Post on 01-Apr-2015
qualifications are better understood
Compliant International Recruitment and UK NARIC
International Student Recruitment Seminar10 May 2012London
Simon PotterNational Sales ExecutiveUK NARIC
qualifications are better understood
Overseas Recruitment and Compliance
Achieving and maintaining HTS is the primary focus
Compliance is the key
Adopting Best PracticeAbility to follow a courseCounter fraud
qualifications are better understood
UK NARIC
UK NARIC is the National Agency responsible for providing information, advice and expert opinion on vocational, academic and professional skills and qualifications from overseas.
qualifications are better understood
UK NARIC
UK NARIC’s role:
• recognition of international qualifications• comprehensive and up-to-date information on
the education systems of other countries• developing and maintaining systems to help
members to compare international qualifications• identifying fraudulent documents• research services offering more in-depth
analysis and benchmarking comparisons• assistance in the immigration and managed
migration process
qualifications are better understood
Good Practice
Sponsorship Audit
Policies and procedures – have information to hand
Need to clearly demonstrate that following good practice
qualifications are better understood
Policies and Procedures
How decisions are made
What criteria is used
How can this be evidenced?
Not just now, but in the past (and the future)
UK NARIC Membership - certificates
qualifications are better understood
More Good Practice
How to demonstrate good practice?
QAA “Review of education oversight”
18 criteria including
• Staff development
• Admissions policy
• Student Assessment
qualifications are better understood
Staff Development
Keeping staff up-to-date
Newsletters (QAA, IEU, AUA, etc.)
Training courses and conferences (UCAS, UKCISA, NSA, etc.)
Policy (why you’re here!!)
qualifications are better understood
Admissions Policy
Is it written down!!
What is your policy on particular countries/institutions?
What sources of information do you consult?
qualifications are better understood
Student Assessment
How do you assess an individual’s ability?
Previous qualifications
Test
Interview
qualifications are better understood
Assigning a CAS
Things to consider
382. You may only assign a CAS under Tier 4 if you are satisfied that a student both intends and is able to follow the course of study concerned.
(more…)
qualifications are better understood
Assigning a CAS
385. You must assess a student’s ability to follow a course of study. You must state on the CAS what evidence you have used to make this assessment. For example, you might:• confirm any qualifications the student
already has which make them suitable for the course you are offering, such as checking a masters degree if they are going to do a PhD; or
• base the assessment on their progress in their existing course or a recently completed course.
qualifications are better understood
Assigning a CAS
385. You must assess a student’s ability to follow a course of study. You must state on the CAS what evidence you have used to make this assessment. For example, you might:• confirm any qualifications the student
already has which make them suitable for the course you are offering, such as checking a masters degree if they are going to do a PhD; or
• base the assessment on their progress in their existing course or a recently completed course.
qualifications are better understood
Education Fraud
How do you know whether a qualification is legitimate?
Who should you consult?
What is education fraud?
Education Fraud
No developed country is safe from the risk of falling victim to fake credentials unless they have the knowledge and skills to combat education fraud and safeguard genuine and good quality education
qualifications are better understood
What is Education Fraud?
Education fraud falls into two areas:
By an individual
By an institution
qualifications are better understood
Who commits fraud
qualifications are better understood
Individuals wishing to ‘improve’ themselves through claiming to have qualifications
They believe they are doing no harm; it is merely in order to gain access to jobs, education or to entry to countries
Who commits fraud
qualifications are better understood
In fact they are committing a crime;
‘…if a person applies for an advertised job which demands that the applicant holds a particular degree, they commit the offence of obtaining a pecuniary advantage by deception if they dishonestly obtain the job as a result of a deception that they have the degree…’
Who commits fraud (cont)
Working with bogus qualifications
Education fraud can effect us all; it is important that regulated professions are protected by increasing awareness of bogus qualifications and how to combat them.
'Bogus forensic expert bought degree on web' Manchester Evening News, Jan 2007
qualifications are better understood
Degree Mills
Degree Mill: An Institution of higher education operating without supervision of a state or professional agency and granting diplomas which are either fraudulent or worthless because of the lack of proper standards
Degree Mills do not equal Unrecognised Institutions
qualifications are better understood
Degree Mills
Common features:• Strong emphasis on fee levels and payment plans.
Often prices are very low• Short duration of courses – days or weeks• Long list of accreditation agencies and affi l iated bodies• Offer to accredit l ife experience• Links such as ‘Order Now’ and ‘free evaluation forms’
are often found at the lower end of the market• Unlikely degree titles• No contact address• Contact details that differ from claimed location of the
institution
qualifications are better understood
Examples of Degree Mills
Los Angeles and Honolulu! It is unusual to have the records office and the campus over 1000 miles apart!
