UAE students prey to bogus universities

Students in the UAE wishing to study abroad without attending class are falling prey to bogus universities after paying large sums of money just to obtain fake certificates, according to the Ministry of Higher Education.

The Ministry has already identified 15 bogus universities in the US, Britain and other countries and will soon post their names on its websites to warn students, sad Saif Al Mazroui, an adviser to the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research.

Many students have reported to the Ministry that they have been cheated by universities and that they have obtained non-recognised certificates for large sums of money.

“We have identified 15 bogus universities in various countries and we will soon publish their names on our website,” Mazroui said, quoted by 'Emarat Al Youm' daily.

He said the Ministry is devising a plan to counter such practices in collaboration with the ministries of Justice and interior as well as other relevant departments.

“We need to warn the students so they will not keep falling victims to such institution. They are being swindled and deceived. We have referred those students to security authorities to attend to their problems,” he said.

He warned the students against dealing with any educational establishment not authorized by the Ministry whether it is in the UAE or abroad.

He said most of the universities which are offering bogus certificates are based in the US, Britain and other European countries.

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