Tag Archives: China

November 15, 2019 · 7:00 am

5 Facts on Hong Kong Protests and their Impact on its Education System

November 15th, 2019

20191115
Photo credit: Nora Tam

The anti-government protests continue for the 24th week in Hong Kong. The protesters–many young high school and university students–have dug in at several university campuses across Hong Kong. The latest epicenter of the protests was the Chinese University of Hong Kong which this past Tuesday evening became the site of violent clashes between police and the protesters. Tensions continue to run high and the confrontations between protesters and police have turned violent.

The unrest in Hong Kong was triggered by a now-withdrawn extradition bill which would have enabled the transfer of fugitives to mainland China. The movement, as reported by Hong Kong Free Press, “has evolved into wider calls for democratic reform and accountability for the police handling of the crisis.”

Here are a few facts on the impact the protests are having on the schools and universities in Hong Kong:

  1. Hong Kong’s Education Bureau announced that all schools would shut on Thursday, November 14th. This means the suspension of kindergarten, primary and secondary school classes citing safety concerns arising from the city’s three consecutive days of unrest. Source
  2.  Most of the city’s universities and other higher educational institutions also announced there would be no classes on Thursday, November 14th. At least 10 have suspended classes the rest of the week. Source
  3.  The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) and Baptist University (BU) had cancelled all on-campus lessons. Several universities had announced they would be introducing online learning and other assessment methods for the remaining weeks of the term. Source
  4. Some exchange students are being advised to leave Hong Kong as the protests continue. Norway and Denmark, for example, have advised their students to return home. Source
  5. A group of students from Mainland China were helped by Hong Kong police to leave their campus after it was barricaded by demonstrators. Many are taking advantage of a program that offers them a week of free accommodation in hotels and hostels in the neighboring city of Shenzhen. Source

This is an on-going crisis in Hong Kong and ACEI-Global will include updates as they become available. Please follow us on Facebook for continued updates on Hong Kong and education news from around the world.

Sources:
https://in.reuters.com/article/hongkong-protests/protesters-block-central-hong-kong-streets-as-chaos-grips-city-idINKBN1XN04O?il=0
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2019/11/13/hong-kong-govt-condemns-violence-cancels-school-classes-u-turn/
https://www.chron.com/news/education/article/The-Latest-Classes-suspended-at-Hong-Kong-schools-14830782.php
https://www.chron.com/news/education/article/The-Latest-Classes-suspended-at-Hong-Kong-schools-14830782.php

ACEI Logo with Slogan - FINAL

The Academic Credentials Evaluation Institute, Inc. (ACEI), was founded in 1994 and is based in Los Angeles, CA, USA. ACEI provides a number of services that include evaluations of international academic credentials for U.S. educational equivalence, translation, verification, and professional training programs. ACEI is a Charter and Endorsed Member of the Association of International Credential Evaluators. For more information, visit www.acei-global.org.

Leave a comment

Filed under Education, Politics

Tagged as , ,

October 25, 2019 · 8:09 am

U.S.A. – China: Sharing Expertise on International Credential Evaluations

October 25th, 2019

On October 18, 2019, the Academic Credentials Evaluation Institute (ACEI) had the pleasure of hosting representatives from the Chinese Service Center for Scholarly Exchange (CSCSE) and China Higher Education Student Information and Career Center (CHESICC) and colleagues from the American Education Research Corporation (AERC).

The purpose of the meeting was to learn more about our respective organizations and discuss the role of the US Department of Education and the Association of International Credential Evaluators (AICE).

usachina_20191025
From L-R – Mr. Wenjun (Edward) Chen (CHESICC), Mr. Alan Saidi (ACEI), Ms. Martha Alvarez (AERC), Ms. Weiping (Heather) Yuan (CHESICC), Ms. Xiaoshu (Susan) Li (CHESICC), Ms. Jasmin Saidi-Kuehnert (ACEI), Mr. Weixing Cheng (CHESICC), Mr. Bo (Simon) Zhou (CSCSE), Ms. Lei Zhu (CSCSE), Ms. Xiao Huo (CSCSE)

