Weston Reserve University

::"Not to be confused with Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio."

Weston Reserve University is an unaccredited distance education institution of higher learning with an ambiguous geographic location. Its website says on one page [http://www.westonreserve.org/authority.htm "Operating Authority and Recognition" on Weston Reserve University website] (accessed July 21, 2007)] that it is a unit of University Consortium International, Ltd., registered in the Seychelles, and on another page that its "parent company" is Westonia Advisors, Ltd., which has an office in British Columbia. It claims accreditation by the Royal Family of Kuwait to award degrees for "vocational experience" and distance education course work, although it appears to operate mainly in the United States and Canada. The Confederation of University Faculty Associations of British Columbia states that it is not clear if Weston Reserve has offered degree programs in British Columbia, but Oregon officials believe it is operating from the province. [Confederation of University Faculty Associations of British Columbia, [http://www.bcdegrees.ca/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=13&Itemid=25 Who is operating illegally in BC?] , updated 28 March 2007, accessed July 15, 2007.]

The Oregon Office of Degree Authorization identifies Weston Reserve as an unaccredited college whose degrees are not approved for use in Oregon.Oregon Office of Degree Authorization, [http://www.osac.state.or.us/oda/unaccredited.aspx Unaccredited Colleges] ] It does not appear on UNESCO's list of accredited universities in Kuwait or on the databases of accredited institutions in the USA or elsewhere. The website also claims accreditation by International Association of Educators for World Peace, but this is not a recognized accreditation association of higher learning [ [http://www.chea.org CHEA website] ] . Without recognition of the "accreditation agency" by USDE and CHEA or an entity in the country where the accreditor is located, such accreditations are "bogus" to the academic community. [ [http://www.chea.org/pdf/fact_sheet_6_diploma_mills.pdf CHEA fact sheet] ]

Although Weston's name sounds similar to that of Case Western Reserve University, a highly regarded, fully accredited institution in Cleveland, Ohio, the two should not be confused. Obfuscation over accreditation and a name which appears deliberately similar to a legitimate institution in the USA have led to speculation that Weston Reserve might be a degree mill.Fact|date=July 2007

Degrees

The institution allows people to purchase degrees in lump sum payments that range from a Bachelor's degree for $3,600 to a PhD for $7,600 [ [http://www.westonreserve.org/tuition.htm "Tuition Information" on Weston Reserve University website] (accessed July 21, 2007)] . Prices for degrees are given only in US dollars.

Furthermore, according to the school "although the parent company, Westonia Advisors, Ltd., has an office in British Columbia, WRU programs are not available in British Columbia nor offered to residents of British Columbia." [http://www.westonreserve.org/admission.htm on "Admission and Application" on Weston Reserve University website] (accessed July 21, 2007)]

Location

Published details on the structure of oversight are minimal, but according to the webpage it has headquarters in Victoria, Mahe in the Republic of the Seychelles (a Commonwealth of Nations state). [http://www.westonreserve.org/contact.htm] It has no accreditation there. [http://www.unesco.org/iau/onlinedatabases/list_data/u-nw.html#United_Kingdom] Also it has a PO Box in Miami, Florida and a PO Box in Wan Chai, Hong Kong. It has no accreditation in North America [http://www.chea.org] or China. [http://www.unesco.org/iau/onlinedatabases/list_data/u-nw.html#China] No Kuwaiti address is listed [http://www.westonreserve.org/contact.htm] .

Connected institutions

*Alternative Medicines Research Institute and Alternative Medicines Research Organisation [http://www.universityconsortium.org/links.htm]
*Armstrong-Clark University [http://www.universityconsortium.org/links.htm]
*Canadian Institute of English [http://www.cie.ca/bachelor/degree-requirements.html]
*Health Pro University of Natural Medicine [http://www.healthprouniversity.com/]
*McQueen’s University of Technology [http://www.universityconsortium.org/links.htm]
*University Consortium International [http://www.universityconsortium.org/]

See also

* List of unaccredited institutions of higher learning
* List of unrecognized accreditation associations of higher learning
* Saint Regis University

References

External links

* [http://www.westonreserve.org/ Weston Reserve University] Official
* [http://www.unesco.org/iau/onlinedatabases/list_data/kl-nw.html#Kuwait UNESCO's Kuwait listings]