Mexico San Miguel PhD and Poland Jagiellonian College DBA NOT WES!

[Tomas]

I've forgotten, also need to explain: I meant to say that FVES is OK when it comes to their status as a university in Czech republic.
But yes, what they offer is controversial - definitely if offered outside of CZ to people who expect accredited BA education.

I don't have time to fully analyze from legal point of view what they offer, but even after a short skim, their claims regarding accreditation and being under supervision of ministry of education in Czech republic are not quite exact. Their university is fully under jurisdiction and supervision of Polish authorities. Here in Czech republic, basically they only announce what they teach and if they have accreditation for that in Poland, they are fine- they "get the stamp".
From that perspective, they are accredited to teach bachelor level Administration and master level Administration and Economics programs in Czech republic, and that is granted by Polish accreditation commission.

What they offer - eg. DBA - is definitely not considered as doctoral degree in Czech republic. It has no value here from academic stand point. It doesn't matter that it is taught by accredited university - they are only accredited to teach what was mentioned before.
If they were offering eg. Phd degrees, or say bachelor degrees not in Administration but for example in computer science, that would be illegal.
But they offer DBA, MBA,.... it's not illegal here, anybody can grant here those degrees, I can grant you DBA too as in Czech republic I have same granting powers for DBA as FVES - those letters DBA MBA LLD etc. mean nothing here, they are not recognized by any laws.

They claim they have accredited those degrees with AAHEA. That's the ONLY granting power their degrees stem from. AFAIK AAHEA is a fake/phony accreditation agency used by degree mills. (I had to look it up, but even without checking the AAHEA just look at the accreditations pictures in their promos - United Nations logo on them, such simple-minded scam from AAHEA....)
Anybody who would like to use those degrees in academic world or needs a degree that is based on real accreditation should definitely avoid those degrees. It doesn't matter that university is accredited, those diplomas (MBA BBA DBA LLB LLD ...) are just a piece of worthless paper from academic point of view.
(However, I definitely don't know how those validation agencies in North America etc. would look at it. Maybe it would still be worth something. But I wouldn't recommend taking unnecessary risks.)

[elcastor21]

What won't Validential accept as RA?  Legit question, do they turn down anything that's at all more legitimate than Made On My DeskJet University?

They don't accept UCN or Azteca, for example, Also, I think someone in this forum reported they evaluated an MBA from Universidad Empresarial de Costa Rica as an Unaccredited Undergraduate certificate.

---

What won't Validential accept as RA?  Legit question, do they turn down anything that's at all more legitimate than Made On My DeskJet University?

It's really a grey area, they 'do' the evaluation by going through their own due diligence to make sure most of the requirements they have go through properly. At the very least, they make sure of a few things that 'add up' to a favorable or non favorable review.  In the case for CUFCE, they don't seem to have any regulations or rules in regards to their evaluations at all...

CUFCE could literally evaluate my Salvadoran taxpayer card as a DBA if I paid them enough, we have seen similar things happening in the past.

[Unlucky]

If they were offering eg. Phd degrees, or say bachelor degrees not in Administration but for example in computer science, that would be illegal.

We had a long discussion about the unethical and shady practices of FVES, but I wanted to point out that they indeed offer a Doctor of Philosophy and a Doctor of Science degrees (at least in the English version of their sites). You can complete the studies of these prestigious titles in one year or less, as per their website. I am not sure if the Doctor of Science is a part of the official education system in Czech, but the Doctor of Philosophy surely is, just like everywhere else in the world. 

- Doctor of Philosophy offering: https://www.study-philology.eu/
- Doctor of Science offering: https://www.study-dsc.eu/

Everyone can form their own opinion about this school. The educational journey might be enjoyable, and you may be able to learn a thing here and there. Just don’t complain much when a one-year study is not evaluated by NACES/AICE members as a US/Canada PhD/DSc equivalent if that’s what you’re looking for. I have no problem with unaccredited education at all; just don’t pretend to be something you’re not.

[Kab]

I would recommend that you read the point 3.1 of the diploma supplement:
""3.1. Level of qualification / Úroveň kvalifikace:
Foreign managerial study programme, which is not included into the higher
education system of the Czech Republic according to the Higher Education Act"

In other words is not an academic study. You can call it what you want but it does not fit in the frame of superior education. It is stated clearly on the diploma supplement.
Also is not a PhD is a D.Phil. which as far I know is not regulated there, but I can be wrong. Yes the letter, the order they appear and the if they are in capital letters or not is important.
ABout the DSc in the web is a very nice piece of text too:
"Doctor of Science (DSc) is international managerial study program, which is not included into tertiary education system of the Czech Republic, according to Act about tertiary education."

[Tomas]

That mentioned D Phil degree is based on Polish system. I have no idea about education system in Poland thus cannot comment more on that (just that it is definitely not equivalent to Czech doctoral level study which is Phd only). It is basically a Polish degree from Akademia Jagiellonska. I dont understand why AJ doesnt offer it directly then, that would have more value than when offered by their subsidiary unauthorized in CZ to provide such degrees (they can only offer bachelors and masters) and with a claim that it is just a managerial degree which is huge disqualification, if it was possible to get same degree in Poland as academic degree.

Funny part is that there is large "Czech republic degree" title all over the diploma, when it is completely unaccredited in CZ, cant be a local degree as there is no D Phil here, and
one would have to go through local validation process for foreign degrees if wanted to use that degree in cases that require accredited degree.

[Unlucky]

Yes the letter, the order they appear and the if they are in capital letters or not is important.

