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© Copyright 2009 Council for Higher Education Accreditation and 
United Nations Educational, Scientifi c and Cultural Organization. 
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or 
transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, 
including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and 
retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
TABLE OF CONTENTS 
Advisory Statement ............................................................................................................................................... 1 
Appendix I: Matrix of Eff ective Practices Arrayed by Sector/Actor ......................................................................... 7 
Appendix II: Selected References ......................................................................................................................... 11 
Appendix III: Degree Mill Meeting Participants .................................................................................................. 13 
Toward Eff ective Practice: Discouraging Degree Mills in Higher Education
TOWARD EFFECTIVE PRACTICE: 
DISCOURAGING DEGREE MILLS IN HIGHER EDUCATION 
INTRODUCTION 
A small group of higher education, accreditation and quality assurance and credential evaluation experts came 
together in 2008 to explore the challenge and problem of “degree mills” or bogus providers of higher education, 
particularly as these operations aff ect the growing internationalization of higher education. Seeking to stimulate an 
international dialogue, the group developed a series of suggestions for eff ective practice in this area. Th e statement 
that emerged is intended for academic staff and administrators, accreditation and quality assurance professionals, 
credential evaluators, national governments and international organizations concerned with quality in higher 
education in an international setting. It is also intended to guide students, particularly from developing countries, in 
seeking opportunities for international education. 
Th is statement serves as a companion to the recent UNESCO/OECD document, Guidelines for Quality Provision 
in Cross-Border Higher Education, released in 2005. Consistent with the Guidelines, the statement urges that 
governments around the world examine their legal and regulatory frameworks with the goal of eliminating degree 
mills in the future. It also is a resource for users of the UNESCO Portal on Higher Education Institutions launched in 
2008. 
While degree mills have been operating internationally for many years, they have received limited attention from 
academic staff and administrators as well as accreditation and quality assurance professionals. Yet, the extraordinary 
growth in access and demand for higher education internationally, with students electing to attend colleges and 
universities across various countries, increases the likelihood of the use of these providers. 
Degree mills off er credentials based on little study or engagement in higher education activity. Th ey are easy to start, 
diffi cult to eliminate and, at least to date, relatively immune to regulation. Degree mills are part of an emerging 
academic corruption that, unfortunately, is accompanying the growth of access and participation in higher education 
worldwide. 
Degree mills are the result of the expanding pressure on students to obtain higher education credentials, on employers 
to hire individuals with such credentials and on countries to expand the knowledge base of their workforce and to 
meet demands for creative and innovative responses to educational needs. 
Students may be looking for shortcuts to education credentials as they seek employment. Some students are misled 
by what is off ered by degree mills, but others knowingly pay a signifi cant fee in order to claim (falsely) that they have 
completed a legitimate course of study leading to reliable certifi cation. Unscrupulous individuals respond, exploiting 
the current demand for higher education credentials in many countries. Th e Internet gives these individuals an 
instant platform from which to launch degree mills, which students often cannot readily distinguish from the online 
learning opportunities off ered by legitimate institutions. 
Toward Eff ective Practice: Discouraging Degree Mills in Higher Education Page 1
Degree mills harm students and society. Students who are unknowing victims of degree mills are harmed when they 
invest a considerable amount of money for credits or credentials that cannot be used for, e.g., transfer to another 
institution, entry to graduate school or employment. Society is harmed when fraudulent credentials are issued in 
areas that put public health and safety at risk, e.g., engineering or the health-related professions. Th e international 
work of legitimate higher education providers – reliable evaluation of credentials, successful transfer of credit, 
reconciling diff erences in degree structure – is undermined by degree mills. 
DESCRIBING DEGREE MILLS 
Th ere is not, at present, a single, shared international defi nition of “degree mills” or “bogus providers.” A number of 
individual countries have established defi nitions, however, and have also identifi ed key features of these operations 
that are obvious wherever mills set up service. Description of these features provides a foundation for challenging 
mills now and in the future and can, over time, lead to a single international defi nition of these operations. 
We are certain we are dealing with a degree mill when the operation is accurately described as one that “…off ers a 
credential purely in exchange for payment and nothing else.” Money – and only money – is suffi cient to obtain a 
credential at any level and in almost any area. 
We are likely to be dealing with a degree mill when the operation is accurately described by some or all of the 
following. Any one of these descriptors should be cause for concern. “Degree mills”: 
• Lack legal authority to operate as higher education institutions or award degrees. 
• Require little if any attendance, either on-site or online. 
• Require little if any coursework or few if any assignments to obtain a credential. 
• Do not provide information about location of incorporation, ownership or governance. 
• Provide little or no contact information other than telephone or email address. 
• Publish false or exaggerated claims of external quality review (accreditation or quality assurance). 
• Issue degrees that are not accepted for licensing or entry into graduate or professional programs in the degree 
mill’s home country. 
• List academic staff whose degrees were issued by degree mills or are unable to provide verifi able lists of academic 
staff and their qualifi cations. 
• Plagiarize material from legitimate institutions for inclusion on degree mill Websites. 
• Feature Websites with Internet domain registration that is obscured by a privacy service rather than being 
publicly accessible. 
Page 2 CHEA • UNESCO
TOWARD EFFECTIVE INTERNATIONAL PRACTICE 
Th e following actions are suggested to assist in fi ghting the growing international presence of degree mills. Th ey 
are off ered as advice and guidance, not mandates, and provide an array of ambitious initiatives to be considered, 
as appropriate, by higher education and quality assurance leaders, national governments and international bodies. 
1. Create Tools for Identifi cation of Degree Mills 
1. Identify and regionally, nationally and internationally publicize key characteristics and common 
practices of degree mills. 
2. Work toward a common international defi nition of degree mills. 
3. Publicize in-country legal defi nitions of degree mills. 
4. Propose international security standards for documents relating to higher education credentials (e.g., 
transcripts, degrees, diplomas) for use in countries with reliable and up-to-date lists of legitimate providers. 
5. Take advantage of advancing document verifi cation technologies to make document checking simple 
and inexpensive for employers, admissions offi cers, immigration offi cials, etc. 
