Neos Business School-SMC University Replacement?

Discussion in 'Business and MBA degrees' started by Elbulk, Jun 19, 2018.

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  1. Elbulk

    Elbulk Active Member

    I did a check on Neos Business School, Malta (https://neoseducation.com/) which the MBA and DBA degrees from SMC University will come from.
    Further check showed that it is fully accredited in Malta as an Online University ( this can be verified at the National Commission for Further and Higher Education Malta website https://ncfhe.gov.mt/en/Pages/default.aspx
    The most interesting part is that same person owns both schools. They seem to be enrolling for the first intakes at the moment for the Bachelors, Masters, DBA.

    Disclaimer: I have no links with SMC, I'm just someone looking for cheaper ways to achieve my academic goals.
     
    SteveFoerster likes this.
  2. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    Agreed. I expect it is a path to replacement, since Malta seems to be much friendlier for institutional accreditation than Switzerland is.
     
  3. Elbulk

    Elbulk Active Member

    Yeah. And an easier way to get degrees more widely recognized. let's see how it plays out. At least they have experience administering online education.
     
    SteveFoerster likes this.
  4. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    A lot of it, they were pretty early on the scene. I hope this move works out for them, I actually really like them.
     
    Elbulk likes this.
  5. Stanislav

    Stanislav Well-Known Member

    Currently, SMC programs cost a fraction of NEOS's. Curious situation; if it unfolds like you guys expecting (SMC folding into the new school in Malta which will carry on the torch), now might be the time to lock into the bargain. Neos' DBA is approximately the same price point as Cumberlands or H&W, or CalSouthern; for a brand new school, not much of a bargain. SMC is EUR 9,800 and apparently leads to the same diploma; that's fire sale pricing. I am not sure if SMC BBA is currently accredited by anyone; if it is, at under EUR 1000, that's Ashworth College pricing and, likewise, a bargain (for those in need of such a degree).
    I wish SMC would find a way to regularity within Swiss system; apparently that's not in the cards. They had to fold a few of their slightly less-usual programs.
     
  6. Neuhaus

    Neuhaus Well-Known Member

    This is a pretty speculative path. Granted, it seems more likely to get a favorable WES assessment out of NEOS than SMC given that Malta is friendlier than Switzerland. Still, we have no idea how that will play out long term. So for the price as Cumberlands or even CalSouthern, you can have a school where the biggest asset is that the owner is willing to constantly find loopholes to be able to award you a degree. Seems kind of sketch to me. Why not just spend the money on a well respected school like Heriot-Watt? At a minimum why not go for CalSouthern with its undisputed accreditation status?

    I guess I'm just not seeing the benefit of pursuing this route unless you want to show how good you are at life hacking your way to a degree. There's a straighter path to that goal. This just seems an odd course to take.
     
  7. Elbulk

    Elbulk Active Member

    Neos is also accepting directly.
     
  8. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    Cumberlands is at the bottom end of the U.S. pricing scale, and as we've seen there are people who don't prefer it. It's a big planet; there's a place for NEOS in the global marketplace.

    But I agree with you completely that if going through SMC means that big a discount, that's the way to go.
     
  9. Stanislav

    Stanislav Well-Known Member

    Agreed on Neos. If you like the programs, H&W is an amazing bargain. Likewise, Cumberlands, for people with slightly different needs (say, you're Southern Baptist, or you figure American degree will serve you better, or you're from Kentucky, or want to attend residencies - or, indeed, you're the international student using the program to get legal work authorization in US). I can see a compelling cost/benefit case for CalSouthern, under certain assumprions. Neos - not so much. You spend approximately as much to enroll in a brand new for-profit on a Mediterranean island, with no faculty listed on the website, and eat possible perception issues.
    However, SMC is currently less than half the price of these. This is an entirely different price proposition altogether. Not sure how long will that last.
     
  10. Stanislav

    Stanislav Well-Known Member

    You're absolutely right; I was comparing prices and perceived values only. Neos will in all likelihood find its share students.
     
  11. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    I'm sure it will, especially since it's run by folks with experience in this. I expect in perception that Malta being a smallish island is more than made up for by its EU membership. In addition, SMC offered (offers?) residencies in places where its students actually live, including Nairobi and Lagos among other places, and if NEOS does the same that's a meaningful differentiator over Cumberlands and CalSouthern.

    By the way, the Cumberlands programs don't have residencies, and they don't lead to work authorization in the U.S.
     
  12. Elbulk

    Elbulk Active Member

    Contrary to your assumption, the faculty members are listed on the site. That's how I got to know to was the same people behind SMC. CalSouthern I assume is Nationally accredited. In the case of Neos they have full accreditation from the accreditation boaed in Malta. As for the pricing, the present tuition cost may not be the most inviting. I don't know the quality of teaching at SMC but for sure Neos won't be short of that.
     
  13. Stanislav

    Stanislav Well-Known Member

    Yes to both, especially the residency angle. I was referring more to perceptions here in US.

    As the article I linked to explains, Cumberlands grad programs are offered in optional "executive residency weekend" format, sort of a lifehack to F1 requirement of full time residential study. Also, at least IT programs are CPT compatible. Apparently this is all rather new development.
     
  14. Stanislav

    Stanislav Well-Known Member

    My bad.

    The site looks too slick and corporate to me, but that's taste I guess.

    CalSouthern is full RA.
     
  15. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    Ohhhh-kay, now I see what you're saying. You're right. I wasn't thinking about that because Americans don't seem to be among their target markets.

    Well, then today I learned. :)
     
  16. Elbulk

    Elbulk Active Member

    Then I'd rather go the CalSouthern way. It's fully online right?
    Only if Neos is giving an irresistible offer which I think they should.
     
  17. Elbulk

    Elbulk Active Member

    So I checked on Neos business school and site is down. Seems like SMC guys couldn't make a seamless migration even though they have accreditation. SMC from what I see on the website have resorted to giving degrees from UCN, Nicaragua for all their masters and PHD degrees.
     
  18. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    Scrolling up... well, when I'm wrong, I'm wrong. I wonder what happened.
     
  19. Elbulk

    Elbulk Active Member

    really wondering too. Getting accreditation I thought was the hardest part.
     
  20. Kizmet

    Kizmet Moderator

    I clicked on the provided neos link and it wouldn't load. So I googled it and the first hit is THIS THREAD. Then another DI thread. Then a linkedin hit then a twitter hit. And guess what? No hits for a school website. I'm telling you, you can sit and talk about Switzerland and Malta and all that but I'd walk away. You want cheap? Go to UNISA and stop playing around with these marginal/shady things.
     

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