Knightsbridge University
Encyclopedia
Knightsbridge University is a private
distance learning institution based in Denmark
that caters mostly to English
speaking people. It was founded in 1991 by Henrik Fyrst Kristensen. Although the school is based in Denmark, John Bear
's guide states that Knightsbridge was formerly incorporated in Liberia
and at time of publication was incorporated in Antigua and Barbuda
, while using a mailing address in Scotland
.
and is not officially recognized as an educational institution in Denmark. Due to the lack of accreditation, its degrees and credits might not be acceptable to employers or other institutions, and use of its degree titles may be restricted or illegal in some jurisdictions. Several American states identify Knightsbridge as a school that does not have appropriate legal authority to issue degrees. In 2006 Bear told the Irish Independent
that "Knightsbridge most emphatically is not licensed or recognised by the Danish government (or any other government on Earth)." Formerly Knightsbridge claimed accreditation from the World Association of Universities and Colleges
, an unrecognised accreditation agency. However, since 2003, Knightsbridge University has been registered as a limited company in Denmark. Danish law does not restrict private institutions without public funding from operating without approval or accreditation by Danish authorities, but their students are not eligible for state study grants.
In 2000, Coleman Nyathi, an official of the South Africa
n province of Mpumalanga
, was forced to resign after it was revealed that he had lied about his citizenship and that his academic credentials, including his Knightsbridge University doctoral degree in business administration, were "mail order" distance learning degrees from unaccredited institutions. Officials said that Knightsbridge and other universities where Nyathi had obtained degrees are not accredited in South Africa, so his degrees are useless in the country.
In another incident in 2006, Michael Meegan, the head of the Irish
charity ICROSS in Africa
, received negative attention when it was revealed that his claimed PhD in medical anthropology was not from an accredited university, but was from Knightsbridge University, described in the press as an institution "which trades from a Danish post office box."
The situation was revealed after he applied to collaborate with Duke University
on a proposed grant of $2.5 million from the US
National Institutes of Health
for a study of home care of HIV/AIDS, but did not disclose the source of his doctoral degree. He was dropped from the grant proposal when Duke learned that he did not hold a recognised degree.
In another incident in 2007, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis
( IUPUI) discovered that the university's Chief Engineer and Fire Protection Services Manager, Tom Hulse, had used a bachelor's degree
from Knightsbridge to qualify for his job, which he had held since 2001. Interviewed by reporters, Hulse admitted knowing that his degree had no standing in the US. He said: "We know it's not an accredited school. It's not a secret." IUPUI expected to treat the case as an ethics violation.
Private university
Private universities are universities not operated by governments, although many receive public subsidies, especially in the form of tax breaks and public student loans and grants. Depending on their location, private universities may be subject to government regulation. Private universities are...
distance learning institution based in Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
that caters mostly to English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
speaking people. It was founded in 1991 by Henrik Fyrst Kristensen. Although the school is based in Denmark, John Bear
John Bear
John Bjorn Bear is an American authority on distance education and a writer of creative reference works. Bear holds bachelor and master degrees from University of California, Berkeley and a doctorate from Michigan State University...
's guide states that Knightsbridge was formerly incorporated in Liberia
Liberia
Liberia , officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Sierra Leone on the west, Guinea on the north and Côte d'Ivoire on the east. Liberia's coastline is composed of mostly mangrove forests while the more sparsely populated inland consists of forests that open...
and at time of publication was incorporated in Antigua and Barbuda
Antigua and Barbuda
Antigua and Barbuda is a twin-island nation lying between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. It consists of two major inhabited islands, Antigua and Barbuda, and a number of smaller islands...
, while using a mailing address in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
.
Accreditation and licensing status
Knightsbridge University is not accreditedEducational accreditation
Educational accreditation is a type of quality assurance process under which services and operations of educational institutions or programs are evaluated by an external body to determine if applicable standards are met...
and is not officially recognized as an educational institution in Denmark. Due to the lack of accreditation, its degrees and credits might not be acceptable to employers or other institutions, and use of its degree titles may be restricted or illegal in some jurisdictions. Several American states identify Knightsbridge as a school that does not have appropriate legal authority to issue degrees. In 2006 Bear told the Irish Independent
Irish Independent
The Irish Independent is Ireland's largest-selling daily newspaper that is published in both compact and broadsheet formats. It is the flagship publication of Independent News & Media.-History:...
that "Knightsbridge most emphatically is not licensed or recognised by the Danish government (or any other government on Earth)." Formerly Knightsbridge claimed accreditation from the World Association of Universities and Colleges
World Association of Universities and Colleges
The World Association of Universities and Colleges, WAUC, is an institutional accrediting body not recognized by the United States Department of Education. It is run by Maxine Asher, director of the American World University, an unaccredited school. WAUC's website claims that "laws in the U.S.A...
, an unrecognised accreditation agency. However, since 2003, Knightsbridge University has been registered as a limited company in Denmark. Danish law does not restrict private institutions without public funding from operating without approval or accreditation by Danish authorities, but their students are not eligible for state study grants.
Controversies
There are a number of incidents reported in the news that involve use of Knightsbridge University degrees.In 2000, Coleman Nyathi, an official of the South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n province of Mpumalanga
Mpumalanga
Mpumalanga , is a province of South Africa. The name means east or literally "the place where the sun rises" in Swazi, Xhosa, Ndebele and Zulu. Mpumalanga lies in eastern South Africa, north of KwaZulu-Natal and bordering Swaziland and Mozambique. It constitutes 6.5% of South Africa's land area...
, was forced to resign after it was revealed that he had lied about his citizenship and that his academic credentials, including his Knightsbridge University doctoral degree in business administration, were "mail order" distance learning degrees from unaccredited institutions. Officials said that Knightsbridge and other universities where Nyathi had obtained degrees are not accredited in South Africa, so his degrees are useless in the country.
In another incident in 2006, Michael Meegan, the head of the Irish
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
charity ICROSS in Africa
ICROSS
ICROSS, which stands for "the International Community for the Relief of Suffering and Starvation" is a Kenyan-based non-governmental organization founded by Michael Meegan, Joseph Barnes and Thomas O'Riordan which specialises in long term primary health, community health care and public health...
, received negative attention when it was revealed that his claimed PhD in medical anthropology was not from an accredited university, but was from Knightsbridge University, described in the press as an institution "which trades from a Danish post office box."
The situation was revealed after he applied to collaborate with Duke University
Duke University
Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
on a proposed grant of $2.5 million from the US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
National Institutes of Health
National Institutes of Health
The National Institutes of Health are an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services and are the primary agency of the United States government responsible for biomedical and health-related research. Its science and engineering counterpart is the National Science Foundation...
for a study of home care of HIV/AIDS, but did not disclose the source of his doctoral degree. He was dropped from the grant proposal when Duke learned that he did not hold a recognised degree.
In another incident in 2007, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis
Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis
Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis is an urban campus of Indiana University and Purdue University in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. Indiana University is the managing partner...
( IUPUI) discovered that the university's Chief Engineer and Fire Protection Services Manager, Tom Hulse, had used a bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
from Knightsbridge to qualify for his job, which he had held since 2001. Interviewed by reporters, Hulse admitted knowing that his degree had no standing in the US. He said: "We know it's not an accredited school. It's not a secret." IUPUI expected to treat the case as an ethics violation.
External links
- CIRIUS website. CIRIUS is the authority in the Danish Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation responsible for supporting education and training.
- Falske universitetsgrader fra jysk parcelhuskvarter, article critical of Knightsbridge University