Preston University in UNESCO International Handbook of Universities

I have been told, I think reliably, that this fine Wyoming-based um-university is now in the International Handbook of Universities, because of whatever form of recognition they have in their home country of Pakistan.

We learned in communication theory class that when a positive concept is linked with a negative one, they move toward each other.

Adolph Hitler was a vegetarian. Hitler becomes a wee bit more favorable, vegetarianism a wee bit less.

Preston in IHU:
Hypothesis: Preston a little more favorable, IHU a little less.

 

Could it be that UNESCO was in the process of revising their handbook for the next edition and they found themselves with a couple of blank pages to fill?

 

No! One reason that Preston is listed with UNESCO is because of the quality of their dissertations.

www.preston.edu/dissertation.html

And also because of their many affiliated schools.

www.preston.edu/affiliated.html

 

It is interesting the explosion of 'universities' seeking accreditation or recognition form countries such as Libya, West Indies, Pakistan.

More interesting is that folks seem attracted to these schools with so many affordable accredited options in the USA or from countries with better recognized educational systems (eg AU/GB/SA).

I tend to agree that the GAAP definition using IHU now has a big caveat.

North

 

Imagine a country that is the exact opposite of Pakistan in every possible way. Finland, right?

Well, here is Preston University of Finland (yes, run by the same people):

http://www.preston-edu.fi/

Here's Preston University of Ajman, United Arab Emirates:

http://www.preston.ac.ae/

This site gives a list of the various Prestons around the world. Apparently this thing is a franchise, kind of a McMill: "Would you like honours with that degree?"

Q. Does Preston University USA have other campuses?

A. Yes, Preston University has affiliated campuses located in the various countries listed below:

 10 campuses in Pakistan located in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, Hyderabad, Multan, Faisalabad, Quetta and Gujranwala.
· campuses in Spain located in Seville, Cordoba, Tenerife and Algeciras
· 2 campuses in Russia located in Volgograd and St. Petersburg
· 3 campuses in India located in New Delhi, Calcutta and Hyderbad
· a growing number of campuses in China located across the country in cities including, Jilin City, Harbin, Xian and other locations.
· 1 campus in Ajman, United Arab Emirates
· 1 campus in Chittagong, Bangladesh
· 1 campus in Tbilisi, Georgia
· 1 campus in Casablanca, Morocco
· 1 campus in Medan, Indonesia
· 1 campus in Finland located in Ylivieska

The list apparently isn't exhaustive, since here is Preston of Caracas, Venezuela:

http://www.ami.com.ve/

Here's an interesting one: Preston University of Middlesex, England. They use an Ascension Island ".ac" web address and apparently claim to be able to legally operate as a university in the UK since they say that they are a branch of a foreign educational institution, licensed in Wyoming USA:

http://www.preston.ac/

Preston's Singapore franchisee:

http://www.professionalstudies.com.sg/

Despite this thing suppposedly being a doctoral level university with at least 30 campuses around the world, I didn't see a single academic reference to them on the first ten Google search pages that "Preston University" generated. No publications, conferences, collaborations, grants, contracts, awards etc. No professional or scholarly organizations referred to them.

 

Here's a story from the 'Chronicle of Higher Education' about Preston's practice of listing professors as Preston faculty without those individual's knowledge:

http://chronicle.com/free/v47/i28/28a03402.htm

And here's an interesting Canadian court case featuring Preston University. A Pakistani sought permanent resident status in Canada and was turned down. He appealed, his argument centering on the fact that he had not been given credit for his Preston MBA.

[5]                 The applicant filed a Notice of Application for judicial review on July 6, 2000. The applicant complains that the visa officer failed to recognize his M.B.A. from Preston University and thus erred when she did not allocate to him the number of points commensurate with a graduate degree. The applicant further submits that the visa officer was unreasonable in her assessment of his personal suitability. For the reasons that follow, I find no error by the visa officer.

Educational Factor

[6]                 In her affidavit, the visa officer makes the following statement about the applicant's degree:

12.           With respect to the Applicant's degree from Preston, I advised him that we do not accept degrees from Preston University in Pakistan. I am advised by my colleague Allan Martin, a Foreign Service officer for the immigrant-processing unit in Islamabad, and verily believe it to be true that we haven't been recognizing degrees from Preston University because the university is not recognized by the University Grant Commission of Pakistan. This is the body which determines whether degree-granting institutions are recognized or not in Pakistan. Preston University began spreading news that they had been recognized in May 1999, but in October 1999 the University Grant Commission responded by publishing notices in the newspapers saying that Preston was still not recognized. For a few months, we were uncertain about this, however, since the University Grant Commission set the record straight in October 1999, we haven't been recognizing the degrees.

http://decisions.fct-cf.gc.ca/fct/2002/2002fct591.html

 

They claim recognition from UGC

According to their website, Preston University is recognized by University Grant Commission of Pakistan. Probably they got the recognition in 2002.

http://www.prestonpak.edu.pk/recognition.htm

or

http://www.prestonpak.edu.pk/ click recognition on left navigation menu.