Association of International Credential Evaluators

Founded in 1998, AICE is a professional membership association recognized by the U.S. Department of Education for those involved in international credential evaluation and comparative education research. The mission of AICE is to provide guidelines and standards to be used by Endorsed Member credential evaluation services regarding the best practices in international credential evaluation. It also provides a forum regarding the development of standards for its member organizations. These member organizations are endorsed by AICE for having demonstrated excellence in credential evaluation and adherence to professional standards through a rigorous membership process. ACEI and AERC are both Endorsed Members of the AICE. For more information on AICE, please click here

Endorsed Members Representatives from AICE:

  • Martha Alvarez, Director, American Education Research Corporation (AERC)
  • May Li, Senior Credential Evaluation, AERC
  • Alan Saidi, Senior Vice-President & COO, Academic Credentials Evaluation Institute (ACEI)
  • Jasmin Saidi-Kuehnert, President & CEO, ACEI and President AICE (Association of International Credential Evaluators)

Chinese Service Center for Scholarly Exchange (CSCSE)

The Chinese Service Center for Scholarly Exchange was founded in 1989. It is a public organization under the Ministry of Education (MOE) of the People’s Republic of China.  CSCSE was initially founded due to the increasing number of Chinese scholars studying abroad and returning to China which necessitated the establishment of a specialized department to provide comprehensive services for this group of people. CSCSE mainly engages in international education services by supporting students who are pursuing international student experience and fostering dialogues between higher education institutions and organizations in international exchange and cooperation. CSCSE specializes in offering professional services for international scholarly exchanges, including Chinese students and scholars studying abroad, returnees from abroad, and international students and scholars coming to study in China. One of the services CSCSE provides its students, whether returnees or international students and scholars intending to study in China, is help with the evaluation of their educational credentials for comparability to the Chinese education system. For more information on CSCSE, please click here

Representatives from CHESICC:

  • Lei Zhu, Head of Evaluation Team (US & Canada), Overseas Academic Credential Evaluation Office
  • Bo (Simon) Zhou, Evaluation office, Overseas Academic Credential Evaluation Service
  • Xiao Huo, Evaluation Officers, Overseas Academic Credential Evaluation Service

China Higher Education Student Information and Career Center (CHESICC)

The China Higher Education Student Information and Career Center was founded in 1991 and is the MOE-authorized qualification verification institution in China. It is also the only MOE-authorized body for the verification of higher education qualification certificates. CHESICC maintains the China Higher Education Student Information (CHSI), an official higher education student data depository entrusted by the MOE, which manages a nationwide database that covers all MOE-recognized academic institutions and all post-secondary level students. CHESICC offers digital administration and services for student enrollment, student record and qualification management, employment information, ad military conscription. CHESICC verification service includes postsecondary student record, qualification certificate, college transcript, high school diploma, and Gaokao (National College Entrance Exam) scores. Student record and qualification verification are provided in different forms, including online verification, online verification report, and verification report. In China, the verification service is widely used for employment, graduate admission, and judicial examinations. For more information on CHESICC, please click here

Representatives from CHESICC:

  • Mr. Weixing Cheng, Director of Information Division
  • Mr. Wnjun (Edward) Chen, Project Manager of International Promotion Department
  • Ms. Lan Gao, Director of Verification Service Division
  • Ms. Xiaoshu Li, Project Supervisor of International Promotion Department
  • Ms. Weiping Yuan, Manager of International Promotion Department

At the meeting, we quickly realized how issues such as fraudulent documents, diploma mills, determining legitimacy of institutions and their accreditation/recognition are global problems and not unique to one country. When our CSCSE colleagues shared their questions about professional degrees in law and medicine from the U.S., we concurred that here in the U.S. we face the same conundrum when evaluating international professional qualifications in these fields as we try to determine their U.S. equivalent. From the U.S. side of the table, we shared our concerns about the inability to verify Chinese high school transcripts. Our CHESICC colleagues expressed that since high school education is under provincial control and records are not housed in a central depository, their verification is very difficult. They recommended that the provincial department where the school is located be contacted for help with verification. CSCSE indicated that the number of Chinese students returning to China after completion of their study abroad has been rising as is the number of international students coming to study in China. For this reason, evaluation of these students’ credentials is very important as the CSCSE reports on degree comparability intended for employers, higher education institutions, and other interested parties. It is heartening to learn that although we may be in opposite sides of the planet, we face the same dilemmas and employ similar standards when evaluating international credentials. We look forward to continued collaboration and mutual exchange of information amongst our respective organizations.

jasmin_2015
Jasmin Saidi-Kuehnert is the President and CEO of the Academic Credentials Evaluation Institute (ACEI).

