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Aug 29, 2008
At least 218 here have off-the-shelf degrees
By Sandra Davie
AT LEAST 218 people, mostly Singaporeans, are proudly flaunting degrees, MBAs and
doctorates from a dozen degree mills, including Preston University, Wisconsin International
University, Paramount University of Technology, Kennedy-Western University and
Rochville University.
This was uncovered by Straits Times checks on the Internet and trade publications, to find
out how widespread the use of bogus qualifications is here.
Most of them are males and predominantly businessmen, professional trainers, private
school lecturers and financial consultants.
The majority have basic diplomas and in some cases, degrees from bona fide universities,
but quote masters or PhDs from bogus institutions to bolster their credentials.
A few such as Expressions International founder Theresa Chew, who has a honorary
doctorate from Kennedy-Western University, and Mr George Quek, who has an honorary
business doctorate from the Wisconsin International University, add the words
Honoris Causa (Latin for a token of respect or honour) on their namecards, to indicate
that it is an honorary degree.
But worryingly, an increasingly long list of private school lecturers and financial consultants
openly cite their bought doctorates and masters’ degrees, in their curriculum vitae and client
pitches.
A typical example is Be-Mad, a company at Scotts Road, that trains human resource
professionals. Its chief executive officer ‘Dr’ David Ong Kah Seng and two of his associates,
‘Dr’ Ng Sin Keh and Mr Yeo Thiang Swee, have degrees from Rochville University, Preston
University and Atlantic International University, which are all commonly referred to as
diploma mills in the United States.
On its website, Be-Mad consultancy boasts that its long list of clients includes ministries,
banks and educational institutions.
Yet another two successful businessmen with questionable qualifications are options trading
expert ‘Dr’ Clemen Chiang, a Nanyang Technological University graduate, who runs courses
through Freely Business School at North Bridge Road and ‘Dr’ T. Chandroo who runs a chain
of 60 Montessori kindergartens here and abroad. Both of them have doctorates from
Preston University, classified as a degree mill in the US.
Why do these successful businessmen who have demonstrated expertise in an area resort
to using degrees from unaccredited institutions?
After all, resume detectives say such bogus degrees are a ‘ticking time bomb’, which may
burnish your CV for now, but sooner or later blow up in your face.
The Straits Times put the question to ‘Drs’ Ong, Chiang and Chandroo.
Mr Ong claimed that his alma mater Rochville University was a reputed one and claimed to
have worked on a thesis for 18 months on behavioural sciences.
Mr Chandroo’s secretary said he was ‘too busy’ to answer e-mails or calls from The Straits
Times over the past month.
Mr Chiang, known to be an astute entrepreneur who set up Freely Business School and is
widely quoted in the local press on options trading, admits that he was ‘not so smart’ when
he signed up for an online doctorate programme from Preston University a few years ago.
The NTU engineering graduate said he wanted to complete a PhD in extra quick time and
found out about Preston University through the Internet. And because it was listed as a
partner of a private school here licensed by the Education Ministry, he thought it was an
accredited institution.
He suggested a thesis topic on options trading which was accepted by the university faculty
in Wyoming, US. He researched the topic and submitted his thesis within 16 months and
was granted a PhD. It cost him all of S$18,000 in fees.
It was only later that he realised that Preston was not accredited in the US.
Mr Chiang sheepishly admits that he continues to use his doctorate as it helps to pave the
way in business. Besides, he reasons: ‘I did write a thesis for it.’
But he added: ‘But I am thinking of dropping my doctorate title altogether until I complete
the current PhD I am working on with the University of South Australia.’
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