The University of Wales validates degree courses around the world Education Minister Leighton Andrews has strongly criticised the University of Wales, accusing it of bringing Wales into ridicule and disrepute.
His comments follow BBC Wales’ Week In Week Out showed a Malaysian pop star with a bogus doctorate ran a college offering University of Wales courses.
It also uncovered doubts about a college in Bangkok.
He said the university had to “get to grips” with the issues raised. The university has been asked to respond.
Earlier Mr Andrews met Professor Marc Clement, the University’s vice chancellor, at a meeting of senior figures from higher education in Wales.
The minister told BBC Wales: “We are fed up with the University of Wales bringing the name of Wales into ridicule.
“We want to see an end to this. We want to see high quality control within the institution.”
The programme revealed that Fazley Yaakob, who runs the Fazley International College (FICO) in the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur, was claiming to have both a masters and a doctorate in business administration.
“Associations with institutions whose leadership have bogus degrees, that brings the name of Wales into disrepute”
Leighton Andrews AM Education minister
But both came from a bogus university, and Thai authorities said Accademia Italiana, a fashion college offering University of Wales validated courses in Bangkok, Thailand, had been operating illegally.
Mr Andrews said he had been in contact with the Higher Education Funding Council and the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education about the revelations.
He said: “The governance of the University of Wales will be under scrutiny in my higher education governance review.”
Mr Andrews said the university still had many “strong attributes”.
He added: “We want to see the University of Wales as a quality benchmark for higher education in Wales and internationally.
“Associations with dubious bible colleges, associations with institutions whose leadership have bogus degrees, that brings the name of Wales into disrepute and it brings the University of Wales itself into disrepute.
“I want to see that they are serious about this issue and they are getting to grips with it.”
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