CANADA

College’s foreign programme puts credentials ‘at risk’

Alberta’s auditor-general says Medicine Hat College’s international education division has been an out-of-control programme that has put the college at “reputational, legal and financial risk”, writes James Wood for Calgary Herald.

Merwan Saher’s report released last Tuesday shows a record of irregular contracts, questionable expenses and dubious academic standards for the C$1.7-million programme, which focuses on attracting foreign students from multiple countries, and works in partnership with three Chinese institutions, to offer courses overseas for Chinese students who can then transfer to Medicine Hat College.

The programme “operated independently and largely outside of the college’s control systems”, with the strong support of college President Ralph Weeks allowing it to contravene normal channels, according to the report.
Full report on the Edmonton Journal site