Victoria University Europe will not divulge degree granting authority

The following e-mail was sent to Victoria University Europe at [email protected] on Sunday, 28th March 2004:

Dear Sir/ Madam,

Would you be so kind as to inform me as to which jurisdiction Victoria University Europe obtains its degree granting authority?

Kind regards,

George Brown

The following message confirmed receipt:

Your message

To: [email protected]
Subject: Degree granting authority of Victoria University Europe
Sent: Sun, March 28, 2004 6:01 am

Was displayed on Wed, March 31, 2004 2:42 am

Now....silence.....

Cheers,

George

 

When I phoned their number, it is answered, in perfect English, "You have reached mailbox number 902258. At the tone, you may leave your message."

Maybe this is how all Swiss universities answer their phones.

I've asked a Swiss reporter who is especially interested in such matters about this.

 

The problem with Swiss schools is that the recognition process varies from Canton to Canton. This could be a very legitimate undertaking by dedicated academics – or it could be just a website. I have found the only way to tell is to actually visit the campus. (Which is what I have been doing as part of my dissertation research – so far I have visited nine Swiss schools, if anyone has a specific question feel free to PM me). One observation about this one is that it appears that Jean Louis Juvet, who is listed as one of the professors, is also involved in another program:

http://www.cies.ch/master/

 

It is legally registered in a canton. According to the Swiss authorities, their own education laws are lax. This university is, so I believe, operated out of Asia. The castle you see in the website is the home of the phone answering service that Dr Bear encountered, and the castle 'campus' is a fancy word for a conference facility where graduations and business trips are conducted.

Legal - yes. Accredited- no. Of value - ???????

 

Thank you, Mr. or Ms. Amused.

That is exactly the same modus operandi as Robert Kennedy College of Switzerland, formerly Robert Kennedy University: showing the municipal conference center (which is castle-like) where they sometimes rent space, as if it is their campus.

I wonder if Denver is visiting or has visited Kennedy . . . or the International College of Homeland Security, which "moved" from New York to Switzerland after the unfavorable newspaper articles and a nudge from the state of New York.

 

what about the free university of herisau? http://www.unihe.ch/eng
is it worthwhile to apply for?

 

Same status as VUE- minus the castle!

 

This from the reporter in Switzerland:
--------------------------------------
1) Victoria University Europe claims to be located at the Vaumarcuse Castle in Vaumarcus (Neuchatel), which turns out to be a fairly crowded place indeed. First of all, the "Chateau de Vaumarcus" seems to host a hotel and a fine restaurant (well, I don't know about the quality of the food, but the dining rooms surely look great). Needless to say, conference rooms can be rented: you can check'em out under www.chateauvaumarcus.ch/

2) Several other operations seem to be located in or run from the same premises. Checking the swiss phone book, I come up with the following:

- a cultural center:
Centre Culturel
Le Château 2028 Vaumarcus

- a company called Ares Trading:
Ares Trading SA
Le Château 2028 Vaumarcus

- a (probably very trendy) boutique:
Boutique du Château
Le Château 2028 Vaumarcus

- some sort of local newspaper!!!:
Feuille d'Avis de la Béroche
Le Château 2028 Vaumarcus

- a print shop
Imprimerie: de la Béroche SA
Le Château 2028 Vaumarcus

- an art foundation:
Fondation Marc Jurt - Artespace
Centre de documentation sur l'estampe
Le Château 2028 Vaumarcus

- the guys in charge of the above mentioned art foundation:
Jurt Marc et Lucinda
Le Château 2028 Vaumarcus

- a "software & info-tech" company:
Progress Software Suisse SA
Le Château 2028 Vaumarcus

- another "low-tech-related" company (just my guess):
Stoco SA micromontages
Le Château 2028 Vaumarcus

- a very chic address for watches:
Time Avenue SA Nina Ricci Montres
Le Château 2028 Vaumarcus

- the secretary of the company ("Chateau de Vaumarcus S.A.") that runs the whole castle:
Thalmann Hedwige (-Stocker)
Le Château 2028 Vaumarcus
(here you can find the corporate record:
http://rc.ne.ch/extrcomp.asp?nodos=10412%2F1994 )

- and (last but not least) our university:
Vitoria University Europe
Le Château 2028 Vaumarcus
Tel. 032 930 50 72
Fax. 032 930 50 73
(here's their corporate record:
http://rc.ne.ch/extrcomp.asp?nodos=02130%2F2002 )

I'm sure you've already done a whois search (it carries you all the way down to Singapore: www.greatknowledge.net, an ISP & more)
-----------------------------

 

So it's kinda like going to school in a really upscale mall...only not. I spent a fair bit of time investigating another Swiss "university." A cantonal official told me pointblank the place was a Titelmuehle (degree mill) but that, yes, they operated legally. He also told me that there is a council of legitimate government-run universities which does exercise quality-control in some manner analogous to accreditors in the US.
The Swiss problem is that of the so-called free universities operating under cantonal authorization which is the only governmental authorization in Switzerland. Italian and German authorities told me that using a degree from such schools was illegal in their countries.
Having said all that, it's just possible that a free university could be started as a legitimate school outside the government-university council, offering real study, real faculty, real degrees, doing everything commensurate with what a private (accredited) college does in the US. Has this in fact happened? Not to my knowledge.

 

What a fascinating thread. Thank you for all the input fellow list members. So, in essence, it appears to be a company (my French is a little rusty) created in the Canton to sell degrees in Asia. Obviously they do not regulate the word 'university' in business names legislation for that area. Does the reporter, John, know of the supposed fine and upstanding people that run the operation?

Cheers,

George

 

well, beside victoria, there are another three swiss institutions of such: Free university of Tuefen, Free and private University of Herisau and the university of st. Georges of switzerland. Is there any left?

 

Teufen, not Tuefen.

I think there is one run by the Baha'i religion (which may turn out to be the reputable exception, given its sponsorship) and perhaps a couple more. I lost all my "Swiss" files in an internet disaster several months ago, so this is all from memory. I do recall that my own personal inquiries to the Teufen outfit got no reply, and that Herisau has a very sophisticated style in its sales pitch. Also, it is possible for one of these outfits to get authorization from one canton and operate in another (to the great consternation of the second canton). What a mess.

Cantonal officials in Appenzell-Ausserrhoden and Appenzell-Innerrhoden (two half-cantons, actually) and a third canton (I forget which) were very helpful.

 

It look like the boss of the u is from Singapore!

 

Yep, and the Swiss love it...check these out:

http://www.huaxia.edu.sg/eng/sub/news-211003.htm

http://www.huaxia.edu.sg/eng/sub/news-061003.htm

Cheers,

George

 

It looks like Swis also is one of the degree mixx heaven landed target! And can claim as an European university.... sound very legitimate and prestigious but if look into detail then more and more queries!

 

Yup. Querier and querier. Just think of Switzerland as made up of a couple dozen tiny Wyomings.

 

I just got a feeling that not only Swez in Europe having this type of loose form but infact in Ireland more the rest the same for example Irish International University which claim under many accreditation body but non of it worth for something EQAC, NBOE and brabrabra!

 

hi George brown and amused if you're still there, has VUS been upgraded or still the same?

 

Holy muesli, Batman! (Imitating Ted). A nine-year-old Swiss thread necromanced!

Johann

 

Okay ... Now this one's from before my time.