Toward effective practice: discouraging degree mills in higher education

Degree mills are and will continue to be a significant international problem for students, employers, the public, legitimate providers of higher education and accreditation/quality assurance and national governments. The suggestions offered here are intended to promote an international dialogue leading to effective international practice to address this important issue. To ignore degree mills is to undermine the capacity of countries to meet expanding demands for access while assuring high-quality education. To ignore degree mills reduces opportunity for students and countries to use the benefits of education to participate effctively in the international community