EUROPEAN UNIVERSITY DIPLOMAS NOT WORTH THE PAPER THEY ARE PRINTED ON - XAVIER NIEBERDING REMOVED FROM SCHOOL BY OFFICIAL ACT OF B

Comments

• -5

  Marc VB

  31 Jan 2012

  While looking for information about the European University I stumbled upon this site. I read through Grover Loving’s rather hysterical and one-sided letter, and felt the need to respond. I am Belgian and attended EU from 1978 to 1981. I followed courses in English out of choice as it was never my intention to stay on in Belgium after graduating. Incidentally, John Wells (the previous writer) was one of our professors at the time. While I do not dispute the fact that profit was Mr Nieberding’s primary motive, I also feel that the school did a huge amount of good for a lot of people. All diplomas are mere pieces of paper. What matters is what you take with you and future success in business. After all, we all studied there to make money and be successful. The high rate of success around the world of many EU graduates speaks for itself.
  Soon after graduating I left for Johannesburg (South Africa) and worked in senior management and finance positions for a number of large listed companies. I always felt confident in any business environment, and in 2004 started my own successful business. The quality of my education and training at the EU most certainly was an important contributing factor in my success. The professors and courses at the time were first-class. It was very hard work, but it was also a fun, rich and rewarding experience. The EU was a breath of fresh air amidst the dull, stuffy and all too predictable world of Belgian higher education. It offered a dynamic, fairly pressurised and competitive environment where students received maximum exposure to prepare them for the unpredictable and competitive business world. Frankly, I felt confident enough to start my own business immediately after graduating. Also, I always felt that I was at the very least on par with business graduates from South Africa’s top universities. Mr Nieberding, for all his faults, was always passionate about success – not just for himself, but also for his students. He always exhorted his students to be ‘tough’, to persevere and to always aim for success. We were always encouraged to study further for our MBA at the University of Dallas. It wasn’t always just about money. What a pity that a great idea with enormous potential was destroyed by greed, discredited individuals and jealousy from competing state institutions. Thank you John and the other professors who taught me for your professionalism and dedication.

  Reply!
• -5

  Michael H.

  15 Feb 2012

  For me the European University Worked well. I was there in the early 1980ies. The classes sometimes were tough and also easy. It depended clearly in your own determination to take the maximum out of the education. Personally I do not regret having studied there. Afterwards I achieved a Magna cum laude at an American MBA Business School and Today I am responsible for more than 1000 People and more than 6 Billion € turnover. The Other side of the European University back then was, that I hardly ever saw someone fail. There were quite some lousy studends and they got carried along!

  Reply!
• +4

  Googler

  19 Apr 2012

  My curiosity about the European University now duly aroused,  
  I continued to google and google...    And what do I find...?
  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  
  Degree Mills: non-accredited and irregular higher education institutions
  by Luca Lantero
  CIMEA – Italian Enic/Naric centre
  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  http://www.cimea.it/files/fileusers/Diploma_mills_Luca_Lantero_EN.pdf
  
  Here is a brief excerpt obtained from the bottom of page 3 and the top of page 4:
  
  1.3 The World Higher Education Database (WHED) of the International Association of
  Universities (IAU) and Unesco's recommendations
  [...]
  On Unesco's website a warning has also been published regarding all institutions that claim to be
  recognized by them, but which are actually not. As Unesco make clear in their communiqué, they
  do not have the power to accredit any higher education institutions or agencies; as a consequence,
  institutions or agencies claiming to be recognized by Unesco has to be looked upon with suspicion.
  The website reports nine modes of operations adopted by institutions or agencies that claim to be
  accredited by Unesco, for each one an example is shown:
  [...]
  f) reference is made to a fake Unesco chair that has awarded the institution with accreditation. - for
  instance European University;
  -----
  
  Very helpful is also what it says on page 8 and page 9:
  ---
  
  3. How to spot 'Bogus Institutions'
  The easiest way to obtain reliable information about the status of a higher education institution is to
  directly ask the Naric or Enic centre of the country of interest.31
  Another method could be to look out for the typical characteristics that mark out an institution that
  could be a borderline case. For instance, in the Unites States, the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA)32, has published a checklist of risk indicators. For the purposes of the present study, that list has been expanded and integrated in order to include all exhaustive criteria to spot 'non-recognized' institutions. In the table below, there is a list of 20 questions which are aimed at understanding the actual accreditation or recognition status of an institution. If the answer to one or more of the questions below is 'yes', there is a strong possibility that the institution is irregular. Nonetheless, it is necessary to bear in mind, that not all 'non-recognized' institutions pursue unlawful goals and not all of them can be defined 'diploma mills'.
  