MFH
MBA Student - Touro University International

 

Preston is listed here .... not sure if their PHD's and DBA's are accredited !!!

http://www.dawn.com/2002/07/17/nat14.htm


UGC issues list of degree awarding institutions

ISLAMABAD, July 16: The University Grants Commission (UGC) on Tuesday issued a list of universities and institutions which are chartered to award degrees by the federal and provincial governments.

According to the UGC, there are as many as 77 universities and institutions (42 in public and 35 in private sector) which are chartered to award degrees.

A number of institutions have been advertising in the press that they either represent foreign universities or are the sub- campuses, as well as have a degree awarding status. Some even use the name of the UGC in their advertisements.

The universities and institutions in public sector which are chartered to award degrees by the federal and provincial governments are: Allama Iqbal Open University, Islamabad; Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan; Bahria University, Islamabad; Balochistan University of Engineering and Technology, Khuzdar; Comsats Institute of Information Technology, Islamabad; Fatima Jinnah Women University, Rawalpindi; Gomal University, D.I. Khan; Government College, Lahore; Hazara University, Mansehra; Institute of Business Administration, Karachi; International Islamic University, Islamabad; Islamia University, Bahawalpur; Kohat University of Science and Technology, Kohat; Lahore College for Women, Lahore; Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences, Jamshoro; Mehran University of Engineering and Technology, Jamshoro; Military College of Engineering, Risalpur Cant; National College of Arts, Lahore; National University of Modern Languages, Islamabad; National University of Sciences and Technology, Rawalpindi; NED University of Engineering and Technology, Karachi; NWFP University of Agriculture, Peshawar; NWFP University of Engineering and Technology, Peshawar; Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Islamabad; Pakistan Military Academy, Abbottabad; Pakistan Naval Academy, Karachi; Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad; Quaid-i-Awam University of Engineering, Sciences and Technology, Nawabshah; Shah Abdul Latif University, Khairpur; Sindh Agriculture University, Tando Jam; University of Agriculture, Faisalabad; University of Arid Agriculture, Rawalpindi; University of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Muzaffarabad; University of Balochistan, Quetta; University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore; University of Engineering and Technology, Taxila; University of Karachi; University of Malakand, Dir; University of Peshawar; University of the Punjab, Lahore; University of Sindh, Jamshoro; University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore.

Universities and degree awarding institutions in the private sector are: Aga Khan University, Karachi; Al-Kahir University, AJK; Baqai Medical University, Karachi; CECOS University of Information Technology and Emerging Sciences, Peshawar; City University of Science and Information Technology, Peshawar; Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute of Engineering Sciences and Technology, Topi; Greenwich University, Karachi; Hamdard University, Karachi; Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture, Karachi; Institute of Business Management, Karachi; Imperial College of Business Studies, Lahore; Institute of Lahore; Institute of Management and Technology, Lahore; Institute of Management Sciences, Lahore; Iqra University, Karachi; Isra University, Hyderabad; Jinnah University for Women, Karachi; Karachi Institute of Economics and Technology, Karachi; Khadim Ali Shah Bokhari (KASB) Institute of Technology, Karachi; Lahore School of Economics, Lahore; Lahore University of Management Sciences, Lahore; Mohiuddin Islamic University, AJK; Mohammad Ali Jinnah University, Karachi; National University Computer and Emerging Sciences, Islamabad; National College of Business Administration and Economics, Lahore; Newport Institute of Communications and Economics, Karachi; Preston Institute of Management, Science and Technology, Karachi Qurtuba University of Science and Information Technology, D.I. Khan; Sarhad University of Science and Information Technology, Peshawar; Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Institute of Science and Technology (SZABIST), Karachi; Sir Syed University of Engineering and Technology, Karachi; Syed Ali Hajvery Institute of Technology and Management Sciences, Lahore; Textile Institute of Pakistan Karachi; University of Central Punjab, Lahore; Zia-ud-din Medical University, Karachi.

The UGC clarified that many Pakistani institutions were also aggressively marketing degree programmes of foreign universities without any authorization.

The UGC has allowed Karachi Institute of Information Technology (KIIT) to run degree programmes in collaboration with the University of Huddersfield, England which is an accredited University of UK.

Similarly, Griffith College Dublin Karachi Campus is allowed to run national certificate and degree programmes of the National Council for Educational Awards (NCEA), Ireland under joint collaboration between the Academic Services Pakistan, Karachi and the Griffith College, Ireland.

Ziauddin Medical University, Karachi is running one year Master of Public Health degree programme in collaboration with Wollongong University, Australia after the approval of the UGC and Government of Pakistan. Wollongong University is an accredited University of Australia.

Ibadat Foundation or Ibadat Educational Trust (IET) Islamabad is allowed to run undergraduate degree programme in collaboration with Western Michigan University which is an accredited University of the US.