President, Board of Directors AICE

ACEI Logo with Slogan - FINAL

The Academic Credentials Evaluation Institute, Inc. (ACEI), was founded in 1994 and is based in Los Angeles, CA, USA. ACEI provides a number of services that include evaluations of international academic credentials for U.S. educational equivalence, translation, verification, and professional training programs. ACEI is a Charter and Endorsed Member of the Association of International Credential Evaluators. For more information, visit www.acei-global.org.

Leave a comment

Filed under Credentials, Education

Tagged as , ,

September 6, 2018 · 10:43 pm

China and Africa…Building Bridges, Not Walls

September 7th, 2018

flag1

Hello friends,

It’s been a while since I posted a blog and it hasn’t been because of a lack of material. Au contraire. Blame it on ennui, lethargy, world-weariness. I’ve been feeling disenchanted with the state of the world, especially, how overnight the U.S. went from welcoming and embracing international students and scholars, to one that is imposing even stricter visa requirements, blacklisting some countries by placing them on a travel list, and spewing rhetoric that is seen as unfriendly and inhospitable by potential students around the globe who have looked at the U.S. as the beacon of higher education. Yes, long sentence, my apologies, but I couldn’t help myself. I’ve a lot on my chest and all I can think is that while we see the numbers of international students dropping at our institutions, one country is forging right ahead with its agenda of winning the hearts and minds of students in African countries. You may already know the savvy country that is ahead of the economic and diplomatic game, but in case you don’t, here is it, drum roll please….it’s CHINA!

Just this week, China pledged 60 billions US dollars to Africa with no political strings attached. Yes, you read correctly. No strings attached. You don’t believe me? Click here.
While we were celebrating our three-day Labor Day weekend, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced on Monday, September 3rd, that his country would “give $60 billion in aid and loans to Africa over the next three years without asking for any political concessions in return.” Wow!

China’s pledge involves a combination of grants, low-interest loans, financial investment and trade finance. China’s state media added on Tuesday that these types of overseas commitments were presented as “aid” or “support”, which is their way of implying that the country would make no profit.

The bottom line is that this is part of China’s “soft power” drive to anchor its geo-political and economic influence throughout Africa. According to Chinese state media, in just the first half of 2018, China has spent more than Rmb270m ($40m) on “Silk Road scholarships” for students from developing countries, according to state media.

Here is a sample of some of the countries (there are plenty more, but need to keep this blog brief) that are enjoying the financial aid offered by China supplemented by opportunities in education:

Angola

flag2

China is thinking of projects that could contribute to the development of Angola in the areas of industry, agriculture, health and education. China and Angola established diplomatic relations in 1983 and since 2002, China has become more proactive when it comes to helping Angola by financing projects to recover and build roads, railways, airports, strengthen health and education and other infrastructure that is a priority for the country’s development. In the first quarter of this year, trade between the two countries grew 22.4% to US$6.8 billion. To read more, click here.

Kenya

flag3

China and Kenya have established many education schemes, and one is the China-Kenya Vocational Education program designed to help train students and teachers for mechanical engineering. To read more, click here.

Rwanda

flag4

In Rwanda, Integrated Polytechnic Regional College Musanze (IPRC Musanze) is playing an important role in training technical persons in Rwanda. The college which was constructed by China Geo-Engineering Corporation based on funds received from the Chinese government, is the largest polytechnic in northern Rwanda and it is contributing to technical training in the country. To read more, click here.

Sierra Leone

flag5

If you speak to Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio, he will tell you that China has always been “a reliable friend and brother” that has stood by the country at all times. This says it all, but if you want to learn more, click here.

