University of Wales must review link-ups, advises QAA
The higher education watchdog the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) has advised the University of Wales to review all its partnerships with colleges worldwide.
It investigated three of the university's link-ups with foreign colleges which shed light on the shortcomings of a system in which academic staff from Wales travel across the globe to vet, validate and moderate overseas links. In response, a University of Wales spokesman said the institution was making "many transitional and transformative measures". "In order to continue to safeguard standards and the student experience the University of Wales will, in partnership with its proposed merger institutions, develop a new international strategy which is embedded within Wales," he said. QAA has, in line with its policy, published a statement on its findings and recommendations on its website. Here are excerpts from the report: Accademia Italiana, Bangkok Reason for investigation: BBC Wales alleged the college was operating illegally, according to Thai authorities. "However, when the concerns team met with the vetter in a group of Validation Unit staff, he had no memory of having made a visit to Accademia Italiana in Bangkok." "The concerns team concluded that the university's vetting of its partner in Thailand was inadequate... The 'validations' carried out were flawed". "In the matter of approval by the Thai authorities, it appears that the University satisfied itself with oral assurances by Accademia Italiana that approval to operate from the Thai government had been secured, with no primary written evidence from the Thai authorities themselves." Reason for investigation: BBC Wales alleged it was being run by a pop star with two bogus degrees. "There is no particular reason to believe in this case had such investigations been carried out, they would have discovered anything that would have undermined the university's confidence...However, this must be regarded as merely good luck". "There is a 'European Business School, UK': it is part of Regents College, and awards degrees from the Open University. "It does not award the degree of DBA. It is a perfectly respectable institution, but 'Dr' Yaakob certainly did not do a DBA there. "'Dr' Yaakob is not buried in the small print... (the university) had and missed the opportunity to be circumspect about the management and owners of Fazley International College". "However... more 'academic' due diligence might have caused the university, if not to reject the connection with Fazley International Colelge, at least to manage it in a way that gave less room for ridicule". Reason for investigation: Complaints from students. Unnanounced sale of the school by one set of owners who had problems with debts and subsequent disappearance of the second owners one year later, leaving the students unsupported. In this case University of Wales vice-chancellor, Professor Marc Clement, considered it "sufficient" that one member of the validation board was "qualified as an accountant". "The background of the owners was not investigated, and no information about financial stability was sought. No professional advice was taken on either matter." Initially, moderators failed to make any visits to this college. These were replaced by moderators who did make the requisite visits, one of whom had been assigned to 14 different colleges simultaneously even though a moderator is only supposed to be assigned a maximum of five institutions at any time.