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The Department of Education has launched a website which features a list of 6,900 academic institutions accredited by an accrediting agency or state approval agency. The website is designed to help employers distinguish between accredited institutions of higher education and unaccredited institutions commonly as "diploma mills" that offer bogus degrees.

Plans by the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) to export its examinations system to China have been put on hold following charges of fraud by students looking to gain entry to Britain on study visas. Staff at a Sino-British college, Sea Rich, raised concerns that many students were not studying, but had been promised by the university a two-year-year HND for payments of US$2,200. The students had also been promised assistance by the university to get UK entry clearance.

In spring 2004 interviews were conducted with 43 rectors, vice rectors, and administrators at five private universities. A consensus emerged that successful licensing or accreditation applications, with few exceptions, required some form of bribery. Licensing might require a bribe of US$ 200 about two months' salary for a typical academic - while accreditation might call for a 10 or 20 times greater "gratuity."

Oregon lawmakers have passed a bill requiring those seeking employment in the state to add a disclaimer on their résumé to any qualifications not issued by an institution of higher education accredited by a state recognized accrediting agency. This is part of an on-going struggle by state legislators against institutions of education where academic standards are insufficient or non-existent. The Office of Degree Authorization lists on its Web site more than 300 institutions which is not recognized.

Compton community college lost its accreditation from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges in June. The regional accrediting body cited poor governance, lack of education plans, lack of student support services, and an inadequate administrative staff as reasons for revoking the schools accreditation. The school is now being taken over by the state, despite California's highly decentralized system.

The Botswana College of Distance and Open Learning recently conducted its first external quality assurance audit on the Namibian College of Open Learning (Namcol) to determine whether the latter's system and procedures are in line with international best practices. The goal is to improve accountability and the promotion of high quality programme delivery.

The president of the Computer Professionals Registration Council has given further insights as to why it is necessary to accredit members and operators in the sector. The president will put an end to the proliferation of all sorts of sub-standard computer schools in order to set a higher standard of erudition and professionalism. This will make it possible to begin to export manpower to other countries.