Tanzania

flag6

The Ministry of Energy recently announced that it was inviting applications from candidates to qualify for Chinese scholarship opportunities for postgraduate studies in “one of China’s best Oil and Gas Universities – the China University of Geo-sciences (Wuhan).”

Uganda

flag7

On the recent launching of a project sponsored by China that provides digital learning to rural regions in Uganda, the country’s Minster of Education and Sports, Janet Museveni, said: “This is a project that has several benefits, it will support education and encourage digital learning in rural schools by providing learning aids in form of projectors and televisions. These will be utilized to implement lessons plans and demonstrative education through videos and pictures.” To read more, click here.

Zambia

flag8

The appreciation for China’s supports is also shared by Zambia where the country’s Higher Education Minister, Nkandu Luo, has praised the Chinese Government for supplementing government’s efforts in the education sector. For more, click here.

Zimbabwe

flag9

Zimbabwe has been sending students to study in China because it is affordable and gives the graduating students the chance to develop business connections. It makes sense, since China is Zimbabwe’s largest overseas trading company. And, as China’s visa rules don’t allow international students to remain in the country after graduating from university, the students return to Zimbabwe which prevent brain-drain. To read more, click here.

China-Africa: Soft Power Diplomacy

These are just a handful of the countries in Africa, where China has established bi-lateral relations through its “soft power” approach. China continues to award education scholarships to various African countries allowing students to study at its institutions of higher education and to return to their native lands on graduation. It’s a win win situation for all sides.

flag10

I recently saw the big box office hit “Crazy Rich Asians”, a film about a super wealthy Chinese family in Singapore whose son is returning home to attend a friend’s wedding. He brings with him his Chinese-American girlfriend, a college professor who has absolutely no idea of his extreme wealthy origins. The film is billed a rom-com, but for me, it was a reflection of where we are today and what the future holds. Today, the number of Chinese billionaires exceed those in the United States. This is a major turning point for China which now boasts 596 billionaires – 60 more than the U.S.-  after a staggering 242 Chinese people became billionaires for the first time in just one year, according to a new survey.  There may be more Chinese billionaires, but according to the survey, those in America are richer and dominate the list of wealthiest people on the planet with Americans making up seven of the top ten. Regardless of who is the richer billionaire, at the rate China is expanding its reach into Africa, through education, manufacturing and trade agreements, it will not be for long that it will truly be a super power with Africa by its side.

Frustrated
Frustrated Evaluator

ACEI Logo with Slogan - FINAL

The Academic Credentials Evaluation Institute, Inc. (ACEI), was founded in 1994 and is based in Los Angeles, CA, USA. ACEI provides a number of services that include evaluations of international academic credentials for U.S. educational equivalence, translation, verification, and professional training programs. ACEI is a Charter and Endorsed Member of the Association of International Credential Evaluators. For more information, visit www.acei-global.org.

Related Links:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BnXLOm0Bdd8/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=e883epcfuvxk

https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/poverty-matters/2013/may/13/china-educating-africa-what-means-west

https://www.timeshighereducation.com/features/what-chinese-investment-means-for-african-higher-education

https://www.news4jax.com/news/international/chinas-president-xi-pledges-another-60-billion-for-afri

https://www.newsweek.com/why-china-giving-africa-60-billion-no-political-strings-attached-investment-1104360

https://macauhub.com.mo/2018/08/24/pt-china-estuda-novas-formas-de-investimentos-e-financiamentos-a-angola/

https://www.newsghana.com.gh/china-africa-education-scheme-helps-train-students-teachers-for-mechanical-engineering/

https://www.lusakatimes.com/2018/08/21/nkandu-luo-commends-china-for-support-in-education/

http://nilepost.co.ug/2018/08/31/more-zimbabwean-students-seek-education-in-china/

Leave a comment

Filed under Education, Politics

Tagged as , , ,

December 1, 2017 · 10:29 am

Multilingualism and its impression on the world

December 1st 2017

Gugulethu

It is estimated that there are over 190 distinct languages in existence, it is near impossible to say exactly how many languages are actually spoken in the world. Language is the basis and one of the main pillars of a culture, for every language there is a correspondingly unique culture hence if anyone wishes to truly understand a culture a great place to start is with the language.

