Dunno if anyone saw the story in the TT on Dec. 16, but apparently an English Prof at Hungquang Univ. in Taichung was found out a fraud, and he skipped town.
But the real story here is that he fooled the uni with a face doctorate from Notre Dame. The story quotes an official at the MOE that says it is the school’s responsibility to confirm the authenticity if t the diploma/degree. And that the MOE only issues work permits.
What a load of crap!
I just went through six or seven weeks of being checked and double checked by the MOE, even though my diplomas had been checked twice before during the last three years, and always found to be authentic and that I did indeed graduate from the college on my diploma. Yet they checked me out again and made me send fresh course transcripts.
So either there is another rule for universities or something is completly out of whack with this story. It does say that this guy’s diplomas were checked out by the American Institute in Taipei and it found nothing wrong with the ‘paperwork’.
So…what? He fooled the AIT? This just doesn’t sound right. Somebody is lying throuhg their teeth here. I thought there was a crackdown on authenticating diplomas and degrees over the last two years. Certainly doesn’t seem to be the case here.
Unless something has changed over the past few years, I always had to have my diploma authenticated at the Taiwan representative office closest to the university in question, in the US. It certainly wasn’t AIT doing anything of the kind, and AIT wouldn’t. All they do is notarize, which is attesting that someone showed up, was the person they said they were, and swore that something was true.
I agree it’s sleazy, criminal and wrong to obtain a job based on lies about ones degrees/credentials, and I can understand why the uni would be pissed off that they’d been fooled, but I find it interesting that the article contains no criticism of any kind about the fake teacher’s performance and only says a few students felt he was a “good and energetic teacher.”
Given, I believe the opinions of most people are crap, especially in Taiwan. It’s always a good movie, good restaurant, good teacher, etc. But, doesn’t it say something interesting if people were getting all pissed off about a teacher who may have been perfectly good and popular, solely on account of him having lied about his degree (or, on account of not having the requisite degree). Isn’t that a bit like the fixation with brand names in this culture – functionality/performance doesn’t matter, it’s all about image.
I’m not suggesting I condone fraud or blame the uni for being pissed off, but it’s still interesting that they mention no complaints about his performance.
Yes and I think some of us teachers who do not have a masters or doctorate could do well teaching uni. students. From what I hear and the people I know who have and are doing it, it’s not much of a stretch. I’ve taught adults and uni students in college-type atmospheres so I know what it’s like.
The problem is not his ability, it’s that he lied about his credentials, meaning he could be capable of misrepresenting himself in other areas.
Ehem. That universities stand to receive a special “incentive” from MOE determined by how many Ph.D.'s they have has nothing to do with this issue. :saywhat: :silenced:
Not only diploma mills, but purchased fake degrees. Many, many English “teachers” in Taiwan have degrees that they bought or made on their computers. I hope all of that changes now in light of this new case because the situation is just plain sickening if you ask me.
this is my understanding as well, and as the person in question is not American, i assume the notary service wouldnt even come into play here.[/quote]
this is correct. AIT does not authenticate US degrees. For that, you have to go to TECRO.
:saywhat: :silenced: