Wisconsin International University rakes in the dough

When Mr Entrepreneur becomes Doctor of Philosophy.

Amazing story about how much "Wisconsin International University" can get for a PhD in Singapore.

 

$$$$$$$$$$$

$120,000 for an honourary doctorate.

I think I need a piece of that action. I'll need to buy a good sounding doctorate and rent a post office box in Wyoming and license a university.

They give out 15 doctorates per year - $ 1.8 million.

I could do better than that.

 

120,000 SGD = 67,000 USD. Still a lot of money! Plus an extra 35,000 SGD (20,000 USD) for expenses (luxury hotels, meals, etc.).

 

I drove past Wisconsin International University when I was in Milwaukee a few years ago. A modest private home in a residential area; no signs of any kind. Presumably that is where the accrediting team from Accrediting Commission International did their inspection.

 

Wyoming is a wonderful state, but does anyone with a university licensed there actually live there. I would have no intention of offering courses, just legal honourary degrees.

Kind of like Vancouver University which has fought closure by the government of British Columbia. We just grant degrees but don't teach (other schools do the teaching) so we are exempt from licensing. They are still operating so maybe they are right.

 

Considering the rather humorous picture that used to be posted on ACI's web site of Scheel (?) and a couple of elderly ladies in their *Sunday go to meeting best* standing in fromt of some huge public building I would not be surprised. I was not sure whether we were supposed to assume that was the accreditation team inspecting a school. Maybe they went over to the house/campus had a cup of coffee and some nice freshly baked cookies, inspected the printer, and computer, and met the University Chancellor.

North

 

Follow-up article: PhDs: A purchase like any other?.



Gert Potgieter, ignorant gadfly

 

Maybe there is an answer to the whole questiion:

I must agree with Mr Jansen Tan, in his statement:

"Mr Jansen Tan, executive director of the Association of Small and Medium Enterprises, argued that the achievements of entrepreneurial PhDs were not less than, just different from, academic PhDs.

'Academic PhDs go through a difficult time to pursue academic results. Entrepreneurial PhDs have to struggle to survive in an environment that is meaner, riskier and harsher,' he wrote.

His letter was titled: Entrepreneurs Not Stupid."

and perhaps Mr. Joh Wong has the answer:

"Mr John Wong urged legislation to check the 'rapid proliferation' and potential for abuse of such 'dubious doctorates'. 'The law should make it mandatory for these doctorate-holders to add the suffix 'Hon' after their titles,' he said."

Perhaps there should be a special title for purchased degrees! I suggest DS for the undergraduate level, FofS for the intermediate and ASs for the top!

Unfortunately the DS or Dumb S#$!t does not quite do justice for the recipients.

 

The WIU people are such nice folks that I bet they even let the entire ACI inspection team sleep in the guest bedroom. Quite neighborly, if you ask me.




Tom Nixon
who is thinking of setting up his own combination accrediting commission/university right outside Singapore.