2. Use Evidence of Quality Provided by Acknowledged Competent Authorities on Academic Quality Such 
as Recognized Accreditation and Quality Assurance Bodies 
1. Confi rm that higher education providers are in good standing with recognized accreditation and quality 
assurance bodies in all the countries in which they are operating. 
2. Use and promote the lists of reliable institutions and programs provided by accrediting organizations 
and quality assurance bodies. 
3. Use reliable country-based lists of legitimate higher education providers such as those available through 
the UNESCO Portal on Higher Education Institutions. 
3. Encourage Providers of Public and Private Funding for Higher Education to Avoid Funding of Degree 
Mills and Th eir Students 
1. Encourage countries to take action to assure that degree mills do not receive public funds. 
2. Urge countries to support the integrity of their own processes for institutional accreditation and avoid 
giving political credibility to degree mills within their borders. 
3. Urge countries to take action to assure that publicly funded fi nancial aid does not go to students 
attending degree mills, including international students. 
4. Encourage corporations and foundations to take steps to avoid providing fi nancial assistance (e.g., 
scholarships, tuition assistance) to students attending degree mills. 
Toward Eff ective Practice: Discouraging Degree Mills in Higher Education Page 3
5. Assure that multi-national organizations avoid providing fi nancial assistance to degree mills or their 
students. 
4. Inform the Public about Degree Mills 
1. Routinely inform the students, parents and schools about the harm generated by degree mills. 
2. Encourage print and electronic advertisers of colleges and universities to confi ne their publications to 
legitimate providers and not degree mills. 
3. Identify and publicize questionable marketing and recruitment practices associated with degree mills. 
4. Urge Internet providers to routinely alert the public to be cautious about the ready availability of 
electronically based degree mills. 
5. Make aggressive use of the press in fi ghting degree mills through publicizing eff orts to expose and 
prosecute degree mill providers. 
6. Urge employers to become informed and use tools to authenticate credentials presented by prospective 
and current employers. 
5. Pursue Legal Action Against Degree Mills and Use of Fraudulent Credentials 
1. Encourage and assist with the development of laws in individual countries that make establishing, 
licensing and operating degree mills illegal. 
2. Work to make the use of counterfeit credentials for, e.g. obtaining or upgrading employment, illegal. 
3. Encourage prosecution of degree mill providers and knowing users of fraudulent credentials where 
appropriate. 
4. Legally protect the use of key higher education terms such as “college,” “university” and “accreditation.” 
5. Urge action to discourage and eliminate “accreditation mills” or rogue providers of quality assurance 
developed by degree mills. 
6. Encourage governments to develop immigration policies that protect against abuses associated with 
counterfeit credentials. 
6. Focus on Cross-border Degree Mill Operation 
1. Establish cross-border agreements among countries to discourage degree mills such as those suggested in 
the UNESCO/OECD Guidelines (2005). 
2. Work with multi-national and regional organizations to enhance awareness of degree mills and provide 
tools to identify and discourage their use. 
3. Promote the use of the UNESCO Portal or entry point to all countries’ legitimate higher education 
institutions and accreditation/quality assurance bodies. 
4. Identify and share characteristics and practices of degree mills operating internationally. 
5. Develop an international network for information and alerts about degree mill activity. 
6. Support legitimate and value-added examples of cross-border higher education, whether developed 
through regulation, incentives or partnerships. 
5/09 
Page 4 CHEA • UNESCO
A number of other suggestions emerged from the meetings. In addition to addressing degree mill providers and 
fraudulent credentials, the group noted that there is a need to identify fraudulent credential evaluation services that 
operate internationally. Reliable services in credential evaluation and accreditation/quality assurance can trademark 
their respective stamps, thereby establishing a legal basis for action against rogue services that make inappropriate use 
of these marks. Participants spoke to the growth of “accreditation mills” or bogus providers of quality assurance, often 
created to provide the appearance of external quality review of degree mills. Th ere was discussion of the leadership 
role that multi-national organizations can play in conducting international workshops on degree mills, working with 
colleagues in various countries to identify and take action against these providers. An international public awareness 
and education campaign can accompany these workshop eff orts. 
SUMMARY 
Degree mills are and will continue to be a signifi cant international problem for students, employers, the public, 
legitimate providers of higher education and accreditation/quality assurance and national governments. Th e 
suggestions off ered here are intended to promote an international dialogue leading to eff ective international practice 
to address this important issue. To ignore degree mills is to undermine the capacity of countries to meet expanding 
demands for access while assuring high-quality education. To ignore degree mills reduces opportunity for students 
and countries to use the benefi ts of education to participate eff ectively in the international community. 
Toward Eff ective Practice: Discouraging Degree Mills in Higher Education Page 5
APPENDIX I 
MATRIX OF EFFECTIVE PRACTICES ARRAYED BY SECTOR/ACTOR 
Create Tools for Identifi cation of Degree Mills 
Government Institution QA Agency 
HE 
Representative 
Group Press 
Identify and regionally, nationally and 
internationally publicize key characteristics and 
common practices of mills. 
X X X X 
Work toward a common international defi nition 
X X 
of degree mills. Publicize in-country legal defi nitions of degree 
X X X X 
mills. Propose international security standards 
for documents relating to higher education 
credentials (e.g. transcripts, degrees, diplomas) 
X X X X 
for use in countries with reliable and up to date 
lists of legitimate providers. 
Take advantage of advancing document 
verifi cation technologies to make document 
checking simple and inexpensive for employers, 
admissions offi cers, immigration offi cials, etc. 
X X X 
Use Evidence of Quality Provided by Acknowledged Competent Authorities 
on Academic Quality Such as Recognized Accreditation and Quality Assurance Bodies 
Government Institution QA Agency 
HE 
Representative 
Group Press 
Confi rm that higher education providers are in 
good standing with recognized accreditation and 
quality assurance bodies in all the countries in 
which they are operating. 
X X 
Use and promote the lists of reliable institutions 
and programs provided by accrediting 
organizations and quality assurance bodies. 
X X X X 
Use reliable country-based lists of legitimate 
higher education providers such as those 
available through the UNESCO Portal on 
Higher Education Institutions. 
