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Tuesday, June 07, 2005

Today's Brazen Asshole Award Goes to A Brazen South African....

A friend alerted me to this story from today's China Post: S. African says he is legally eligible to stay in Taiwan.

Because of an argument, Wu reported to the police that Ellie, who graduated from Ashwood University, provided fake education credentials when he applied for his visa. The police, because of Ellie's nationality, instinctively checked with the South African embassy for his education records.

The police proceeded to arrest Ellie after representatives from the South African office replied that there is no such academic institute in the country. The police, without granting due process to Ellie, instructed the English institute to fire Ellie and deported him.

Angry with the Taiwanese police for their flawed handling of his case, Ellie decided to return to the island in order to set records straight. After providing evidence of the authenticity of his education background, the court threw out all accusations made against him.

According to investigators, Ashwood University is located in the U.S. instead of South Africa. The academic institution is recognized and certified by the World Online Education Commission.

Ashwood University is a diploma mill that grants degrees for life experience. Their website advertizes:

No Need to Take Admission Exams, No Need To Study,
Receive a College Degree for What You Already Know!

Our college degree program is available to all qualified applicants regardless of age, sex, marital status, or physical location. The only qualification we require for a degree is that you should have adequate work, life or military experience, or classroom education. Read on to learn more about our university.
If you weren't clear on what they meant, here is the list:
By life experience we mean:
Ashwood University
Prior job experience in any field
Ashwood University
Military training
Ashwood University
Previous educational achievements
Ashwood University
Employer-sponsored training and attendance of workshops
Ashwood University
Participation in organizations, both professional and nonprofessional
Ashwood University
Personal goals, lifestyle, hobbies, and traveling
Ashwood University
Participation in volunteer activities and community service
Ashwood University
Independent reading, viewing, listening, or writing

But if that still isn't enough, Ashwood tells you that after you pay your $499....

You will receive your complete doctorate’s degree package within 7 days of placing the order.

How brazen is this guy? Here's what he said about Taiwan:

He stated that, compared with South Africa, the island has a lot of room for improvement on its justice system and protection of human rights.
Toss the bastard out!

The accuser was right. The degree IS bogus and the dude should be deported faster than you can say "snow job." Who do I contact to set this one right?

4 comments:

  1. What sort of person flies back to defend such a dodgy degree?

    However, noone seems to come out of this looking good: the authorities didn't check the degree properly before they deported him, the courts didn't check when they acquited him, and of course the newspaper didn't bother to check the university either.

    I would say that your blog is more competent than the police, the courts and the media of Taiwan ... but I guess that would be considered "Damned with faint praise" :)

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  2. Actually, someone else clued me in to this story.

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  3. Don't be modest Michael. Everyone who watches CSI knows that it's all in the team work.

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