Academics

HE Bill Provision Expansion: Opportunity For Bogus Operators, Said UK Academic Watchdog! [VIDEO]

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Following the alarming event involving academic watchdog Higher Education Degree Datacheck (HEDD) closing more than 30 fake universities in the UK, Director, Jane Rowley proposes that the act to expand the provision in the Higher Education bill may open opportunities for more bogus operators to thrive in the academic domain. Adding icing to the cake, Rowley believes that the continuous thriving of the fraudulent awarding bodies in the country can lead to doomed Higher Education status.

Thanks to the Higher Education Degree Datacheck (HEDD), a total of 32 fake universities were prevented this year. Meanwhile, concerns over large population of students falling victims under such act of fraudulence dramatically swelled, too.

25 of the closed institutions were identified to be based overseas while the other 4 institutions, although proven legal businesses, still ended up closing down after being eventually challenged for real UK degree offerings. In their case, their degree standards fell short at some accreditation issues, the Guardian reported.

Just last year, the academic watchdog HEDD patrolled out across UK and was able to successfully close more than 60 fake universities, Rowley proudly announces in the Telegraph.

Speculating further on the issue, Rowley acknowledges the milestone Higher Education UK has reached with its notable 10% increase in academic traffics each year. Meaning, more university sites are opening doors for investment in the country. Primarily, more universities mean higher literacy rate among the nation's people.

All credits to research and innovation flourishing in a global-facing society, that UK excels in attracting thousands of students and academics all over the world to study and work here, Times Higher Education reported.

Still, she manages to quickly expose the flipside, by saying that the over-expanding number of universities can ultimately serve as opportune hideouts for fraudulent centers. Adding to the picture the possible consideration of expanding the Higher Education bill provision, plus the unnoticeably fast branching of online courses, Rowley is sure that the risks, if not prevented, would soon pull the nation down in doomed figures, the Guardian again reported.

Thereof, Rowley and her team of academic watchdogs in HEDD continue innovating strategies and investigation to further haunt down all institutions that are beyond the 20% qualified awarding bodies. Nonetheless, Rowley reportedly hopes that the proposal for the HE bill provision expansion will not materialize.

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