Learn about some fresh technological advancements and thoughtful global initiatives that are improving the efficiency and integrity of the international admissions process!

1. Getting to Groningen
New Developments in Combatting Admissions Fraud
NAFSA Region VIII Conference, 12 Nov 2015

2. On our journey today...
Ken McCague
Old Dominion
University, Virginia
Cheryl DarrupBoychuck
FundsV and
USjournal.com
Sonya Reneberg
National Student
Clearinghouse
Margit A. Schatzman
Educational
Credential
Evaluators, Inc.

3. Learning Objectives
1. Understand current vulnerabilities within
the international admissions process

4. Learning Objectives
1. Understand current vulnerabilities within
the international admissions process
2. Gain confidence in authenticating data
related to financial documentation and
academic transcripts

5. Learning Objectives
1. Understand current vulnerabilities within
the international admissions process
2. Gain confidence in authenticating data
related to financial documentation and
academic transcripts
3. Define ways to improve the efficiency and
integrity of the process, via initiatives such
as the Groningen Declaration

6. Groningen Declaration Goals
The Groningen Declaration seeks common ground in best
serving the academic and professional mobility needs of
citizens worldwide by bringing together key stakeholders
in the Digital Student Data Ecosystem.
Citizens worldwide should be able to consult and share
their authentic educational data with whomever they
want, whenever they want, wherever.

7. Groningen Declaration Quick Facts
• 2012
• Signatories
– Over 27 signatories in over 17 countries
• Task Force on Verification Policy and Best
Practices in Verification
mwenger@ece.org

8. The experiences of two
Groningen Declaration Signatories
Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc. (ECE)
The Association for International Credential Evaluation
Professionals (TAICEP)

9. Recurring Themes
1. Improve efficiency
2. Improve integrity

10. Recurring Themes
1. Improve efficiency
2. Improve integrity
.
.
.
.
. Detect fraud

11. Fraudulent documents are rare.
● INTCAS (UK) = 99.03% clearance

12. Fraudulent documents are rare.
● INTCAS (UK) = 99.03% clearance
● Student visas to Australia
2012 = 1,978 cancelled
2014 = 7,061 cancelled

13. Fraudulent documents are rare.
● INTCAS (UK) = 99.03% clearance
● Student visas to Australia
2012 = 1,978 cancelled
2014 = 7,061 cancelled
(out of 404,000+)

15. Academic Credential Authentication
≅ Financial Document Authentication

16. Academic Credential Authentication
≅ Financial Document Authentication
➔Fabrication
➔In-house Document Manufacture
➔Misleading Translation
➔Alteration
Which type of fraud is most common?

17. Which of these two is more common?
Fabrication
In-house
Document
Manufacture

18. Fabrication

19. Which of these two is more common?
Misleading
Translation
Alteration

20. Alteration

21. Which of these two is more common?
Fabrication Alteration

22. Alteration

23. Ken McCague
Assistant Director of International Admissions
Old Dominion University

24. Institutional Perspective
● ODU at a glance
● Office Organization
Document Authentication
● Requirements
● Type of Funding
Cases: India, Africa, China

39. Sonya Reneberg
National Student
Clearinghouse
Cheryl DarrupBoychuck
Owner / Chief International Executive Officer
FundsV and USjournal.com

40. The solution?

41. The solution?
Improve
efficiency and
integrity.

44. Proving Financial Capacity: How it works
Student uploads his or
her own bank data
to a student-oriented
profile on a secure
platform.

45. Proving Financial Capacity: How it works
Student uploads his or
her own bank data
to a student-oriented
profile on a secure
platform.
Student invites his or
her financial sponsor
to upload bank data
to his or her profile.

46. Proving Financial Capacity: How it works
Student uploads his or
her own bank data
to a student-oriented
profile on a secure
platform.
Student invites his or
her financial sponsor
to upload bank data
to his or her profile.
Additional data and /
or documents are
authenticated and
uploaded
so the authority may
view the profile.

50. Sonya Reneberg
Business Development Executive
National Student Clearinghouse

51. Mission:
We serve the education community by facilitating
the exchange and understanding of student enrollment,
performance and related information.

52. National Student Clearinghouse
● One of the original signatories of the
Groningen Declaration in April 2012

53. National Student Clearinghouse
● One of the original signatories of the
Groningen Declaration in April 2012
● G.R.E.E.N. -- Global Registrar EduRecord
Exchange Network

54. National Student Clearinghouse
● One of the original signatories of the
Groningen Declaration in April 2012
● G.R.E.E.N. -- Global Registrar EduRecord
Exchange Network
● More info at StudentClearinghouse.org

55. Ways the Clearinghouse can support
the fight against admissions fraud
1. Transcript and Data Exchange Services

56. Ways the Clearinghouse can support
the fight against admissions fraud
1. Transcript and Data Exchange Services
2. The China Pilot with CHESSIC and CDGDC
(Spring 2016)

57. Ways the Clearinghouse can support
the fight against admissions fraud
1. Transcript and Data Exchange Services
2. The China Pilot with CHESSIC and CDGDC
(Spring 2016)
3. Verification Services

58. Margit Schatzman, President
Education Credential Evaluators

60. Challenges we face as a community as we move the
digital initiatives forward.
Strategies credential evaluators have used that have
worked for them in bridging the paper vs. digital divide.

61. Top Five Challenges
1. Dealing with an institutional administration that insists on
receiving paper credentials for applicants.
2. Having to have two systems running at once -
digital/electronic and paper.
3. Technical integration (sending and receiving institutions might
have different technical standards, there might be language
and other communication issues while setting up the
electronic exchange)
4. Vetting third parties involved in data transfer
5. Not knowing what's out there, and what you can expect from
different countries and institutions.

62. The most helpful things credential evaluators
are doing to manage these challenges.

63. Helpful Strategies…
1. Gathering information and becoming informed about the
digital systems available in countries from where we receive
documents.
2. Becoming active in digital initiatives, such as EAIE's DSDP
interest area and the Groningen Declaration Network
3. Developing internal policies that encourage acceptance of
digital information
4. Working pro-actively with institutional IT staff to establish
systems that will promote ease of transfer of digital data

64. More Helpful Strategies…
5. Developing and reviewing documentation requirements
that are specific to the country or institution based on their
ability to transfer student data digitally, and providing that
information to applicants
6. Avoiding a one-size-fits-all documentation policy when the
types of documents being sent and received varies so much
7. Be proactive; don't wait to stumble upon databases or
verification sources - do research, share information with
colleagues, develop relationships

65. You are most welcome to contact us!
Ken McCague
KMcCague@odu.edu
Cheryl DarrupBoychuck
cheryl@FundsV.com
Sonya Reneberg
reneberg@Student
Clearinghouse.org
Margit A. Schatzman
margit@ece.org

66. Getting to Groningen
New Developments in Combatting Admissions Fraud
NAFSA Region VIII Conference, 12 Nov 2015