Why does Knightsbridge University confer its own degrees?

Much has been said recently about how Knightsbridge University follows the UK model. Some quotes from another thread about the UK system:

Since Knightsbridge University purports to follow the UK model and lacks a charter, why doesn't it have an arrangement with a chartered university to confer its degrees, similar to the arrangement that Henley had with Brunel?

 

'Coz it's a durty job but summun has to do it.

 

..an coz Henwick downt like bein told wot 2 do...

 

"The Knightsbridge University MBA has always been a true E-MBA, i.e. a solid, straight-forward, no-nonsense programme for the practising manager, who does not need to 'start from the beginning' in the various modules covered. This very popular programme now offers even more benefit as it has been recently the subject of validation by Debrecen University, a highly regarded Hungarian state institution.
"This validation is the result of peer review at the highest level, and bears testament to the integrity, quality and standard of the Knightsbridge University MBA, and confirms our own statements in respect of this programme. It also reflects positively on all our other programmes and Knightsbridge University in general."
http://web.archive.org/web/20010204045500/www.knightsbridge-uni.com/latest_news.htm

"The visiting panel were pleased to be able to recommend to the Board of Commissioners that approval be given to the University of Economics and Management Ústi nad Labem for full accreditation for both BBA as MBA, after the second visit in November 2000. [...]
"Since August 1996, in which year the centre started its BBA program, the Centre has had an agreement with Global Extension University (GEU) and since August 1999 with its partner 'Knightsbridge University' which absorbed GEU. This University validates the BBA program of the Management Centre. The MBA program is likewise validated by Debrecen University in Hungary – graduates from University of Economics and Management can have their diplomas also awarded by these Universities."
http://www.vsem.cz/pdf/ECBE_report01.pdf

 

Google only knows of one webpage that mentions both Knightsbridge and Debrecen on the same page:

Searched the web for "debrecen university" knightsbridge._ Results 1 - 1 of 1.

[PDF]BBA and MBA Accreditation Visit Report
File Format: PDF/Adobe Acrobat - View as HTML
... University (GEU) and since August 1999 its partner "Knightsbridge University"
which absorbed GEU, validated by with Debrecen University in Hungary ...
www.vsem.cz/pdf/ECBE_report01.pdf - Similar pages

The other page Mark listed was from the wayback machine. If Knightsbridge really was validated by Debrecen at one point, that doesn't seem to be the case now.

But it raises the question: If Henrik is so thouroughly dismissive of outside quality assurance as he now seems to be, why was he courting Debrecen not long ago?

The archived text reads:

This validation is the result of peer review at the highest level, and bears testament to the integrity, quality and standard of the Knightsbridge University MBA, and confirms our own statements in respect of this programme. It also reflects positively on all our other programmes and Knightsbridge University in general. We are very proud of this affiliation, and hope and trust that holders of the Knightsbridge University MBA, validated by Debrecen University, shall be able to reap the full benefits of this development.

But just a couple of days ago Henrik was angrily insisting:

We do not claim any external approval, we do not want any external approval. That's been made clear. Yet you drag up the issue of external approval as though this were the only guarantor of quality. ...

...Assessment procedures and dissemination procedures are not in the least to do with accreditation. Academic credibility has nothing to do with accreditation.

 

I searched the DE (Debrecen University) website as thoroughly as I could, and could find no mention of Knightsbridge. There's no search function, so I may have missed it. The listing for the business administration faculty made no mention of it. And, yes, if external validation is pointless, what's the deal with DE anyhoo?

 

This was a "previous incarnation" of Knightsbridge University (when it had a mailing address in the UK), so you shouldn't expect to find much mention of it on current Web pages.

Henrik has never said "external validation is pointless". Au contraire, he's said that many people need a degree with external validation, and claims to direct many prospective students elsewhere for that exact reason. His claim is that Knightsbridge University caters to a niche market of people who don't need the external validation.

 

Wait a minute. There is simply no evidence that Debrecen University validated or accredited any of Knightsbridge’s programs. The document (in pdf format) linked to by both Mark and Bill was issued by the European Council for Business Education (ECBE) and constitutes an Accreditation Visit Report for the BBA and MBA programs of a wholly distinct institution, the University of Economics and Management Ústi nad Labem located in the Czech Republic.

The document states that a consulting company called Management Centre (specializing in business restructuring) originally owned the university. Management Centre started offering a BBA program in 1996 and entered into an agreement with Global Extension University (GEU) that same year. It seems that Knightsbridge University acquired GEU sometime around 1999, and since then, Management Centre’s BBA program has been validated by Knightsbridge (note that is not the other way around). The document goes on to state that Management Centre’s MBA program is similarly validated by Debrecen University in Hungary. In other words, one of University of Economics and Management Ústi nad Labem's program was validated by Knightsbridge (by virtue of their merger with GEU), and another altogether different program was validated by Debrecen.

Nowhere does this document state or imply that Knightsbridge University was ever validated or accredited by Debrecen.

Very little information is available concerning Global Extension University, the organization that was absorbed by Knightsbridge circa 1999. One link between the two organizations is that Thomas K. Carr did some consulting work for both as a course designer.