  20 questions to spot diploma mills:
  
  1 Can degrees be purchased or ordered?
  2 Is there a claim of accreditation when there is no evidence of this status?
  3 Is there a claim of accreditation from a questionable accrediting organization?
  4 Is little if any attendance required? Are exams not encompassed in the academic
  curriculum?
  5 Do the academic titles granted by the institution refer to more than one national higher
  education system at a time?
  6 Are only few assignments required for students to earn credits?
  7 Is a very short period of time required to earn a degree? Or, in any case, a much
  shorter period than the usual duration of academic curricula?
  8 Does the institution claim to be recognized worldwide?
  9 Does the institution claim to be global, worldwide known and international?
  10 Are degrees available based solely on experience or resume review?
  11 Does the institution award honoris causa degrees or other kinds of honorary degrees?
  12 Are the requirements to obtain a degree too simple?
  13 Do fees seem too low or too high in comparison to current standards?
  14 Are the headquarters of the institutions identified only though a telephone number, an
  e-mail or a mail box address?
  15 Does the institution fail to provide a list of its faculty members, of its professors and
  their qualifications?
  16 Does the institution have a name similar to other well-known colleges and
  universities?
  17 Does the institution uses label in its name which recall those of another country,
  despite the fact it does not belong to that country?
  18 Does the institution claim to grant degrees that come from foreign recognized
  universities?
  19 Is the Apostille mentioned as a proof of accreditation or recognition of the granted
  degree?
  20 Does the institution highlight that the accreditation is not needed?
  (source: CHEA)  http://www.enic-naric.net  &  http://www.chea.org
  
  Further alarm bells that could signal the presence of an irregular institution are:
  • accreditation agencies mentioned do not have accreditation themselves;
  • the main requirement to obtain an academic degree seems to be a valid credit card;
  • the institution does not require any previous qualification nor minimum marks for admission;
  • the institution only requires a CV or asks the candidate to fill in a questionnaire with
  information that is not going to be checked;
  • the degree is issued in very short time;
  • all administrative operations are carried out online.
  
  It is in the interest of the irregular institution to keep its client satisfied and to 'issue' a degree in the
  shortest possible time, with no need to check the client's data. Such institutions also claim to grant
  degrees, if there is evidence of a longstanding professional experience: as a matter of fact,
  professional experience does not count in any country as the sole requirement to award a diploma or
  a degree. Furthermore, another clear alarm signal that institutions could not be recognized or accredited is dealing with all administrative duties online, including the delivery of degrees.
  Finally, institutions claiming to be recognized or accredited by international institutions must surely
  be looked upon with suspicion. Nonetheless, the recognition of the degree must not be confused with the problem of fake institutions. In other words, in some cases, it is not enough to assess if the institutions is recognized or not in order to understand if the awarded degree is genuine and can be recognized. As a matter of fact, it is necessary to check if a specific course, the type it belongs to and the degree it grants are recognized within the higher education system they belong to.
  A very good example of this dynamic is France: here many écoles supérieures award both
  nationally recognized degrees (diplôme visé) and qualifications that are recognized by the
  institution only. This does not mean that they are fake or irregular, it only means that they are not
  considered official within the French higher education system.
  In addition to che checklist to spot 'diploma mills', the US Council for Higher Education
  Accreditation (CHEA) has also published 10 questions to spot 'non-recognized' accrediting
  agencies, the so-called 'accreditation mills':
  
  10 questions to spot accreditation mills:
  
  1 Does the agency allow accredited status to be purchased?
  2 Does the operation publish lists of accredited institutions without specifying the
  courses they offer?
  3 Are the fees required different from the current ones?
  4 Does the operation claim that it is recognized (by, e.g., USDE33 or CHEA) when it is
  not?
  5 Are the requirements for accreditation very few or non-existent?
  6 Is a very short period of time required to achieve accredited status?
  7 Are accreditation reviews routinely confined to submitting documents and do not
  include site visits or interviews of key personnel by the accrediting organization?
  8 Is ‘permanent’ accreditation granted without any requirement for subsequent periodic
  review?
  9 Does the agency use organizational names similar to recognized accrediting
  organizations?
  10 Are 'special offers' and 'sales' advertised to receive accreditation at lower prices?
  
  (source: CHEA, US Department of Education) http://www.ed.gov
  ---------------------------------------------------
  The above excerpts were obtained from:
  http://www.cimea.it/files/fileusers/Diploma_mills_Luca_Lantero_EN.pdf
  --------
  
  Not all of it applies to the European University. But a lot of it does.
  And that all adds up to way too much smoke for there not to be a fire somewhere...