X X X X X 
Toward Eff ective Practice: Discouraging Degree Mills in Higher Education Page 7
APPENDIX I 
MATRIX OF EFFECTIVE PRACTICES ARRAYED BY SECTOR/ACTOR 
Encourage Providers of Public and Private Funding for Higher Education to 
Avoid Funding of Degree Mills and Their Students 
Government Institution QA Agency 
HE 
Representative 
Group Press 
Encourage countries to take action to assure that 
X X X X 
degree mills do not receive public funds. Urge countries to support the integrity of their 
own processes for institutional accreditation and 
X X 
avoid giving political credibility to degree mills 
within their borders. 
Urge countries to take action to assure that 
publicly funded fi nancial aid does not go to 
students attending degree mills, including 
international students. 
X X X X 
Encourage corporations and foundations to 
take steps to avoid providing fi nancial assistance 
(e.g., scholarships, tuition assistance) to students 
attending degree mills. 
X X X 
Assure that multi-national organizations avoid 
providing fi nancial assistance to degree mills or 
their students. 
X 
Inform the Public about Degree Mills 
Government Institution QA Agency 
HE 
Representative 
Group Press 
Routinely inform the students, parents and 
schools about the harm generated by degree 
mills. 
X X X X X 
Encourage print and electronic advertisers 
of colleges and universities to confi ne their 
publications to legitimate providers and not 
degree mills. 
X 
Identify and publicize questionable marketing 
and recruitment practices associated with degree 
mills. 
X 
Urge Internet providers to routinely alert the 
public to be cautious about the ready availability 
of electronically based degree mills. 
X X X 
Page 8 CHEA • UNESCO
APPENDIX I 
MATRIX OF EFFECTIVE PRACTICES ARRAYED BY SECTOR/ACTOR 
Inform the Public about Degree Mills (Cont.) 
Government Institution QA Agency 
HE 
Representative 
Group Press 
Make aggressive use of the press in fi ghting 
degree mills through publicizing eff orts to expose 
and prosecute degree mill providers. 
X X X X 
Urge employers to become informed and use 
tools to authenticate credentials presented by 
prospective and current employers. 
X X X X 
Pursue Legal Action Against Degree Mills and Use of Fraudulent Credentials 
Government Institution QA Agency 
HE 
Representative 
Group Press 
Encourage and assist with the development 
of laws in individual countries that make 
establishing, licensing and operating degree mills 
illegal. 
X X X 
Work to make the use of counterfeit credentials 
for, e.g., obtaining or upgrading employment, 
illegal. 
X X X 
Encourage prosecution of degree mill providers 
and knowing users of fraudulent credentials 
where appropriate. 
X X X 
Legally protect the use of key higher education 
terms such “college,” “university” and 
“accreditation.” 
X X 
Urge action to discourage and eliminate 
“accreditation mills” or rogue providers of quality 
assurance developed by degree mills. 
X X X X 
Encourage governments to develop immigration 
policies that protect against abuses associated 
with counterfeit credentials. 
X X 
Toward Eff ective Practice: Discouraging Degree Mills in Higher Education Page 9
APPENDIX I 
MATRIX OF EFFECTIVE PRACTICES ARRAYED BY SECTOR/ACTOR 
Focus on Cross-border Degree Mill Operation 
Government Institution QA Agency 
HE 
Representative 
Group Press 
Establish cross-border agreements among 
countries to discourage degree mills such as those 
suggested in the UNESCO/OECD Guidelines 
(2005). 
X X X 
Work with multi-national and regional 
organizations to enhance awareness of degree 
mills and provide tools to identify and 
discourage their use. 
X X X X 
Promote the use of the UNESCO Portal or 
entry point to all countries’ legitimate higher 
education institutions and accreditation/quality 
assurance bodies. 
X X X X X 
Identify and share characteristics and practices of 
X X X X 
degree mills operating internationally. Develop an international network for 
X X X 
information and alerts about degree mill activity. Support legitimate and value-added examples 
of cross-border higher education, whether 
X X X 
developed through regulation, incentives or 
partnerships. 
Page 10 CHEA • UNESCO
APPENDIX II 
SELECTED REFERENCES 
Adán, E.A. (2006). Th e forensics of academic credential fraud analysis and detection. In Guide to bogus institutions and 
documents. Washington, DC, American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Offi cers, 5-21. 
Arnstein, G. (1982). Credentialism: Why we have diploma mills. Phi Delta Kappan, 63(8), 550-552. 
Askins, P. C. (Ed.) (1996). Misrepresentation in the marketplace and beyond: Ethics under siege. Madison, WI, American 
Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Offi cers Task Force on Credential Fraud. Magna Publications. 
Aumann, R. (2006). Dubious degrees: Organizations can avoid negative press by ensuring new employees have valid academic 
credentials. Internal Auditor, 63(2), 83-87. 
Bear, M. P., & Nixon, T. (2006). Bears guide to earning degrees by distance learning. Berkeley, Ten Speed Press. 
Brown, G. M. (2002, September-October). Competing for the cyber-savvy: Challenging the competitor you never knew you had. 
Paper presented at the 16th Australian International Education Conference: New Times, New Approaches. University of 
Tasmania, Hobart, Australia. Retrieved May 21, 2009 from http://www.aiec.idp.com/pdf/Brown_George_p.pdf. 
—— (2005a). An analysis of qualifi cation verifi cation and authentication approaches; towards a best practice systems model for 
Australia. PhD thesis. School of Professions, Faculty of Education. Adelaide, Th e University of Adelaide. 
—— (2005b). Fighting credential fraud. A brief critique of Australian and American approaches to qualifi cation verifi cation and 
authentication. World Education News & Reviews, 18(5), 2. 
—— (2005, October). Recognition and authentication of overseas students qualifi cations: Towards a best practice model for Australia. 
Opportunities in a challenging environment. Paper presented at the 19th IDP Australia International Education Conference, 
Queensland, Australia. 
—— (2005, January 18). Th ree “controversial” virtual universities: Lessons from the Australian experience. Th e Observatory on 
Borderless Higher Education, 33. 
—— (2006). Degrees of doubt: Legitimate, real and fake qualifi cations in a global market. Journal of Higher Education Policy and 
Management, 28(1), 71-79. 
Cook, R. M. (2005a). Aff ordable resources for international credential evaluation. Milwaukee, WI, Educational Credential 
Evaluators, Inc. 