 

The European Council For Business Education also accredited Robert Kennedy University (in Switzerland, sort of), which John Bear has called "this dreadful place".
http://www.degreeinfo.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=2415

But the "Visit Chairman" named in http://www.vsem.cz/pdf/ECBE_report01.pdf is "Professor Harry A Nicholls". Is this the "Harry Nicholls" who "was Dean of Aston Business School, then the largest university business school in England, after being a professor in the business schools at Aston, Stanford (California) and Edinburgh"?
http://www.eams-gulf.org/cer2.asp?C_ID=28&D_ID=21

The other assessor named, Robert T. M. Rietbroek, was apparently from the Haagse Hogeschool in the Hague:
http://www.sbaer.uca.edu/International_exchange/fipsefin.txt
The same pair also accredited the BBA of Anglo-American College in the Czech Republic:
http://members.tripod.com/thewal1/2/news1.html

 

Well, I'm glad to hear that DE is in the clear on this.

 

I needn't have used the Wayback machine. The same announcement is here:
http://www.thembazone.com/mba/uk/mba394.htm

"as one alumni comments"
Henrik wouldn't have written "one alumni", would he?

 

KU sure bounces around a lot. Your above link has KU in the UK, Antigua, and Barbuda. I guess that now it (temporarily?) is in Denmark? Being light and mobile has its advantages. No wonder a list can't be made of dissertations or actual advisors, it would just slow down the next move.

 

Check out this Scottish version of Knightsbridge- Knightsbridge College:

http://www.knightsbridgecollege.com/

Henrik promises:

Knightsbridge College - astronomy to theology distance learning through university external degrees.

A Distance learning college offering university degrees ,external degrees, law degrees, Institute of Financial Accountants, Leeds College of Technology, University of Leeds qualifications through correspondence. Correspondence courses lead to external degrees.

University of Leeds???

His 'Tuition leading to awards from other institutions' page says something rather different:

TUITION LEADING TO AWARDS FROM OTHER ORGANISATIONS

Apart from our own range of courses, Knightsbridge College offers tuition for the following qualifications/awards:
University of London External LL.B (Hons)* (*it is the responsibility of the student to register directly with University of London for the appropriate examinations - Application Forms for this purpose may be supplied by the College).

Institute of Financial Accountants
Knightsbridge College offers tuition for all examinations of the Institute of Financial Accountants. Please see enclosed separate information for fuller details.

http://www.knightsbridgecollege.com/tuitionlead.html

These aren't really validation arrangements at all. KC is just offering instruction to assist students in examination-only programs. (Actually, that might be a valid role for a school like Henrik's.)

Here's where the University of Leeds finally appears:

RECRUITMENT FOR QUALIFICATIONS AT OTHER UK INSTITUTIONS
_
LEEDS COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY AND THE UNIVERSITY OF LEEDS

NEW HORIZONS IN ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY - an exciting certificate and degree programme offered jointly by the University of Leeds and Leeds College of Technology.

What is the Engineering Technology Certificate?

A new full-time programme intended for mature applicants without formal qualifications beyond GCSE wishing to gain an approved qualification in Engineering Technology...

http://www.knightsbridgecollege.com/recruitment.html

This turns out to be an advertisement for what appears to be a full-time on-campus program in Leeds.

The 'Quality in Teaching and Learning' page is pure Henrik, a verbose thing that actually says nothing more than 'trust me'.

http://www.knightsbridgecollege.com/quality.html

 

Warning attempts at humor following

Henrik's powers of verbosity and obfuscation are great indeed. Although I dare say they are not as powerful as his own assessment would place them.

Do not despair, Henrik,I believe that you have raised your powers to their pinnacle. There's just this hard limit of what powers of verbosity and obfuscation can possibly achieve especially when confronted with the powers of DegreeInfo.

 

Not necessarily. Repentance could open up whole new avenues...

 

Very true. The mere mention of repentance has been known to garner the support of many a DL Scholar.

 

Hi guys, new to this forum but find several references to Knightsbridge University. I did a distance learning course with them in the early 90's. At no point did I expect it to be accepted in the US as "accredited", (I was a Brit living in the Caribbean at the time) but I did find it very useful that, having years of experience in a certain field, I could receive a diploma after a short course and a dissertation. Had I wanted (or needed) a school with US credentials (despite it being registered in Denmark at the time) I would certainly have sought one. For me, personally, I just needed something to acknowledge that I had several years of experience in the subject which I could express and receive a diploma for. Basically, for me it worked and served my purpose

 

I'm pleased to hear that you're happy with your degree mill purchase.

 

For people who are unaware of this Knightsbridge thingy, we have a number of old threads that you can peruse

http://www.degreeinfo.com/accreditation-discussions-ra-detc-state-approval-unaccredited-schools/15789-knightsbridge-universitys-faculty.html

http://www.degreeinfo.com/accreditation-discussions-ra-detc-state-approval-unaccredited-schools/17473-update-knightsbridge-university.html

http://www.degreeinfo.com/general-distance-learning-discussions/13262-doctorate-4-months-knightsbridge-university.html

http://www.degreeinfo.com/general-distance-learning-discussions/13256-linkage-between-knightsbridge-university-claremont-international-university-part-1-a.html

http://www.degreeinfo.com/general-distance-learning-discussions/9044-first-question-henrik-re-knightsbridge-university.html

http://www.degreeinfo.com/accreditation-discussions-ra-detc-state-approval-unaccredited-schools/11806-knightsbridge-university-3.html

http://www.degreeinfo.com/general-distance-learning-discussions/8803-john-bear-introduces-henrik-fyrst-kristensen-knightsbridge-university.html

 

And you found it, in a house on Skelvej 2 in Spentrup, Denmark. Was the diploma sent from P.O. Box 13?