The UGC has advised the public, parents and students to contact UGC director (A&C) Mohammad Javed Khan on telephone No. (051) 9257508 or fax No. (051) 9290128; Email: [email protected] for further information.-APP

 

And in their website Preston University stated that they operate under Preston Institute of Management which grants them UGC Accreditation....

Now question is, will Preston University Degree be recognized as equivalent of a US RA/GAAP degree because of their recent recognition in their home country?

MFH
MBA Student - Touro University International

 

Preston ACBSP?

http://www.preston.ac/accreditation.htm claims that they are member of ACBSP....

Is it true?

 

Re: Preston ACBSP?

Being a member isn't the same as being accredited. Being a member means paying dues. ACBSP makes this clear.

I don't see them listed on ACBSP's website HERE.

 

There is no "GAAP" recognition. "GAAP" describes the situation regarding the acceptability of foreign credentials. It isn't a form of recognition itself. As such, the "G" in "GAAP" ("Generally") needs to be emphasized.

 

I suppose that if a student actually physically studied at the Preston Institute of Management Science and Technology in Karachi (not a very healthy place for Americans to visit, let alone live), they might be able to use the UGC recognition and a listing in the International Handbook of Universities to convince somebody of something.

I'm not sure what relevance this has to Preston in Wyoming, to the many world-wide Prestons or to Preston DL degrees. Although I do suppose that a fast-talking graduate of the Wyoming Preston or one of the foreign franchises could try to convince an unsophisticated employer that the Pakistani recognition extended to their degree too.

We seem to have a small and obscure business college in Karachi that seems to go in and out of recognition there, and a worldwide empire of some thirty "campuses" that use the same name, are perhaps associated with the same people, but in many cases sem to derive their degree granting authority (such as it is) from Wyoming and not from Pakistan.

 

Is Allama Iqbal open Uni is present in the list of UNESCO?

Dear members,

any one have an idea / knowledege that Allama iqbal open university is present in the list of UNESCO?


looking for the information.

Regards,

Daud

 

It looks that way...

Preston Institute of Management Sciences and Technology

Preston University Kohat and Karachi

http://www.unesco.org/iau/onlinedatabases/list_data/np-nw.html#Pakistan

 

Since the Preston degree's are recognized they are considered by some NACES members as equivelant degrees. On that note at least one NACES member will note that if the degree was awarded or worked on during the time period when Preston was on probation...

 

Regarding Preston University based in Pakistan

Well, Preston University based in Pakistan is recognized by the Higher Education Commission (Pakistan). Preston University was a founder of the private education sector in Pakistan, and collapsed seriously after its recongnition and affiliation with Preston USA was challended by some other authorities.

However, preston university later fulfilled all the requirments set up by Govt. of Pakistan to eastablish and run a private funded university, and was given license of operations lately.

Every year, Higher Education Commission make a thorough check on these universities and make sure that they provide the quality education.

I have never studied at Preston, however i can gurantee that Preston University based in Pakistan is a 100% recongized entitiy.

 

Is there an update to this information?

"The commission (HEC) has declared the Sarhad University of Science and Information Technology, Peshawar; Preston University, Kohat; City University of Science and Technology, Peshawar; Northern University, Nowshera, as seriously deficient and put them in category 'D'. "

http://www.dawn.com/2004/12/24/local19.htm

 

Preston -- does this help?

Hi -

Authorization to grant degrees is done by individual provinces by the Pakistan HEC.

Last time I looked, Preston had about 8 campuses in Pakistan NOT on the authorized list. The only two authorized by the HEC at that time were Kohat and Karachi. A couple of years earlier, there might have been about four authorized, with one or two on the "deficient" list. What are we down to now? 2 authorized, one of which is on the "deficient" list?

By the way, I believe the head honcho of Preston (Pakistan), Dr. Abdul Basit is a former VP of Dr. Maxine Klein Asher's unrecognized (by USDOE or CHEA) accreditation critter, WAUC.

If anybody wants to check, here's the link to the HEC.

http://app.hec.gov.pk/UniversityFinal2/RegionUniversity.aspx

Cheers

Johann

 

Preston - does this help?

Hi

At the risk of repetition (tried to post this earlier) I believe Pakistan HEC degree-granting authorization is done by Province. Last I looked, Preston had about 10 Pakistan campuses, only 2 HEC-authorized to grant degrees. They were Kohat and Karachi, IIRC.

A couple of years ago, I think they might have had up to four campuses that were authorized, but with one or two of those on the "deficient" list, meaning that they had to correct deficiencies in a given time-frame or lose their degree-granting authority.

From the info in the last posting, it looks like we may be down to two "authorized" campuses in Karachi, Kohat on the "deficiency" list and the rest unauthorized by the HEC to grant degrees. If you want to check, here's the link to the HEC site: http://app.hec.gov.pk/UniversityFinal2/RegionUniversity.aspx