  Reply!
• +4

  Googler

  20 Apr 2012 | 6 replies

  Now that I got into the swing of it, I continued my Internet searches to find out just what I could about anything to do with Xavier Nieberding and Dirk Craen's European University.
  First, I took another look at  page 3 and page 4 of Luca Lantero's article, titled:
  -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Degree Mills: non-accredited and irregular higher education institutions
  by Luca Lantero
  CIMEA – Italian Enic/Naric centre
  and located at:
  
  http://www.cimea.it/files/fileusers/Diploma_mills_Luca_Lantero_EN.pdf
  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  
  The relevant section says:
  
  1.3 The World Higher Education Database (WHED) of the International Association of
  Universities (IAU) and Unesco's recommendations
  
  The World Higher Education Database is a very useful tool for checking if an institution is
  accredited within a certain higher education system. It is a database compiled by the International
  Association of Universities (IAU), an institutions created on the initiative of Unesco and closely
  related to it, with the aim of dealing with issues regarding higher education. The IAU database
  consists of descriptive profiles of higher education systems in about 180 countries worldwide, all
  drafted by the national official authorities of each country.
  
  There is also the possibility to access another online database, a sort of appendix of the first one,
  which deals exclusively with university institutions, divided by countries7: it contains about 9.760
  of them. All this information is available online or on a cd-rom which is updated every year and
  published by IAU. It is necessary to bear in mind that if an institution is not mentioned in the
  database, it does not imply that it is not recognized.
  
  On Unesco's website a warning has also been published regarding all institutions that claim to be
  recognized by them, but which are actually not. As Unesco make clear in their communiqué, they
  do not have the power to accredit any higher education institutions or agencies; as a consequence,
  4 Ministero dell’Università e della Ricerca Scientifica e Tecnologica - Dipartimento Istruzione Universitaria, Studenti stranieri; Circolare Ministeriale Prot. n. 2796 del 27 ottobre 1994. - Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research –Department for University Education and Foreign Students, Ministerial Circular n. 2796 of 27th October 1994.
  
  Institutions or agencies claiming to be recognized by Unesco has to be looked upon with suspicion.
  The website reports nine modes of operations adopted by institutions or agencies that claim to be
  accredited by Unesco, for each one an example is shown:
  
  a) the degree is being sold with Unesco's logo – for instance at World Technological University;
  
  b) the name of Unesco is quoted within documents that deal with accreditation – for instance, Al
  Qasim University;
  
  c) the institution claims to be listed in the Unesco Higher Education Institutions Registry, a register
  that does not exist - es. Kings University;
  
  d) the institution refers to the real Unesco listing, presenting it as a proof of its recognition when it
  is not the case;
  
  e) in the web address of the institution appears the word 'Unesco', in order to make the link look
  more official – for instance es. http://www.uu-edu.com/unesco.htm;
  
  f) reference is made to a fake Unesco chair that has awarded the institution with accreditation. - for
  instance European University;
  
  g) the institution declares to be pursuing the same goals and ideals of Unesco - for instance quoting
  'The Educational Creed of Unesco';
  
  h) dubious professors with dubious titles that somehow connect them to Unesco are mentioned – for
  instance, Intercultural Open University;
  
  i) the institutions make deliberate and inaccurate claims, emphasising their status of 'paying
  members' of institutions closely related to Unesco, as a proof of their recognition which is once
  again not the case – for instance, West Coast Institute, Golden State University e Clayton
  University.
  
  Unesco has also published a bulletin called 'Bogus Institutions' , with the aim of supporting
  students which are about to choose a course of studies or a higher education institution. The
  document encourages them to refer to institutions and programmes recognized by the national
  authorities: it is made reference to the IAU database, to the United States Council of Higher
  Education to the list of accredited institutions of United Kingdom published by the British
  Government and finally to the list of recognized Australian universities.
  
  The article cites the links below for reference:
  
  5 http://www.enic-naric.net
  6 http://www.Unesco.org/iau/on-linedatabases/index.html
  7 http://www.Unesco.org/iau/on-linedatabases/list.html
  8 http://www.education.nairobi-Unesco.org/index ... =762&Itemid=132
  9 http://www.education.nairobi-Unesco.org/index ... =1347&Itemid=56
  10 http://www.chea.org/search
  11 http://www.dfes.gov.uk/recognisedukdegrees
  12 http://www.aqf.edu.au/register.htm
  -------------------------------------------------
  
  now lets take another look at point f) and point h):
  
  f) reference is made to a fake Unesco chair that has awarded the institution with accreditation. - for
  instance European University;
  
  h) dubious professors with dubious titles that somehow connect them to Unesco are mentioned – for
  instance, Intercultural Open University;
  
  
  Subsequently, we visit the Wikipedia site and look up the current president of the European University,
  Dirk Craen.  On Wikipedia's website dedicated to the European University, it says about Dirk Craen:
  
  "The current president of the school  is Dirk Craen, who is also UNESCO Chair in International Relations, Business Administration and Entrepreneurship."
  
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_University
  
  Can we draw our OWN conclusions here or does this actually have to be spelled out?
  
