SAUDI educators are concerned and job seekers angry over news that at least 70 Saudis, or expatriates in Saudi Arabia, are working with phony American degrees, taking job positions away from real university graduates. The US Department of Justice reported that nearly 10,000 people spent $7.3 million for counterfeit high school and college degrees. The department didn't release details on who bought such degrees, so the number of Saudis buying fake certificates could be higher. I, for one, am angry because I have to study four years away from home to earn my doctorate degree in the United Kingdom. When I complete my studies and return home, someone unqualified could be sitting in my place by purchasing a degree instead of studying for it. Not only is this offensive, but also imagine the damage an unqualified person can do. A Saudi woman was reported to have obtained a fake degree in obstetrics and gynecology. I can't think of anything more dangerous. The Ministry of Higher Education has announced it will conduct a thorough investigation to bust workers with fake degrees in the Kingdom. The Ministry of Culture and Information may ban advertisements from unaccredited universities and schools. Besides governmental actions, media outrage and educators' concern, we are leaving out an important class of people directly involved in this issue - the employers. Employers hiring such frauds neglect their responsibility towards the customers they serve. One doesn't have to be Sherlock Holmes to learn which universities handout degrees like chocolate-covered dates. Sophisticated advertisements can be seen on websites. The US Justice Department identified many universities including St. Lourdes University, Berkeley Professional University, Concordia College and University, American West University, St. Regis University and Northwest United University. Sounds familiar? Advertisements of St. Lourdes University, St. Regis and Concordia pop up in banners of many websites. These universities offer degrees based on work and life experience with price starting from $400. That's right, your life experiences can earn you a degree in whatever topic you choose. Concordia's website even offers a discount for degrees purchased before the end of August. These advertisements should raise a red flag not only to a student choosing which university to study in but also to the employer. Employers have a responsibility to conduct background checks of their employees. They must investigate if the degrees listed on the CV are valid. It is wrong when an employee lies, but it is worse when an employer remains aloof about who is being hired. If an HR executive is good at his job (and is not another fraud) he will immediately be suspicious of any unknown university. All it takes is a Google search to check the reality. When I return from the UK with my doctorate degree, I will be furious if I found someone sitting at my desk with a degree from one of these fake universities and my anger will be no less for those who hired such a fraud. __