We are currently living in a world littered with hate, war and struggle, day by day people fight against one another for different reasons but I am of the opinion that an unfortunate but dominant cause of all this strife is misunderstanding. Our lack of understanding of others’ cultures results in misconceptions which ultimately lead to attitudes of selfishness and self-preservation with a clear disregard of the wellbeing and quality of life of others. I will go as far as to say, for peace’s sake we should all strive to learn and understand cultures other than our own especially the ones we assume we already understand.

There are places in the world where here are at least 15 languages spoken , some variations and versions of one another and others complete standalones and for each language there exists variations in culture and in some cases completely different cultures, yet people have found a way to peacefully coexist .In a lot of instances you will find people who can speak multiple languages and therefore relate to multiple cultures , I myself am an example of such a situation I was born to parents raised in two different cultures speaking different languages. As a result of my parentage and upbringing, I learnt from a young age that every single language and culture deserves a healthy level of respect.

I will not deny the fact that there are difficulties that may arise when learning a new language or being in the midst of a culture you do not understand or come from. When I was in kindergarten we moved to a city where a language I did not speak was the dominant one and as a result I struggled to communicate with my peers, frustrated I cried to my mother begging not to go to kindergarten but as I began to learn the language and became good friends with those I had struggled to relate to before for the first time I learnt the lesson of perseverance.

I am proud to say my experience with multilingualism and experiences with culture did not end with my childhood and upbringing. I have been incredibly fortunate enough to be able to learn new languages like Mandarin and Russian and not only that but to do so whilst experiencing the cultures and gaining more knowledge on the world around me and the people who live in it. I have learnt a lot, but every day is a new day and as such there is always something new to learn. Many people will tell you about the economic pros of being multilingual which are all true, but it should not be omitted how much of a role learning a new language plays in correcting prejudice and preconceptions about each other’s way of life.

I will be your witness, when I compare who I was and who I am becoming day by day I see so much more respect for others and less bias against what I do not know. My hope is that my story and my sharing can influence many others to the path leading to being more understanding and responsible human beings. In the words of Ludwig Wittgenstein “The limits of my language are the limits of my world”, and we could all gain from a less limited world.

Photojournal

Gugulethu Jemaine Nyathi is a 20-year old Zimbabwean student currently studying towards her bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering at Jiangsu University in China. Gugulethu is an avid reader, enthusiastic writer and multilingualism is one of her passions. Her ultimate goal is to be a change maker and a force for good.

For information and assistance with the evaluation of international academic credentials, please visit our website at www.acei-global.org or call us at 1-310-275-3530.

ACEI Logo with Slogan - FINAL

The Academic Credentials Evaluation Institute, Inc. (ACEI), was founded in 1994 and is based in Los Angeles, CA, USA. ACEI provides a number of services that include evaluations of international academic credentials for U.S. educational equivalence, translation, verification, and professional training programs. ACEI is a Charter and Endorsed Member of the Association of International Credential Evaluators. For more information, visit www.acei-global.org.

Leave a comment

Filed under Education, Human Interest, Travel

Tagged as , ,

January 5, 2017 · 3:25 pm

How To Verify Chinese Degrees

January 5th, 2017

verify-chinese-degrees-1

This was initially posted on June 23rd, 2016

Leave a comment

Filed under Credentials, Education

Tagged as , , ,

June 24, 2016 · 12:56 am

How To Verify Chinese Degrees

June 23rd, 2016

verify-chinese-degrees-1

Leave a comment

Filed under Credentials, Education

Tagged as , , ,

March 11, 2016 · 2:54 am

5 Fast Facts on Recent Reforms in Higher Education in China

March 10th, 2016

china_flag

On January 8, 2015, The Academic Degree and State Council of the Ministry of Education put to law the Degree (2015) No. 18, also known as the “Degree and Degree-Granting Information Management Approach.” This law directly affects the role of the State in the granting of the degrees by academic institutions throughout China.