—— (2005b). Th e dilemma of forgery: Altered documents in an international context. Milwaukee, WI, Educational Credential 
Evaluators, Inc. 
Council for Higher Education Accreditation (2005). Degree mills: An old problem and a new threat. Washington, DC, Council for 
Higher Education Accreditation. Retrieved May 20, 2009 from http://www.chea.org/degreemills/paper.asp. 
—— (2006, September 7). Degree mills. CHEA Update 31. Retrieved May 20, 2009 from http://www.chea.org/Government/ 
HEAupdate/CHEA_HEA31.htm. 
Eckstein, M. A. (2003). Combating academic fraud. Towards a culture of integrity. Paris, UNESCO/International Institute for 
Educational Planning. Retrieved May 21, 2009 from http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0013/001330/133038e.pdf. 
Ezell, A., & Bear, J. (2005). Degree mills: Th e billion-dollar industry that has sold over a million fake diplomas. Amherst, NY, 
Prometheus Books. 
Foley, C. J., & McKown, T. R. (2002). Credentials analysis 101: A methodology for simplifying evaluation. International 
Educator, 11(3), 18-23. 
Gubser, L., & Millard, R. M. (1982). Academic fraud: A threat to quality. Washington, DC, American Association of State 
Colleges and Universities. 
Toward Eff ective Practice: Discouraging Degree Mills in Higher Education Page 11
APPENDIX II 
SELECTED REFERENCES 
Johansson, E. (2005, September). Diploma mills, fake universities, and bogus credentials. Paper presented at the 17th Annual 
Conference of the European Association for International Education. Krakow, Poland. Retrieved May 21, 2009 from http:// 
www.eaie.org/pdf/krakow/203.pdf. 
Johnson, C. (2006a). Credentialism and the proliferation of fake degrees: Th e employer pretends to need a degree; Th e employee 
pretends to have one. Hofstra Labor & Employment Law Journal, 23. 
—— (2006b). Degrees of deception: Are consumers and employers being duped by online universities and diploma mills? 
Journal of College and University Law, 32(51). Retrieved May 21, 2009 from http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_ 
id=925237. 
Katz, N. (2004, October). Doing a background check on your performers: Foreign education document alteration and diploma mills. 
Paper presented at 82nd Annual Conference of the Illinois Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Offi cers, Itasca, 
IL. Retrieved May 22, 2009 from http://www.iacrao.org/presentations/2004/diploma.pdf. 
Koenig, A. M., & Shephard, J. Y. (2002). A practical guide to documentation review and verifi cation in international admissions. 
College and University, 77(4), 43-47. 
Levicoff , S. (1992). Name it and frame it: New opportunities in adult education and how to avoid being ripped off by “Christian” 
degree mills. Ambler, PA, Institute on Religion and Law. 
O’Neill, P. G. (1991). Th e diploma mill trap. Canadian Journal of Counselling, 25(1), 81-90. 
Porter, L. (1972). Degrees for sale. New York, Arco. 
Reid, R. (1959). American degree mills: A study of their operations and of existing and potential ways to control them. Washington, 
DC, American Council on Education. 
—— (1963). Degree mills in the United States. Education, general. New York, Columbia University. 
Smith, R. G. (2005, December). Identifi cation processes in the higher education sector: Risks and countermeasures. Trends and 
Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice, 305, 6. 
Snyder, P. (1974). A classifi cation of diploma mills in the United States. College Student Journal, 8(1), 92-95. 
Spille, H. A. & Stewart, D. W. (1985). Th e new breed of diploma mills: Numerous, tough, and aggressive. Educational Record, 
66(2), 16-22. 
Stewart, D. W., & Spille, H. A. (1988). Diploma mills: Degrees of fraud. New York, Macmillan Publishing. 
—— (1993). Religious exemptions threaten higher education’s integrity. Educational Record, 74(2), 46-50. 
U.S. House of Representatives Select Committee on Aging Subscommittees on Health and Long-term Care and on Housing and 
Consumer Interests. (1985). Fraudulent credentials. A joint report. Port Townsend, WA, Loompanics Unlimited, 79. 
Waller, S.K., & Waller, L. (2004). Higher education doctoral degrees of certain American clergy: Ethics and antics. Christian 
Higher Education, 3(2), 171-183. 
Page 12 CHEA • UNESCO
APPENDIX III 
DEGREE MILL MEETING PARTICIPANTS 
Philip G. Altbach 
Monan Professor of Higher Education 
Director, Center for International 
Higher Education 
Boston College 
USA 
Yves E. Beaudin 
National Coordinator 
Canadian Information Centre for 
International Credentials 
CANADA 
Barbara A. Beno 
President 
Western Association of Schools 
and Colleges 
Accrediting Commission for 
Community and Junior Colleges 
USA 
Svava Bjarnason 
Senior Education Specialist 
International Finance Corporation 
World Bank Group 
USA 
George Brown 
Academic Director 
Th ink: Education Group 
AUSTRALIA 
Carolyn Campbell 
Head of International Aff airs 
Chief Executive’s Group 
Th e Quality Assurance Agency for 
Higher Education 
UNITED KINGDOM 
Alan Contreras 
Administrator 
Oregon Student Assistance Commission 
Offi ce of Degree Authorization 
USA 
Marianne Craven 
Managing Director, Academic Programs 
U.S. Department of State 
Bureau of Educational and Cultural 
Aff airs 
USA 
John Daniel 
President and Chief Executive Offi cer 
Commonwealth of Learning 
CANADA 
Judith S. Eaton 
President 
Council for Higher Education Accreditation 
USA 
Richard Garrett 
Program Director and 
Senior Research Analyst 
Eduventures, Inc. 
Online Higher Education 
Learning Collaborative 
USA 
Michael B. Goldstein 
Member of the Firm and Practice Leader, 
Higher Education 
DowLohnes PLLC 
USA 
George Gollin 
Professor of Physics 
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign 
USA 
Julia Funaki 
Associate Director 
International Education Services 
American Association of Collegiate Registrars 
and Admissions Offi cers 
USA 
E. Stephen Hunt 
Manager 
U.S. Department of Education 
U.S. Network for Education Information 
USA 
Erik Johansson 
Credential Evaluator 
Swedish National Agency for 
Higher Education 
Department for Evaluation of 
Foreign Higher Education 
SWEDEN 
Nancy W. Keteku 
Regional Educational Advising 
Coordinator for Africa 
U.S. Embassy 
GHANA 
Tsutomu Kimura 
President 
National Institution for Academic Degrees 
and University Evaluation 
JAPAN 
Michael P. Lambert 
Distance Education and Training Council 
Accrediting Commission 
USA 
Nian Cai Liu 
Dean 
Shanghai Jiao Tong University 
Graduate School of Education 
CHINA 
Tove Lyngra 
Senior Advisor 
Norwegian Ministry of Higher Education 
and Research 
Department of Education 
NORWAY 
Peter Okebukola 
Professor and Executive Secretary 
National Universities Commission 
NIGERIA 
Sharon Siverts 
Vice President 
George Mason University 
USA 
Stamenka Uvalic-Trumbic 
Chief 
United Nations Educational, 
Scientifi c and Cultural Organization 
Section for Reform, Innovation and 
Quality Assurance in Higher Education 
FRANCE 
Toward Eff ective Practice: Discouraging Degree Mills in Higher Education Page 13
CHEA / UNESCO Statement on Effective Practice to Discourage Degree Mills in Higher Education
CHEA / UNESCO Statement on Effective Practice to Discourage Degree Mills in Higher Education
CHEA / UNESCO Statement on Effective Practice to Discourage Degree Mills in Higher Education

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CHEA / UNESCO Statement on Effective Practice to Discourage Degree Mills in Higher Education

  • 1.
  • 2. © Copyright 2009 Council for Higher Education Accreditation and United Nations Educational, Scientifi c and Cultural Organization. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
  • 3. TABLE OF CONTENTS Advisory Statement ............................................................................................................................................... 1 Appendix I: Matrix of Eff ective Practices Arrayed by Sector/Actor ......................................................................... 7 Appendix II: Selected References ......................................................................................................................... 11 Appendix III: Degree Mill Meeting Participants .................................................................................................. 13 Toward Eff ective Practice: Discouraging Degree Mills in Higher Education
  • 4.
  • 5. TOWARD EFFECTIVE PRACTICE: DISCOURAGING DEGREE MILLS IN HIGHER EDUCATION INTRODUCTION A small group of higher education, accreditation and quality assurance and credential evaluation experts came together in 2008 to explore the challenge and problem of “degree mills” or bogus providers of higher education, particularly as these operations aff ect the growing internationalization of higher education. Seeking to stimulate an international dialogue, the group developed a series of suggestions for eff ective practice in this area. Th e statement that emerged is intended for academic staff and administrators, accreditation and quality assurance professionals, credential evaluators, national governments and international organizations concerned with quality in higher education in an international setting. It is also intended to guide students, particularly from developing countries, in seeking opportunities for international education. Th is statement serves as a companion to the recent UNESCO/OECD document, Guidelines for Quality Provision in Cross-Border Higher Education, released in 2005. Consistent with the Guidelines, the statement urges that governments around the world examine their legal and regulatory frameworks with the goal of eliminating degree mills in the future. It also is a resource for users of the UNESCO Portal on Higher Education Institutions launched in 2008. While degree mills have been operating internationally for many years, they have received limited attention from academic staff and administrators as well as accreditation and quality assurance professionals. Yet, the extraordinary growth in access and demand for higher education internationally, with students electing to attend colleges and universities across various countries, increases the likelihood of the use of these providers. Degree mills off er credentials based on little study or engagement in higher education activity. Th ey are easy to start, diffi cult to eliminate and, at least to date, relatively immune to regulation. Degree mills are part of an emerging academic corruption that, unfortunately, is accompanying the growth of access and participation in higher education worldwide. Degree mills are the result of the expanding pressure on students to obtain higher education credentials, on employers to hire individuals with such credentials and on countries to expand the knowledge base of their workforce and to meet demands for creative and innovative responses to educational needs. Students may be looking for shortcuts to education credentials as they seek employment. Some students are misled by what is off ered by degree mills, but others knowingly pay a signifi cant fee in order to claim (falsely) that they have completed a legitimate course of study leading to reliable certifi cation. Unscrupulous individuals respond, exploiting the current demand for higher education credentials in many countries. Th e Internet gives these individuals an instant platform from which to launch degree mills, which students often cannot readily distinguish from the online learning opportunities off ered by legitimate institutions. Toward Eff ective Practice: Discouraging Degree Mills in Higher Education Page 1
  • 6. Degree mills harm students and society. Students who are unknowing victims of degree mills are harmed when they invest a considerable amount of money for credits or credentials that cannot be used for, e.g., transfer to another institution, entry to graduate school or employment. Society is harmed when fraudulent credentials are issued in areas that put public health and safety at risk, e.g., engineering or the health-related professions. Th e international work of legitimate higher education providers – reliable evaluation of credentials, successful transfer of credit, reconciling diff erences in degree structure – is undermined by degree mills. DESCRIBING DEGREE MILLS Th ere is not, at present, a single, shared international defi nition of “degree mills” or “bogus providers.” A number of individual countries have established defi nitions, however, and have also identifi ed key features of these operations that are obvious wherever mills set up service. Description of these features provides a foundation for challenging mills now and in the future and can, over time, lead to a single international defi nition of these operations. We are certain we are dealing with a degree mill when the operation is accurately described as one that “…off ers a credential purely in exchange for payment and nothing else.” Money – and only money – is suffi cient to obtain a credential at any level and in almost any area. We are likely to be dealing with a degree mill when the operation is accurately described by some or all of the following. Any one of these descriptors should be cause for concern. “Degree mills”: • Lack legal authority to operate as higher education institutions or award degrees. • Require little if any attendance, either on-site or online. • Require little if any coursework or few if any assignments to obtain a credential. • Do not provide information about location of incorporation, ownership or governance. • Provide little or no contact information other than telephone or email address. • Publish false or exaggerated claims of external quality review (accreditation or quality assurance). • Issue degrees that are not accepted for licensing or entry into graduate or professional programs in the degree mill’s home country. • List academic staff whose degrees were issued by degree mills or are unable to provide verifi able lists of academic staff and their qualifi cations. • Plagiarize material from legitimate institutions for inclusion on degree mill Websites. • Feature Websites with Internet domain registration that is obscured by a privacy service rather than being publicly accessible. Page 2 CHEA • UNESCO