  
  Finally, we visit the website of CHEA, the Council for Higher Education Accreditation,
  at: http://www.chea.org/
  
  From there, we click on "Degree Mills and Accreditation Mills"
  Right at the top, we are invited to watch a 1:38 minute long video
  on YouTube at:
   
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1voHNMQDrk
  
  The video explains that:
  "Degree mills sometime set up fake accreditation mills to claim they are accredited"
  
  Then it quotes Judith Eaton, the President of  (CHEA), who says the following:  
  "When considering a school or program, ask about its accreditation.
  Then go to the CHEA website to make sure that the information is accurate."
  
  So now we return to CHEA's website and on the right,
  click on "International Directory".  We click "I Agree"
  to the User's Agreement and finally click on:
  "Click Here to Access Other Organisations
  that Address Quality Assurance Issues"
  
  A list of several institutions comes up.
  And low and behold, one of them, listed in the left column,
  is indeed called: "European University Association",
  with an address listed in Brussels.
  
  So now we want to find out more and we  google
  to discover just what we can about the "European
  University Association" (EUA) from Brussels.
  Finally, we discover...:
   
  "EUA is the result of a merger between the Association of European Universities (CRE) and the Confederation of European Union Rectors' Conferences. The merger took place in Salamanca on 31 March 2001."
  
  In other words, a name-game! None of this has ANYTHING to do with Xavier Nieberding's "European University" that we are doing our research about.
  
  To be sure, we visit EUA's website and check  the EUA's membership directory:
  
  http://www.eua.be/eua-membership-and-services/Home/members-directory.aspx
  
  Xavier Nieberding's European University is not on the list!
  
  So back we go to square one on  CHEA's website for additional information.
  http://www.chea.org/
  
  Now we click on:  
  "Databases and Directories"
  Several links open up. We click on the first one.
  with the sentence in red:
  
  "Database of Institutions and Programs Accredited
  By Recognized U.S. Accrediting Organizations
  Find accredited institutions and programs"
  
  We scroll to the bottom and click "I Agree" on the User's
  Agreement. And finally we are where we want to be.
  
  Where it says "Institution/Name, we type in "European University"
  and press the button "Search For Institution": And sure enough,
  the "Central European University (Budapest)"  comes up.
  
  A very quick check reveals that the Central European University
  has NOTHING to do with Xavier Nieberding's European University
  that Dirk Craen is currently the president of.
  
  In fact, the European University that Dirk Craen is the head of simply canNOT
  be found on CHEA's website.
  
  So now we google around some more and, sure enough,
  we find a website that proclaims the following:
  
  http://edmundo.ecis.org/new/search/SearchSupplier4.asp?School_ID=EURUNI
  
  European University     
  Member     
  Quai de Seujet 18, Geneva 1201, Switzerland     
  Tel: (+41) 22 779 2671 ; Fax:(+41) 22 779 2673     
  Email: d.craen@euruni.edu ; Web site: www.euruni.edu     
  ADMINISTRATION
  
  President - Dirk Craen
  General Manager - Carl Craen
  
  European University (EU) is one of the world´s top business schools recognized for the excellence of its students and faculty. EU is accredited by ACBSP (Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs), a CHEA recognized accrediting body.
  
  http://edmundo.ecis.org/new/search/SearchSupplier4.asp?School_ID=EURUNI
  ------------------------------
  
   Naturally, we go back to CHEA's website and do a check on ACBSP.
  
  And up comes:
  "Search Results"  0 institutions found for ASBSP"
  
  So we check for the full name and up comes:
  Search Results: 0 institutions found for Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs
  
  We remember CHEA's video that cautions::
  "Degree mills sometime set up fake accreditation mills to claim they are accredited"
  
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1voHNMQDrk
  
  =>
  Inevitably, we reach our FINAL CONCLUSION:
  
  Dirk Craen, you are a liar and a cheat and a conman!
  Stop victimizing students from Third World countries
  who seek legitimate accreditation and education!
  
  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  "Even Madoff was thought to be a true professional, until he fell from grace."
  ("M. Pace")

  Reply!
  • -3

    iman1973 replies to Googler

    2 Nov 2012 | 5 replies

    If you are going to spend so much time doing research do it correctly. After visiting CHEA's website and do a check on 2012-2013 Recognized Organizations, I have found the following link on their website and it is confirmed that ACBSP is a Recognized Accrediting Organization by CHEA for the period that runs from 2012 and 2013. It therefore renews its Recognition awarded in 2011.
    
    http://www.chea.org/pdf/2012_2013_Directory_o ... ganizations.pdf
    
    Now that we know that ACBSP is fully recognized as an Accrediting Organization, I have gone to their website and checked if the European Uniiversity's BBA Programs in the Barcelona, Swwiss and Munich campuses were accredited and have verified and confirmed that THERY ARE ACCREDITED. See link below:
    
    http://www.acbsp.org/p/cm/ld/fid=14
    
    CONCLUSION: EUROPEAN UNIVERSITY'S BARCELONA, MUNICH, GENEVA AND MONTREUX CAMOUESES ARE INTERNATIONALLY ACCREDITED BY A CHEA RECOGNIZED ACCREDITING INSTITUTION WHIC IS THE ACBSP.

