Singapore’s knowledge economy proceeds apace! Turns out that we might have found a key pillar of our GDP – allowing just about anyone to operate a printing press to churn out MBAs and PhDs certificates for Fido, aka “education hub”. As a public service to Singaporeans who are thinking of upgrading their skills for jobs at the IRs, here’s a list of institutions (courtesy of ST) that you might want to avoid from here on. (or if you’re a part time real estate agent looking for a fast degree, you might want to consider them for a “degree flip”)....
Cranston University, Templeton University – these two printers seem to specialize in account management courses. It’s worthwhile noting that Templeton U is registered under a Las Vegas PO box number (IR here I come!), and offers discount coupons for its courses on Merchant Circle.
Trident University of Technology – From a writeup in Palin U: “A long standing tradition of academic excellence in the field of Business and Technology education. This year the university was re-named Trident University of Technology to signify its continual growth and improvement as it looks ever forward to fulfilling its mission of becoming an internationally recognised, world-class university of technology.” And to try to escape the banned list, no doubt. The website is, of course, down.
Vancouver University Worldwide – From a cached webpage (the actual VUW website was listed by my security software as a malware site, so please don’t go there) “Vancouver University Worldwide is (1) a consortium of globally-dispersed constituent and affiliate member colleges and programs, and (2) conducts a collateral ‘external’ aggregate-learning degrees process.” Translated: (1) you can’t really track us down if you’re looking for a refund, and (2) we print degrees.
Westmore University – The official website looks a free blog site, with nothing very much on it. Domain is for sale, if you’re interested. The cost of a degree ranges from $400 for a high school degree to $1500 for a PhD. Imagine: for the cost of paying a few years of (new) HDB taxes, you get to be called “Doctor”.
Lee Community College – The crowning glory. This is the shop that you pass by everytime you want to take a coffee break at Telok Ayer Food Market. Specializing in “psychology” and “counselling”, it offers external degree courses despite the small problem of MOE not allowing them to do so. MOE said they will “investigate”. You gotta feel sorry for the China students who plonked down US$20K for these soon-to-be-shut-down course programs.
Full article at: http://singaporeuncletrader.wordpress.com/2009/11/26/singapore-as-an-education-hub-aka-phd-for-fido/