  • 7. TOWARD EFFECTIVE INTERNATIONAL PRACTICE Th e following actions are suggested to assist in fi ghting the growing international presence of degree mills. Th ey are off ered as advice and guidance, not mandates, and provide an array of ambitious initiatives to be considered, as appropriate, by higher education and quality assurance leaders, national governments and international bodies. 1. Create Tools for Identifi cation of Degree Mills 1. Identify and regionally, nationally and internationally publicize key characteristics and common practices of degree mills. 2. Work toward a common international defi nition of degree mills. 3. Publicize in-country legal defi nitions of degree mills. 4. Propose international security standards for documents relating to higher education credentials (e.g., transcripts, degrees, diplomas) for use in countries with reliable and up-to-date lists of legitimate providers. 5. Take advantage of advancing document verifi cation technologies to make document checking simple and inexpensive for employers, admissions offi cers, immigration offi cials, etc. 2. Use Evidence of Quality Provided by Acknowledged Competent Authorities on Academic Quality Such as Recognized Accreditation and Quality Assurance Bodies 1. Confi rm that higher education providers are in good standing with recognized accreditation and quality assurance bodies in all the countries in which they are operating. 2. Use and promote the lists of reliable institutions and programs provided by accrediting organizations and quality assurance bodies. 3. Use reliable country-based lists of legitimate higher education providers such as those available through the UNESCO Portal on Higher Education Institutions. 3. Encourage Providers of Public and Private Funding for Higher Education to Avoid Funding of Degree Mills and Th eir Students 1. Encourage countries to take action to assure that degree mills do not receive public funds. 2. Urge countries to support the integrity of their own processes for institutional accreditation and avoid giving political credibility to degree mills within their borders. 3. Urge countries to take action to assure that publicly funded fi nancial aid does not go to students attending degree mills, including international students. 4. Encourage corporations and foundations to take steps to avoid providing fi nancial assistance (e.g., scholarships, tuition assistance) to students attending degree mills. Toward Eff ective Practice: Discouraging Degree Mills in Higher Education Page 3
  • 8. 5. Assure that multi-national organizations avoid providing fi nancial assistance to degree mills or their students. 4. Inform the Public about Degree Mills 1. Routinely inform the students, parents and schools about the harm generated by degree mills. 2. Encourage print and electronic advertisers of colleges and universities to confi ne their publications to legitimate providers and not degree mills. 3. Identify and publicize questionable marketing and recruitment practices associated with degree mills. 4. Urge Internet providers to routinely alert the public to be cautious about the ready availability of electronically based degree mills. 5. Make aggressive use of the press in fi ghting degree mills through publicizing eff orts to expose and prosecute degree mill providers. 6. Urge employers to become informed and use tools to authenticate credentials presented by prospective and current employers. 5. Pursue Legal Action Against Degree Mills and Use of Fraudulent Credentials 1. Encourage and assist with the development of laws in individual countries that make establishing, licensing and operating degree mills illegal. 2. Work to make the use of counterfeit credentials for, e.g. obtaining or upgrading employment, illegal. 3. Encourage prosecution of degree mill providers and knowing users of fraudulent credentials where appropriate. 4. Legally protect the use of key higher education terms such as “college,” “university” and “accreditation.” 5. Urge action to discourage and eliminate “accreditation mills” or rogue providers of quality assurance developed by degree mills. 6. Encourage governments to develop immigration policies that protect against abuses associated with counterfeit credentials. 6. Focus on Cross-border Degree Mill Operation 1. Establish cross-border agreements among countries to discourage degree mills such as those suggested in the UNESCO/OECD Guidelines (2005). 2. Work with multi-national and regional organizations to enhance awareness of degree mills and provide tools to identify and discourage their use. 3. Promote the use of the UNESCO Portal or entry point to all countries’ legitimate higher education institutions and accreditation/quality assurance bodies. 4. Identify and share characteristics and practices of degree mills operating internationally. 5. Develop an international network for information and alerts about degree mill activity. 6. Support legitimate and value-added examples of cross-border higher education, whether developed through regulation, incentives or partnerships. 5/09 Page 4 CHEA • UNESCO
  • 9. A number of other suggestions emerged from the meetings. In addition to addressing degree mill providers and fraudulent credentials, the group noted that there is a need to identify fraudulent credential evaluation services that operate internationally. Reliable services in credential evaluation and accreditation/quality assurance can trademark their respective stamps, thereby establishing a legal basis for action against rogue services that make inappropriate use of these marks. Participants spoke to the growth of “accreditation mills” or bogus providers of quality assurance, often created to provide the appearance of external quality review of degree mills. Th ere was discussion of the leadership role that multi-national organizations can play in conducting international workshops on degree mills, working with colleagues in various countries to identify and take action against these providers. An international public awareness and education campaign can accompany these workshop eff orts. SUMMARY Degree mills are and will continue to be a signifi cant international problem for students, employers, the public, legitimate providers of higher education and accreditation/quality assurance and national governments. Th e suggestions off ered here are intended to promote an international dialogue leading to eff ective international practice to address this important issue. To ignore degree mills is to undermine the capacity of countries to meet expanding demands for access while assuring high-quality education. To ignore degree mills reduces opportunity for students and countries to use the benefi ts of education to participate eff ectively in the international community. Toward Eff ective Practice: Discouraging Degree Mills in Higher Education Page 5
  • 10.