So many campuses in all these countries!
qualifications are better understood
The brochure The reality
Examples of Degree Mills
qualifications are better understood
My favourite!
qualifications are better understood
http://www.superiorfakedegrees.com/
Degree or Diploma Certif icate – $230.00 (includes two copies of degree cert if icate)
Degree or Diploma Transcripts – $250.00 (includes two copies of degree transcripts)
Degree Certif icate and Transcripts Package – $380.00 (includes 2 copies of degree or diploma cert if icate along with 2 copies of transcripts) You Save Over 20%!
2 Degrees + 2 Transcripts (2 different degrees, corresponding transcripts) – $600.00
3 Degrees + 3 Transcripts (3 different degrees, corresponding transcripts) – $850.00
It gets better
qualifications are better understood
Degree or Diploma Certif icate – $230.00 (includes two copies of degree cert if icate)
Degree or Diploma Transcripts – $250.00 (includes two copies of degree transcripts)
Degree Certif icate and Transcripts Package – $380.00 (includes 2 copies of degree or diploma cert if icate along with 2 copies of transcripts) You Save Over 20%!
2 Degrees + 2 Transcripts (2 different degrees, corresponding transcripts) – $600.00
3 Degrees + 3 Transcripts (3 different degrees, corresponding transcripts) – $850.00
It gets better
qualifications are better understood
Degree or Diploma Certif icate – $230.00 (includes two copies of degree cert if icate)
Degree or Diploma Transcripts – $250.00 (includes two copies of degree transcripts)
Degree Certif icate and Transcripts Package – $380.00 (includes 2 copies of degree or diploma cert if icate along with 2 copies of transcripts) You Save Over 20%!
2 Degrees + 2 Transcripts (2 different degrees, corresponding transcripts) – $600.00
3 Degrees + 3 Transcripts (3 different degrees, corresponding transcripts) – $850.00
It gets better
qualifications are better understood
GCSE and A-Level Certificates – $180.00 USD
Replicated-Fake Training Certificates (TOEFL and Training Certificates)
Off i c ia l /P la t inum Opt ion (des igned to look 100% iden t i ca l to the o r ig ina ls inc lud ing iden t i ca l secur i t y g rade t ranscr ip t paper, iden t i ca l wa te r mark ings , ra ised- ink c res ts , embossed sea ls , co r rec t ca rd s tock we igh t (60 -100 lb depend ing upon ins t i t u t ion spec i f i ca t ions )
Custom Training Certificate (includes TOEFL) – $240.00
Simp le Rep l i ca ted Packages (des igned to look au then t ic (o f f i c ia l ca rd s tock bu t miss ing the p la t inum secur i t y fea tu res )
It gets even better
qualifications are better understood
qualifications are better understood
Birth, Marriage or Death Certificate $120.00
Premium/Platinum Package $2500.00 ( inc ludes Passpor t , va l id c i t i zensh ip (your cho ice o f 8 coun t r ies ) , b i r th , and mar r iage ce r t i f i ca tes , V isa o r Mas te rCard , U t i l i t y B i l l s , Lease ag reement (s ) and Bank Accoun t )
Gold Package $1500.00 ( inc ludes c i t i zensh ip – your cho ice o f 3 coun t r ies , passpor t , b i r th , and mar r iage ce r t i f i ca tes , u t i l i t y b i l l s , lease ag reement (s ) , Mas te rCard and Bank Accoun t )
Silver Package $1000.00( Inc ludes c i t i zensh ip – your cho ice o f 3 coun t r ies , passpor t , b i r th and mar r iage ce r t i f i ca tes )
It gets even better
UKBA’s view on fraud
UKBA would encourage Sponsors to take all reasonable steps to verify the authenticity of a document; it is in the Sponsor’s interests to do so
Rooting out the non bona fide applications before issuing a CAS would save them from paying a CAS fee for a student who won't enter the UK
If an institution repeatedly sponsors applicants with non bona fide documents it may affect their Sponsor rating and could ultimately lead to their removal from the register
qualifications are better understood
Combating fraud
Red flags
Lack of official stamp
Signatures
Misalignment
Spelling mistakes
Variety and types of fonts
Paper quality
Hand writing
Unlikely degree titles
Inconsistent terminologyqualifications are better understood
Genuine
qualifications are better understood
Fake
qualifications are better understood
Genuine or Fake?
qualifications are better understood
Fake 1
Fonts
qualifications are better understood
Fake 2
Spacing
qualifications are better understood
Fake 3
Wording
qualifications are better understood
qualifications are better understood
Combating Fraud
Many of UK NARIC’s members are using
the counter fraud service to compile their
own database of genuine certificates (creating their own White / Black lists)
62% increase in the number of assessments
that UK NARIC is undertaking
qualifications are better understood
Overseas Recruitment and Compliance – a recap
Maintaining HTS is the primary focus
Compliance is the key
Adopting Best PracticeAbility to follow a courseCounter fraud