A recent report by the Austrian newspaper Wiener Zeitung has uncovered troubling practices involving a Vienna-based institute that facilitates obtaining PhDs from Malta’s Signum Magnum College (SMC) with minimal effort. Links: https://theshiftnews.com/2024/08/02/austrian-report-exposes-phd-scandal-threatening-maltas-academic-integrity/ https://timesofmalta.com/article/maltese-online-phd-offered-austria-not-legal-austrian-authorities-say.1096128 Original report (feel free to translate it using automatic English translation): https://www.wienerzeitung.at/a/dubiose-doeblinger-doktortitel
From the link regarding Times Of Malta Maltese online PhD offered in Austria ‘not legal’, Austrian authorities say Austrian accreditation agency claims 'letterbox universities' are 'common in Malta' “Austrian authorities only recognise registered degrees and only consider self-accredited institutions to be universities. Only the University of Malta, Malta College of Arts, Science & Technology (MCAST) and Institute of Tourism Studies (ITS) are self-accredited. SMC does not refer to itself as a university.”
It would appear it does not take much to be "accredited" in Malta. As with all such things these days, the proof is in its use. For the US, that would be a legitimate (non-WES) foreign degree evaluation.
Neither article details what it is that SMC does wrong, other than having a somewhat shady Austrian recruiting partner. Neither do they show that SMC awards PhDs with "minimal effort". I mean, this may be the case, but the articles do not demonstrate it.
Agreed, although it is not clear whether the study center is just a recruiting partner. Apparently, the whole thing started this way: "The story begins with an email. Someone writes to us that he has earned a doctorate at the Hohe Warte study center in Vienna. However, it turns out that the title is not recognized. 30,000 euros are gone, the reputation is tarnished. Our curiosity was aroused. What is behind it? Doctoral agencies like the Hohe Warte offer university degrees for money. In the academic world, buying a degree is seen as highly problematic. We spent several weeks researching this dubious business model together with the Falter and the Maltese daily newspaper Times of Malta. The traces lead us from the Hohe Warte study center in Döbling to a villa in Perchtoldsdorf and then to a mailbox company in Malta." (Original report - https://www.wienerzeitung.at/a/dubiose-doeblinger-doktortitel)
The owner of the study center apparently "tried five times to register his study center as a private university [in Austria]. Five times the authorities did not accept the SHW. So it offers distance learning courses." This is why I said that it is not clear whether we're dealing with a mere recruiting partner. Also, the study center has cooperated with Collegium Humanum (Poland) before. We now know that some of their qualifications have been literally sold according to ongoing investigations here in Poland. There are multiple arrests in that case.
Agreed. I think it should rather all BE about their Partner, as the "Studienzentrum Hohe Warte" is dubious since aeons, however. Do a little recherche about the CEO! It's, actually, quiet funny.
Agreed. German-speaking countries are notoriously standoffish when it comes to foreign credentials. Rich is right, most Americans should care more about how NACES members would evaluate it.
Broken clock twice per day and all that.... Does anyone know if there is a NACES member who will evaluate a school and degree ahead of time? It would seem vital to know up front that the degree you pursue will be evaluated favorably upon completion.
Me, either. But doesn't it seem essential? After all, NACES is supposed to support graduates, and in this day and age of distance learning, knowing the acceptability (and equivalence) of foreign credentials BEFORE one enters into a degree program would seem like an essential service. By the time the student has paid and worked through to graduation, it's too late.
Hello! Apparently, the Signum Magnum College plan to ditch the cooperation with the SHW (Studienzentrum Hohe Warte): https://www.fernstudium-infos.de/topic/20508-führt-das-doktorat-über-hohe-warte-zum-dr-in-deutschland/page/5/#comments. I can only say that I think that is a good thing (and while I think it was probably a mistake to cooperate with SHW, well, apparently they are going to correct it). So, no Signum Magnum College scandal. Never really was. But rather a SHW scandal, judging by the article in the journal. Best regards, Mac Juli
Hello! By the way, the article in the "Wiener Zeitung" apparently was deleted. Best regards, Julien Caussin