  • 11. APPENDIX I MATRIX OF EFFECTIVE PRACTICES ARRAYED BY SECTOR/ACTOR Create Tools for Identifi cation of Degree Mills Government Institution QA Agency HE Representative Group Press Identify and regionally, nationally and internationally publicize key characteristics and common practices of mills. X X X X Work toward a common international defi nition X X of degree mills. Publicize in-country legal defi nitions of degree X X X X mills. Propose international security standards for documents relating to higher education credentials (e.g. transcripts, degrees, diplomas) X X X X for use in countries with reliable and up to date lists of legitimate providers. Take advantage of advancing document verifi cation technologies to make document checking simple and inexpensive for employers, admissions offi cers, immigration offi cials, etc. X X X Use Evidence of Quality Provided by Acknowledged Competent Authorities on Academic Quality Such as Recognized Accreditation and Quality Assurance Bodies Government Institution QA Agency HE Representative Group Press Confi rm that higher education providers are in good standing with recognized accreditation and quality assurance bodies in all the countries in which they are operating. X X Use and promote the lists of reliable institutions and programs provided by accrediting organizations and quality assurance bodies. X X X X Use reliable country-based lists of legitimate higher education providers such as those available through the UNESCO Portal on Higher Education Institutions. X X X X X Toward Eff ective Practice: Discouraging Degree Mills in Higher Education Page 7
  • 12. APPENDIX I MATRIX OF EFFECTIVE PRACTICES ARRAYED BY SECTOR/ACTOR Encourage Providers of Public and Private Funding for Higher Education to Avoid Funding of Degree Mills and Their Students Government Institution QA Agency HE Representative Group Press Encourage countries to take action to assure that X X X X degree mills do not receive public funds. Urge countries to support the integrity of their own processes for institutional accreditation and X X avoid giving political credibility to degree mills within their borders. Urge countries to take action to assure that publicly funded fi nancial aid does not go to students attending degree mills, including international students. X X X X Encourage corporations and foundations to take steps to avoid providing fi nancial assistance (e.g., scholarships, tuition assistance) to students attending degree mills. X X X Assure that multi-national organizations avoid providing fi nancial assistance to degree mills or their students. X Inform the Public about Degree Mills Government Institution QA Agency HE Representative Group Press Routinely inform the students, parents and schools about the harm generated by degree mills. X X X X X Encourage print and electronic advertisers of colleges and universities to confi ne their publications to legitimate providers and not degree mills. X Identify and publicize questionable marketing and recruitment practices associated with degree mills. X Urge Internet providers to routinely alert the public to be cautious about the ready availability of electronically based degree mills. X X X Page 8 CHEA • UNESCO
  • 13. APPENDIX I MATRIX OF EFFECTIVE PRACTICES ARRAYED BY SECTOR/ACTOR Inform the Public about Degree Mills (Cont.) Government Institution QA Agency HE Representative Group Press Make aggressive use of the press in fi ghting degree mills through publicizing eff orts to expose and prosecute degree mill providers. X X X X Urge employers to become informed and use tools to authenticate credentials presented by prospective and current employers. X X X X Pursue Legal Action Against Degree Mills and Use of Fraudulent Credentials Government Institution QA Agency HE Representative Group Press Encourage and assist with the development of laws in individual countries that make establishing, licensing and operating degree mills illegal. X X X Work to make the use of counterfeit credentials for, e.g., obtaining or upgrading employment, illegal. X X X Encourage prosecution of degree mill providers and knowing users of fraudulent credentials where appropriate. X X X Legally protect the use of key higher education terms such “college,” “university” and “accreditation.” X X Urge action to discourage and eliminate “accreditation mills” or rogue providers of quality assurance developed by degree mills. X X X X Encourage governments to develop immigration policies that protect against abuses associated with counterfeit credentials. X X Toward Eff ective Practice: Discouraging Degree Mills in Higher Education Page 9
  • 14. APPENDIX I MATRIX OF EFFECTIVE PRACTICES ARRAYED BY SECTOR/ACTOR Focus on Cross-border Degree Mill Operation Government Institution QA Agency HE Representative Group Press Establish cross-border agreements among countries to discourage degree mills such as those suggested in the UNESCO/OECD Guidelines (2005). X X X Work with multi-national and regional organizations to enhance awareness of degree mills and provide tools to identify and discourage their use. X X X X Promote the use of the UNESCO Portal or entry point to all countries’ legitimate higher education institutions and accreditation/quality assurance bodies. X X X X X Identify and share characteristics and practices of X X X X degree mills operating internationally. Develop an international network for X X X information and alerts about degree mill activity. Support legitimate and value-added examples of cross-border higher education, whether X X X developed through regulation, incentives or partnerships. Page 10 CHEA • UNESCO
  • 15. APPENDIX II SELECTED REFERENCES Adán, E.A. (2006). Th e forensics of academic credential fraud analysis and detection. In Guide to bogus institutions and documents. Washington, DC, American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Offi cers, 5-21. Arnstein, G. (1982). Credentialism: Why we have diploma mills. Phi Delta Kappan, 63(8), 550-552. Askins, P. C. (Ed.) (1996). Misrepresentation in the marketplace and beyond: Ethics under siege. Madison, WI, American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Offi cers Task Force on Credential Fraud. Magna Publications. Aumann, R. (2006). Dubious degrees: Organizations can avoid negative press by ensuring new employees have valid academic credentials. Internal Auditor, 63(2), 83-87. Bear, M. P., & Nixon, T. (2006). Bears guide to earning degrees by distance learning. Berkeley, Ten Speed Press. Brown, G. M. (2002, September-October). Competing for the cyber-savvy: Challenging the competitor you never knew you had. Paper presented at the 16th Australian International Education Conference: New Times, New Approaches. University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia. Retrieved May 21, 2009 from http://www.aiec.idp.com/pdf/Brown_George_p.pdf. —— (2005a). An analysis of qualifi cation verifi cation and authentication approaches; towards a best practice systems model for Australia. PhD thesis. School of Professions, Faculty of Education. Adelaide, Th e University of Adelaide. —— (2005b). Fighting credential fraud. A brief critique of Australian and American approaches to qualifi cation verifi cation and authentication. World Education News & Reviews, 18(5), 2. —— (2005, October). Recognition and authentication of overseas students qualifi cations: Towards a best practice model for Australia. Opportunities in a challenging environment. Paper presented at the 19th IDP Australia International Education Conference, Queensland, Australia. —— (2005, January 18). Th ree “controversial” virtual universities: Lessons from the Australian experience. Th e Observatory on Borderless Higher Education, 33. —— (2006). Degrees of doubt: Legitimate, real and fake qualifi cations in a global market. Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, 28(1), 71-79. Cook, R. M. (2005a). Aff ordable resources for international credential evaluation. Milwaukee, WI, Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc. —— (2005b). Th e dilemma of forgery: Altered documents in an international context. Milwaukee, WI, Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc. Council for Higher Education Accreditation (2005). Degree mills: An old problem and a new threat. Washington, DC, Council for Higher Education Accreditation. Retrieved May 20, 2009 from http://www.chea.org/degreemills/paper.asp. —— (2006, September 7). Degree mills. CHEA Update 31. Retrieved May 20, 2009 from http://www.chea.org/Government/ HEAupdate/CHEA_HEA31.htm. Eckstein, M. A. (2003). Combating academic fraud. Towards a culture of integrity. Paris, UNESCO/International Institute for Educational Planning. Retrieved May 21, 2009 from http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0013/001330/133038e.pdf. Ezell, A., & Bear, J. (2005). Degree mills: Th e billion-dollar industry that has sold over a million fake diplomas. Amherst, NY, Prometheus Books. Foley, C. J., & McKown, T. R. (2002). Credentials analysis 101: A methodology for simplifying evaluation. International Educator, 11(3), 18-23. Gubser, L., & Millard, R. M. (1982). Academic fraud: A threat to quality. Washington, DC, American Association of State Colleges and Universities. Toward Eff ective Practice: Discouraging Degree Mills in Higher Education Page 11
  • 16. APPENDIX II SELECTED REFERENCES Johansson, E. (2005, September). Diploma mills, fake universities, and bogus credentials. Paper presented at the 17th Annual Conference of the European Association for International Education. Krakow, Poland. Retrieved May 21, 2009 from http:// www.eaie.org/pdf/krakow/203.pdf. Johnson, C. (2006a). Credentialism and the proliferation of fake degrees: Th e employer pretends to need a degree; Th e employee pretends to have one. Hofstra Labor & Employment Law Journal, 23. —— (2006b). Degrees of deception: Are consumers and employers being duped by online universities and diploma mills? Journal of College and University Law, 32(51). Retrieved May 21, 2009 from http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_ id=925237. Katz, N. (2004, October). Doing a background check on your performers: Foreign education document alteration and diploma mills. Paper presented at 82nd Annual Conference of the Illinois Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Offi cers, Itasca, IL. Retrieved May 22, 2009 from http://www.iacrao.org/presentations/2004/diploma.pdf. Koenig, A. M., & Shephard, J. Y. (2002). A practical guide to documentation review and verifi cation in international admissions. College and University, 77(4), 43-47. Levicoff , S. (1992). Name it and frame it: New opportunities in adult education and how to avoid being ripped off by “Christian” degree mills. Ambler, PA, Institute on Religion and Law. O’Neill, P. G. (1991). Th e diploma mill trap. Canadian Journal of Counselling, 25(1), 81-90. Porter, L. (1972). Degrees for sale. New York, Arco. Reid, R. (1959). American degree mills: A study of their operations and of existing and potential ways to control them. Washington, DC, American Council on Education. —— (1963). Degree mills in the United States. Education, general. New York, Columbia University. Smith, R. G. (2005, December). Identifi cation processes in the higher education sector: Risks and countermeasures. Trends and Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice, 305, 6. Snyder, P. (1974). A classifi cation of diploma mills in the United States. College Student Journal, 8(1), 92-95. Spille, H. A. & Stewart, D. W. (1985). Th e new breed of diploma mills: Numerous, tough, and aggressive. Educational Record, 66(2), 16-22. Stewart, D. W., & Spille, H. A. (1988). Diploma mills: Degrees of fraud. New York, Macmillan Publishing. —— (1993). Religious exemptions threaten higher education’s integrity. Educational Record, 74(2), 46-50. U.S. House of Representatives Select Committee on Aging Subscommittees on Health and Long-term Care and on Housing and Consumer Interests. (1985). Fraudulent credentials. A joint report. Port Townsend, WA, Loompanics Unlimited, 79. Waller, S.K., & Waller, L. (2004). Higher education doctoral degrees of certain American clergy: Ethics and antics. Christian Higher Education, 3(2), 171-183. Page 12 CHEA • UNESCO
  • 17. APPENDIX III DEGREE MILL MEETING PARTICIPANTS Philip G. Altbach Monan Professor of Higher Education Director, Center for International Higher Education Boston College USA Yves E. Beaudin National Coordinator Canadian Information Centre for International Credentials CANADA Barbara A. Beno President Western Association of Schools and Colleges Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges USA Svava Bjarnason Senior Education Specialist International Finance Corporation World Bank Group USA George Brown Academic Director Th ink: Education Group AUSTRALIA Carolyn Campbell Head of International Aff airs Chief Executive’s Group Th e Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education UNITED KINGDOM Alan Contreras Administrator Oregon Student Assistance Commission Offi ce of Degree Authorization USA Marianne Craven Managing Director, Academic Programs U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Aff airs USA John Daniel President and Chief Executive Offi cer Commonwealth of Learning CANADA Judith S. Eaton President Council for Higher Education Accreditation USA Richard Garrett Program Director and Senior Research Analyst Eduventures, Inc. Online Higher Education Learning Collaborative USA Michael B. Goldstein Member of the Firm and Practice Leader, Higher Education DowLohnes PLLC USA George Gollin Professor of Physics University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign USA Julia Funaki Associate Director International Education Services American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Offi cers USA E. Stephen Hunt Manager U.S. Department of Education U.S. Network for Education Information USA Erik Johansson Credential Evaluator Swedish National Agency for Higher Education Department for Evaluation of Foreign Higher Education SWEDEN Nancy W. Keteku Regional Educational Advising Coordinator for Africa U.S. Embassy GHANA Tsutomu Kimura President National Institution for Academic Degrees and University Evaluation JAPAN Michael P. Lambert Distance Education and Training Council Accrediting Commission USA Nian Cai Liu Dean Shanghai Jiao Tong University Graduate School of Education CHINA Tove Lyngra Senior Advisor Norwegian Ministry of Higher Education and Research Department of Education NORWAY Peter Okebukola Professor and Executive Secretary National Universities Commission NIGERIA Sharon Siverts Vice President George Mason University USA Stamenka Uvalic-Trumbic Chief United Nations Educational, Scientifi c and Cultural Organization Section for Reform, Innovation and Quality Assurance in Higher Education FRANCE Toward Eff ective Practice: Discouraging Degree Mills in Higher Education Page 13