    Reply!
    • +4

      Observer replies to iman1973

      6 Dec 2012 | 1 reply

      The question is not so much whether they are or are not accredited now.
      
      The real question is whether the European University will still be accredited
      by these institutions five or ten years from now.
      
      The European University has such an appalling history of getting itself kicked out
      of the various accrediting organizations - and the list of who they used to be a member of
      in indeed a long one - that basically, when you decide to enroll there
      you are betting your parents hard-earned-money that they won't get kicked out again.
      
      Why should anyone even take that risk?

      Reply!
      • +4

        EU Business School is a Diploma Mill replies to Observer

        7 Nov 2015

        They are not even allowed to call themselves "university" anymore.
        
        As predicted by Alan Cassidy in his German-language article in the Swiss newspaper
        "Schweiz am Sonntag", the Swiss government created a law specifically designed to force scam schools,
        such as the place formerly known as the "European University" to stop calling itself a "university".
        
        As a result, this scam school currently goes by the name of "E U Business School".
        
        AVOID THIS SCAM PLACE!!!

        Reply!
    • +4

      WARNING from former E.U. Student replies to iman1973

      22 Mar 2013

      http://www.degreeinfo.com/accreditation-discu ... credited-5.html
      
      01-23-2013 11:10 AM #78
      anabele
      Registered User
      
         Hello dear all,
         i studied in European University Barcelona for my bachelor and European university Geneva for my masters... Biggest mistake of my life... I wanted to continue my studies in London, only two universities were ready to enroll me, and ATTENTION they wanted me to study for two years for the same degree i obtained in EU and than continue with other degrees. I've also received a confirmation that European Uni is not recognized in England.
         Furthermore i wanted to try something else and decided to apply to Webster... Guess what, a private American University denied my enrollment. They said i can only start over as freshman, because European University degree is not recognized by American Institutions.
         I addressed this question to administration of European University Geneva, after a while they just started ignoring my letters.
         Plus i don't know if this issue was addressed in this forum (haven't had the chance to read all). European university Barcelona had several law cases and problems... and there used to be a European University Lisbon, which just closed.... (i wonder why)
      
         So, i highly recommend, to check for a different Uni.
      
      http://www.degreeinfo.com/accreditation-discu ... credited-5.html

      Reply!
    • +4

      E U Business School is a Diploma Mill replies to iman1973

      7 Nov 2015 | 1 reply

      You con artists are not even allowed to call yourselves a "university" anymore.
      
      As predicted by Alan Cassidy in his German-language article in the Swiss newspaper
      "Schweiz am Sonntag", the Swiss government created a law specifically designed to force scam schools,
      such as the place formerly known as the "European University" to stop calling itself a "university".
      
      http://www.schweizamsonntag.ch/ressort/wirtschaft/3081/
      
      http://  www.  schweizamsonntag.ch/ressort/wirtschaft/3081/
      
      As a result, your scam school currently goes by the name of "E U Business School".
      
      http://eu-business-school.pissedconsumer.com/?reviewId=673372&session=btle8rjve42q09g8asq1dcg1t7
      
      http://  eu-business-school.pissedconsumer.com/?reviewId=673372&session=btle8rjve42q09g8asq1dcg1t7
      
                                                                                    !!! AVOID  THIS  SCAM  PLACE !!!

      Reply!
      • +4

        E U BUSINESS SCHOOL IS A DIPLOMA MILL replies to E U Business School is a Diploma Mill

        7 Nov 2015

        http://eu-business-school.pissedconsumer.com/?reviewId=673372&session=btle8rjve42q09g8asq1dcg1t7
        
        http://eu-business-school.pissedconsumer.com/highly-respected-dirk-craen-with-several-phony-phd-titles-threatens-ex-student-20151011714453.html

        Reply!
• +3

  Googler

  11 May 2012

  After googling around and goggling around and posting merely some of what I found, it has become
  pathetically  obvious that most  of the comments here defending the European University were written by... SURPRISE, SURPRISE... the European University staff themselves.
  
  What else can you expect from a fake university, such as the European University,  than to fake its own glowing recommendations and comments.
  
  International students watch out and beware!