Thank you for your response. Personally, I don't have any issues with any form of education as long as the students are content with where they invest their money.

I find the whole "letter, arrangement, capitalization" aspect rather amusing. Let's not pretend it isn't meant to deceive the uninformed. Otherwise, why would somebody turn to gray evaluation companies and spend money to equate a one-year non-academic-study, non-existent D.Phil or DBA in the Czech system, to a regionally accredited doctoral equivalent in the US?

One can only wonder.

---

That mentioned D Phil degree is based on Polish system. I have no idea about education system in Poland thus cannot comment more on that (just that it is definitely not equivalent to Czech doctoral level study which is Phd only). It is basically a Polish degree from Akademia Jagiellonska. I dont understand why AJ doesnt offer it directly then, that would have more value than when offered by their subsidiary unauthorized in CZ to provide such degrees (they can only offer bachelors and masters) and with a claim that it is just a managerial degree which is huge disqualification, if it was possible to get same degree in Poland as academic degree.

Funny part is that there is large "Czech republic degree" title all over the diploma, when it is completely unaccredited in CZ, cant be a local degree as there is no D Phil here, and
one would have to go through local validation process for foreign degrees if wanted to use that degree in cases that require accredited degree.

Because basically such a degree does not exist, neither in Poland nor in Czech (or in any “foreign/international” capacity FVES is trying to sell). It is a made-up program that FVES markets using an established name (AJ) while relying on the unfamiliarity with the “foreign” Polish education system. Ironically, the main Polish AJ itself cannot issue such degrees.

There’s an interesting thread on this school and the “foreign” Polish education framework in the other website, and I find the comments of a user named tadj (from Poland) very informative. 

https://www.degreeinfo.com/index.php?thr...ion.62080/

[bjcheung77]

tadj, openair... is on this board as well, you can review post #6... I like reading their posts as well!

[Consultant]

Basically, you have to 'ask for info', they'll email you back with details.  I had a search on the website for "Excellent" "Program" and it came up with the DBA, PhD (HR).  Link: https://www.emagister.com/doctorado/web/...nt+program  This is the email reply you'll get back... Link: https://www.degreeinfo.com/index.php?thr...ost-580014

Thank you for the link, I had forwarded an inquiry to them

[openair]

I found this new info on the site of a NACES member evaluation company - Institute of Foreign Credential Services (IFCS).

* There's no mention of the Czech branch in the preliminary report, even though the foreign branch is the one that appears to provide the DBA qualification. Also, the number of ECTS credits doesn't match the program description on the FVES site. Nevertheless, it's an interesting evaluation report.

Link: https://ifcsevals.com/assessment-of-the-...n-by-ifcs/

Assessment of the Doctor of Business Administration Program at Jagiellonian Academy, Torun, Poland: A Detailed Examination by IFCS

Introduction
IFCS has recently received numerous requests to evaluate Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) degrees from Jagiellonian Academy in Torun, Poland. This blog aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of the program, considering its key features, the issuing institution, and the official response received from the Ministry of Education and Science in Poland.

Program Details
The DBA program at Akademia Jagiellońska is open to applicants who hold a Master’s degree or its equivalent. The program is two years long and requires a total of 180 ECTS credits, including a thesis. One noteworthy aspect of the program is that it is offered through distance learning, which is becoming increasingly popular in higher education

Issuing Institution
Founded in 2002 as a non-public institution, Jagiellonian Academy underwent a significant transformation in February 2022, attaining academy status and adopting the name Akademia Jagiellońska w Toruniu. Operating under the supervision of the Minister of Science and Higher Education, the institution holds a notable position within the Polish higher education landscape.

Preliminary Research Findings
IFCS initiated preliminary research to ascertain the recognition and accreditation status of the DBA program at Jagiellonian Academy. While the institution itself is recognized by the Ministry of Education and Science in Poland, the DBA program was not listed among the approved degree programs.

Communication with the Ministry of Education and Science
Ministry’s Clarification
The Ministry stated that the title “Doctor of Business Administration (DBA)” does not hold the status of an academic doctorate under Polish legislation. This designation is granted within the framework of postgraduate programs, emphasizing that the completion of such a program does not equate to obtaining an academic doctorate in the Polish system of higher education and science.

The Ministry also highlighted the autonomy of public and non-public universities in conducting postgraduate programs without requiring explicit approval/accreditation.

IFCS Recommendation
In light of the Ministry’s clarification and recognizing the unique status of the DBA title outside Polish legislation, IFCS recommends acknowledging two years of graduate-level credits for individuals holding this qualification. However, IFCS does not recommend conferring the title of a graduate degree, emphasizing the distinctive nature of the DBA within the Polish higher education context.

Conclusion
The evaluation of Doctor of Business Administration degrees from Jagiellonian Academy reveals a nuanced scenario. While the institution itself is recognized, the unique characteristics of the DBA program necessitate careful consideration.

Author,

Bedrie Matoshi

Director of Evaluations

[bjcheung77]

Hmm, I guess it's pretty much what I was thinking it to be... A somewhat recognized degree to a point, what I mean by that is, this is similar to the Spanish 'professional degree' option where the Ministry of Education/Government doesn't recognize it, but private or professional settings will. I wonder if this would work similar for other NACES members, it sounds like this would be a candidate for 'ABD' programs... So, an example would be that this degree is 2/3 of a doctorate, the final dissertation would be done at another university to get a 'full degree'. I know Validential and the lesser recommended CUFCE would most likely get a favorable evaluation equivalent to RA doctorate, but I suggest only going that route if Validential is your 'final option'.