The Scottish Qualifications Authority will use sophisticated printing measures to combat diploma fraud. Results will be printed on heavy parchment paper containing secret markings known only to the printer and the awards body, making forgery more difficult. The British university admissions service admitted in 2004 that it had stopped 1,000 students from entering programs due to applications with fake qualifications.

Exam boards report a sharp rise in teenagers caught cheating in public exams. More than 2,500 lost marks for breaking the rules in last year's GCSEs and A-levels - a 9% increase on 2003. More than 900 pupils were caught cheating or plagiarising their coursework. In total, 1,013 penalties were triggered by inappropriate use of mobile phones - 16% up on the same time last year.

The Immigration Minister admitted yesterday there may be widespread abuses of a visa scheme that provides foreign students with the chance to enrol at UK institutions after irregularities were found at a Scottish university.

The University of Wales will cease to exist after mounting a series of damaging revelations. An investigation revealed last week that overseas students at Rayat London College, in Hounslow, were sold diploma exam answers in advance of taking the test.

Comments linked with an announcement on a new "bogus students" crackdown has threatened the country's multi-billion university sector, according to a group that represents British universities. They suggested that overseas students were no longer welcome in Britain and were instead choosing to study in North America and Australia.