  Reply!
• +4

  Googler

  15 May 2012

  http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/2009/10/11/evarist.html
  
  EIE – enjoying legal immunity
  
  He [= Antonello Cappitta, who runs the European Institute of Education (EIE)]
  managed to dupe over 40 students by enrolling them in diploma, first and second degree courses run by the Malta Centre of the European University (EU) based in Switzerland – a bogus institution which serious educational authorities abroad (but not in Malta) list in their websites to warn their citizens of fake universities before registering for their expensive courses.
  
  
  http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/2009/10/11/evarist.html

  Reply!
• +3

  parentOf

  20 May 2012

  Good job, Googler.
  Students needs to be made aware that this type of academic fraud goes on.
  I have taken the liberty and re-posted some of your comments elsewhere.
  I only wish I had read them all before I enrolled my son in that stupid
  money-making scheme.

  Reply!
• -2

  Mike Sloan

  27 May 2012

  All these posts  above and links in relation to the Institution in question appears to be in 2009. Since that period of time, it seems there has been attempts made to seek proper accreditation. They now possess accreditation from the US through the ACBSP - Accreditation Council for Business School and Programs. Although having had a troubled past, EU is striving to move ahead. If they maintain proper management and continue to seek recognition via mainstream accreditation of business schools, it will be a good thing for their students and graduates.

  Reply!
• +4

  TheMoreYouGoogleTheWorseItGets...

  12 Jun 2012

  http://uniabroad.blogspot.de/2005/09/lawsuit-from-european-university.html
  
  Tuesday, September 27, 2005
  Lawsuit from European University
  
  Finally a place where I can tell what I want without getting sued.
  
  Earlier I published the following statement in my pages about the school I studied at.
  
  “European University
  We have cancelled all of our connections with this ‘educational institution’ for a number of reasons. Mostly because we have learned that the focus of the school is earning money for the president, instead of educating the students. Paying €15,000 for this school is a waste of money.
  
  So those of you who wish to study in a more serious school can have a look at our other partners.
  
  Sorry for any inconvenience.”
  
  This of course lead to a number of threats from the school...
  
  First the (*) of an owner called me pretending to be a student looking for studying in Spain. I easily heard that it was Mr. Dirk Crane and asked what he wanted... I don't remember exactly but he was going to sue me for €50 000... Everything in BOLD of course...
  
  Got this from a "lawyer"
  In view of this situation, we demand that you remove the information posted within 24 hours. Lastly, we demand an initial compensation for damages of 30,000 euros for the cancelled registration. In addition, the company and its President reserve the right to bring all such legal action as may be required to demand compensation for all the damages that may be caused by this information.
  
  - Finaly I got through to some I thought...
  
  So I published this
  “July 7th. Woke up this morning with a threat of a lawsuit from European University. I am terribly sorry that my opinions about how the school is run and my experience from the school have caused inconvenience for those of you that are pursuing higher education. I have removed all comments about European University from our page. "
  
  And got a new email.
  We inform you that Mr Craen has decided to start legal actions concerning the information appeared about himself and he demands a compensation for damages of 100.000 euros immediately.
  
  - Of course he probably needed a new car...
  
  So we sent back
  "Reference is made to your e-mail of 7 July 2005.
  
  Without prejudice, we have now removed the statement from our webside. We are sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused. However, as our main purpose is to guide students to higher education, we believe that experience from former students is one of the best sources of getting information about the the institutions. With respect to the alleged claim for damages, our lawyer has advised that the statement is considered to be an opinion that is within the freedom of speach, cf article 10 of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. Hence, we cannot see that there is any legal basis for the alleged compensation claim."
  
  Meanwhile the Norwegian government has stopped all funding to this school. Although the school is activly recruiting in Norway I hope that the won't trick anyone to start there.
  
  "European University is one of the world's op business schools recognized for the excellence of its students and its faculty. EU offers tommorrow's leaders effective solutions in a professional environment".
  - The professors quite becuase they didn't get paid.
  - The school accepts anyone which are willing to pay.
  - It has no recognition what so ever... I Norway it has the worst reputation.
  
  EU is the main reason why I started uniabroad, to help people avoid the same experience that I had.
  
  And watch out- there are more schools like this out there...
  
  posted by Ez at 4:54 AM
  4 Comments:
  
  Blogger Avenger said...
  
