - no local students - is also a handy smokescreen. If no locals are swindled, then there's nothing much to go on, for the local authorities. I wouldn't trust any IBC-originated "university" like this, that clearly can't issue degrees of any standing. If it can't issue degrees at home, then said degrees are sure not going to be worth anything in other countries.

If you have to ask...:sad: Better to avoid schools where such questions arise.

Johann

 

More on St. Linus school:

Two more red flags:

(1) Talk of apostilles. Always a bad sign. An apostille can certify that a bogus degree was genuinely issued by the bogus school named.

(2) Too much talk of UN registrations. They are all-too-often used as a smokescreen by schools with no legitimate standing. IIRC, our resident DL Guru, Dr. John Bear, once successfully registered "Totally Fraudulent University" with the UN, just to show how the flaws in procedure were being abused by degree mills.

http://www.degreeinfo.com/off-topic-discussions/10263-totally-fraudulent-university-thats-name-recognized-united-nations.html

Johann

 

It just doesn't pass the sniff test. It's one of those deals where you can argue that it's all legal and blah and blah and blah but you're going to spend the rest of your life having to defend yourself and your degree. In my opinion, the only reason someone does this sort of degree is because 1) they want it fast, easy and cheap 2) they don't think they can do a real degree from a real school 3) both 1 and 2

 

Legitimate schools don't behave this way.

 

Indeed they don't.

Sure...but this one ISN'T.

Generally - with an IBC you can, for a few hundred dollars, establish your "school" in Dominica, BVI or a few other places. You, your computer and your laser-printer (for diplomas) can be anywhere. You don't have to reside in Tortola, or Grand Cayman or wherever the IBC was set up. Heck, you don't even have to visit. You can stay comfy in your ger on the outskirts of Ulan Ude, Mongolia if you like, and collect your money over the Internet!!

Johann

 

Correction: Ulan Ude is next door -- in Buryatia, not Mongolia. Ulan Baataar is in Mongolia. With an IBC, I'm sure you can run a school from either.

Buryats are the major Northern sub-group of Mongols. Hence my confusion. From the Wiki on Buryats:

"Buryats share many customs with other Mongols, including nomadic herding, and erecting gers for shelter. Today, the majority of Buryats live in and around Ulan-Ude, the capital of the republic, although many live more traditionally in the countryside. They speak in a dialect of Mongol language called Buryat"

Sorry for the error, but my IBC remarks stand. WIth an IBC you can be anywhere..and run a "School" by remote control.

Johann

 

I'm not confused Steve. There's any number of bogus degree-pushers that are IBCs. That's not to say there aren't some Delaware-incorporated mills too. I'm not saying what either type of fake "school" does is legal. A mill is a mill.

It IS relevant. If a supposed "university" is nothing but a shell - a bunch of papers in a lawyer's filing cabinet, in Tortola BVI or Wilmington DE, then that's relevant. And if it's taking money from foreigners in exchange for worthless degrees, then it's exceptionally relevant. And damn hard to prosecute. :sad:

Johann

 

Steve - got a few hundred bucks to spare? You could (only if you were evil :smile: ) start an IBC or a Delaware Corp. and put your own fake school in business tomorrow. It's THAT easy -- and done all the time. Don't tell me it isn't. We all know the names!

Johann

 

engadan,

This school is not at all recognized and the degree would not even be worth the paper it was written on. I think everyone else covered all the basis of how mill-ish it appears. Dominican Private University licensed is pretty much equivalent to the State Approved Universities in California that are not regionally or nationally accredited, but are allowed to operate based upon state approved. Problem is, you go to another state and are unable to use the title or degree. There are many other programs (Ph.D) by Universities that are fully accredited and recognized by their Ministry of Education / and relevant accredited body.

Stev

 

If it weren't so "conducive to this sort of thing," Steve, I don't think it would be used by mill-meisters as often as it is.

Virtual anonymity, low price and a good device against those wanting refunds -- or wishing to prosecute. Yes, as you point out, there are other structures, some particularly useful for bogus schools set up by Americans, but the IBC seems to be particularly favoured by mill-meisters from some other countries - at least I think they're non-U.S. How can we be sure? :smile: And yes, tax reasons are a good part of it - no matter what type of business is involved. I'm not saying every IBC or even a majority hides a criminal enterprise. Just that it's commonly used by mill-operators for convenience and a "shield."

Another thing I've noticed on Delaware-incorporated mills - the "baddies" often declare the Delaware rubber-stamp as if it were some sort of approval, or accreditation by the State, or even by the U.S. in general.

No biggie about the IBC. We just have different opinions on the extent of its use by mill-operators. :smile:

Johann

 

mmm: "...St. Snoopy..."
john: Go, Fighting Security Blankets

Ulan-Ude: Spent a few days there, en route from Lake Baikal to Irkutsk. Known for having the largest Lenin statue in the world, an immense head (Giant Lenin head, Ulan Ude - YouTube). It is now local kitsch. Young people say, "Meet you at the Head."