     The European University in Barcelona no longer has a licence to teach higher education courses:
  
     The following is a link to the Official Bulletin of the Autonomous Government of Catalunya in which reference is made to the fact that the European University has had its licence to teach BBA and MBA courses revoked:
  
     http://www.gencat.net/diari/4872/07080020.htm
  
     Here is a translation of what it says:
  
     ORDER
     IUE/105/2007, dated 30 March, in which the authorisation granted to the European University to conduct various study courses is revoked.
     The Resolution dated 5 April 1993 (DOGC no. 1797, dated 26.4.1993) stated that the European University was authorised to conduct various study courses, amongst which were the titles of Bachelor of Business Administration and Master of Business Administration, in accordance with that contained within Article 19 of the Royal decree 557/1991, dated 12 April, regarding the creation and recognition of Universities and Institutions of Higher Education.
     This authorisation allowed the European University to conduct courses leading up to the acquisition of university degree titles which were not recognised as equivalent to official university degree titles issued by institutions of the educational system of the State of Spain, in accordance with an agreement made with the Swiss university institution the European University de Montreux.
     Given the fact that it has been noted that the aforementioned studies do not enjoy official recognition within the Confédération Helvétique and, accordingly, do not fulfil the requirements of the Royal decree 557/1991, dated 12 April, regarding the creation and recognition of Universities and foreign institutions, with prior notice and in accordance with Article 113.1 of the Law 1/2003, dated 19 February, of the Universities of Catalunya and as proposed by the General Director of Universities,
     I hereby order:
     Article 1
     that the authorisation given to the European University to conduct study courses leading up to the acquisition of the titles of Bachelor of Business Administration and Master of Business Administration be revoked.
     Article 2
     that the Centre has the obligation to store all academic reports of those students who may have finished their studies at the premises of the subject of this Order for a period of 5 (five) years, after which they are to be returned to those interested parties.
     Article 3
     this Order will become legally valid and binding the day after its publication in the Diari Oficial de la Generalitat de Catalunya (Official Bulletin of the Catalan region autonomous Government)
     Barcelona, 30 March 2007
     Josep Huguet i Biosca
     Minister of Innovation, Universities and Business (of the Autonomous Government of Catalunya)
     (07.080.020)
  
     7:47 AM
  Blogger Chris said...
  
     Great stuff! Thank you very much for this information, I was just about to collect some information about this school, but I think, this might not be necessary anymore.
  
     Thanks for helping me avoiding a big mistake! :)
  
     Cheers, Chris from Germany
  
     6:05 AM
  Blogger Chris said...
  
     But one question: Do you have any recommendations to some universities which are doing better? Preferably in Spain?
  
     Thanks for that!
  
     6:06 AM
  Blogger Next Big Thing said...
  
     Hi!
  
     I just got accepted into european uni of barcelona, and also into University of Cantebury in nz. Is it really so bad in barcelona? Tuition fees in nz are way higher what comes to barcelona, but do you recommend to spend a couple of extra dollars to get a better education? all in all what is your take on this?
  
  http://uniabroad.blogspot.de/2005/09/lawsuit-from-european-university.html

  Reply!
• +4

  TheMoreYouGoogleTheWorseItGets

  12 Jun 2012

  Dirk Craen threatens to sue ex-student
  
  
  
  
  http://www.uniabroad.com/default.asp?l=0&i=19
  
  School threatens to sue ex-student.
  
  The owner of European University threatens to sue ex-student for saying to the public that he was dissatisfied of what he was given after paying a high tuition fee.
  
  - We were given no service what so ever, the teacher didn't show up because they didn't get paid, we practically had to fight for the rights you normally are given as students.
  
  In July this year Espen Solhaug woke up from a phone call from the president and owner of the chain of schools, European University. The owner passed himself off as a student seeking education in Spain. Solhaug recognized his voice and asked if he could help him, the president started to yell and threatened with a lawsuit of €30.000.
  Solhaug who started up www.uniabroad.com to help other people avoid these kind of schools, had written his personal statements on his side where he said that the school only focuses on earning money and not thinking about their students. The owner said that he had lost 2 student because of these comments.
  
  Solhaug says that he is glad that he has helped 2 students and that there are many other schools in Barcelona which acctually cares about their students.
  
  Don't you think that these statements were to hard?  
  
  - Not really. I wrote that we have learned that the school focuses on earning money for themselves. One of the teachers told us that he hadn't been paid salary from the school in the long time and therefor would not show up for class. I've met students who attended the school before me and after me, and they have reported the same, that professors have left in them middel of the semester due to no salaries.
  
  - Although the school require their applicants to write essays and do the GMAT test, most of the people could just show up and be enrolled. For an MBA you are required to have at least 2 years of working experience, but it seemed as long as they paid the tuition no test, no work experience and not even filling out an application form were required.
  
  You also mention the the school is driven badly.
  
  - Yes, the seem to have no control of what they are doing. One of my friends wanted to do an exchange with one of European University's partners, when he showed up at the remote school they hadn't even heard of the school.
  
  Some of my fellow students have not even received their transcript yet, 2 years since graduation. I have also heard that one guy just called them because he was missing a grade. The staff told it had been a misunderstanding and finally gave him the 'A'- he hadn't even participated in the class.
  
  Solhaug started to received emails from a Spanish lawyer who claimed to represent European University. And the lawsuit kept rising when Solhaug wrote about it in his web page. At last the lawsuit had increased to €100 000.
  
  - I had my lawyer write back to them. This is clearly a act which will go under freedom of speech.  
  
  What would you say to students who are not satisfied about their places?
  
  - go public. You might not get your money back, but at least you help other people avoid the same as you have experienced. I find it absolutely horrible that they charge €15 000 for the MBA program now.
  
  After the lawyer wrote the respons to European University there has been no other accusations from European Unievrsity. Since 2003 European University is no longer approved by the Norwegian State Educational Loan Fund so there the school will no longer receive Norwegian students.
  
  Bjørnar B. Jentoft - Independent Journalism
  
  ---
  
  
  http://www.uniabroad.com/default.asp?l=0&i=19

  Reply!
• +4

  TheMoreYouGoogleTheWorseItGets

  12 Jun 2012

  Has anyone else got a similar story to tell?
  
  Did Dirk Craen or Francois Xavier Nieberding
  or any of their henchmen or representatives  call you up
  and tried to intimidate you into silence or threaten you with a lawsuit
  or some other undue consequence for daring to speak up and warn others
  about the European University?
  
  Such highly unethical behavior shall not stand!
  
  P-L-E-A-S-E   speak up and post your story here   ...and elsewhere.
  
  You can do a lot of good by coming forward, anonymous if you like,  
  to warn others about this place.
  
  International students watch out and beware!
  
  All over the Internet, students who've had enough are making their voices heard
  and are speaking up.
  
  And   always  remember:
  Before you pay the European University a dime or a cent....
  JUST   GOOGLE:
  
  
  Suggested  google  terms:
  
  
  "European University"  "fraud"
  
  "European University" "complaint"
  
  "European University" "lawsuit"
  
  "Dirk Craen"  "fraud"
  
  "Dirk Craen" "complaint"
  
  "Dirk Craen"  "lawsuit"
  
  "Xavier  Nieberding"

  Reply!
• +4

  The Downfall of the Diploma Factory

  26 Apr 2013

  Dutch book about the Downfall of the European University
  
  European University: De ondergang van een diplomafabriek (Dutch Edition) [Unknown Binding]
  
  European University:
  "De Ondergang Van Een Diplomafabriek"
  
  (rough, approximate translation:
  "The Downfall of the Diploma Factory")
  
  by Serge Lenglez
  
  ISBN 9052404577 / 9789052404578 / 90-5240-457-7
  Publisher Hadewijch
  Language Dutch
  Edition Hardcover
  
  http://books.google.de/books/about/European_U ... AAJ&redir_esc=y
  
  http://www.amazon.com/European-University-ondergang-diplomafabriek-Edition/dp/9052404577
  
  http://www.bookfinder.com/dir/i/European_Univ ... iek/9052404577/
  
  
  European University Smear Campaign against the author alleged here:
  
  http://archives.lesoir.be/anvers-un-homme-pil ... 108-Z0G7JC.html
  
  Google Translation Engine - Copy & Paste:
  http://translate.google.de/

  Reply!
• +4

  European University degrees 'worthless'

  18 May 2013

  http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/200 ... ts-claim.278177
  
  School's MBA degrees 'worthless', students claim
  
  Tuesday, October 20, 2009
  
  Students of the European Institute of Education have claimed that their degrees are worth nothing and are holding the company responsible for damages.
  
  Six students yesterday filed a judicial protest against EIE claiming their MBA degrees (Masters of Business Administration), given under the auspices of the European University, are not recognised in Malta.
  
  The students said they were led to believe from adverts that the literature and course packs were legitimate.
  
  They also got that impression from the pomp of the inauguration of the centre in Ta' Xbiex in 2006, attended by former Minister of Education Louis Galea and the President of the European University Dirk Craen.
  
  The fact that their degree was not recognised was leading to enormous difficulties because the possibility of being promoted at their places of work, which they had planned before starting the course, had now disappeared. The students are holding Antonello Cappitta as representative of EIE, personally responsible for any damages.
  
  Lawyer Bernard Grech signed the protest.
  
  The validity of EIE's degree has been the centre of a war of words and libel suits between the institute and Labour education spokesman Evarist Bartolo, who has been accusing the school of deception - a claim it vehemently denies.
  
  http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/200 ... ts-claim.278177

  Reply!
• +4

  Shame on European University!!

  18 May 2013

  http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/200 ... ts-claim.278177
  
  
  G.PACE BONELLO
  
  Oct 20th 2009, 10:29
  
  We parents go through tremendous lengths to give our children a good education. These persons organizing such un-recognized courses should be eliminated from the the education sector immediately and not be authorized to work in this same sector ever again. No one likes to be cheated and I am sure they would not either... Shame on them!!
  
  http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/200 ... ts-claim.278177

  Reply!