The law is set to support institutional autonomy by allowing institutions of higher education to grant their own degrees. As of January 1, 2016, the State in China will no longer issue university degrees. However, centralization of all certificate date will continue to be managed by the Academic Degree Committee of the State Council.

Here are a few facts on the new law concerning the autonomy granted to institutions of higher education and their degree-granting authority:

1. Each institution has the freedom to design its own degree template, however, the information to be presented on the degrees must be in conformance with the law to include all the following:

• Name
• Gender
• Color photo with embossed stamp of awarding institution
• Discipline or professional degree category
• Degree-granting institution name
• Certificate number (16 digit number where the first five digits are the institution code, the sixth is the degree level [ e.g. doctor is 2, master’s is 3, bachelor’s is 4], digits seven to ten are the degree year [e.g. 2016], and the last six digits are unique to the certificate holder)
• Signature of chairman of degree-granting institution

2. Some institutions have published the templates of their degrees but many have not published them yet are still having open voting from February-March 2016.

a. Sample Degree Templates from Capital University of Economics and Business:

china_degree_1
Capital University of Economics and Business

b. Sample Degree Templates from Zhejiang University  (http://www.zju.edu.cn/c1429839/content_2843290.html )

I. Bachelor Degree

china_degree_2

china_degree_3

II. Master

china_degree_4

china_degree_5

III. Doctorate

china_degree_6

china_degree_7

3. Photos on diplomas must be in color (it’s mandated).

4. Even if an institution issued a degree certificate in English, it is essential that the Chinese version as issued by the institution be provided.

5. The recent changes don’t change the dual qualification framework where we still need to see the Degree Certificate and Graduation Certificate.

Alan

Alan Saidi  Senior Vice-President & COO

ACEI Logo with Slogan - FINAL

The Academic Credentials Evaluation Institute, Inc. (ACEI), was founded in 1994 and is based in Los Angeles, CA, USA. ACEI provides a number of services that include evaluations of international academic credentials for U.S. educational equivalence, translation, verification, and professional training programs. ACEI is a Charter and Endorsed Member of the Association of International Credential Evaluators. For more information, visit www.acei-global.org.

Leave a comment

Filed under Credentials, Education

Tagged as , ,

January 22, 2016 · 2:28 am

China and Fraud…an On-going Problem

01/21/16

chinafraud

In a recent article in The Boston Globe the spotlight was back on China and the “wave of admissions fraud striking U.S. schools.” The issue of fraudulent transcripts from China is not new to those of us involved in the evaluation of international academic credentials. I still remember one of my colleagues, a senior evaluator at ACEI, who had traveled to Beijing several years ago and had first hand eye witness experience with fraud. She had visited a bookstore in Beijing and when she used its back door to exist into the alley she had come face to face with a vendor who had on display a wide range of blank diplomas and transcripts bearing the names of known Chinese universities. For a fee, a person could purchase a Bachelor’s, Master’s, or a Doctorate, in a major of their choosing from Beijing University or Shanghai University and present said document to prospective employer or unsuspecting college admissions officer overseas. I can still hear how flabbergasted my colleague was from the tone of her email. She couldn’t believe her eyes that this was happening in public and in broad daylight.

When it comes to college admission, falsifications of documents from China covers everything that plays a part in the U.S. institution’s decision process, starting with paying someone else to complete the application and essay, to fraudulent letters of recommendation, financial statements, passports, SAT and English language proficiency test scores, to academic transcripts and diplomas/degrees. It is, therefore, unfortunate and an occupational hazard but we cannot not speak of Chinese educational credentials without having our dander up and be suspicious of their authenticity.

When it comes to academic documents, especially those from China, it is more of a case of guilty before proven innocent. At the moment, the one approach most of us involved in credential evaluations, at least those of us who work for companies that are approved and endorsed by the Association of International Credential Evaluators, require our Chinese students to first have their academic documents verified by either one of the following 2 non-governmental Ministry of Education designated entities in China: China Academic Degrees and Graduate Education Development Center (CDGDC) and China Higher Education Students Information and Career Center (CHESICC).  This step in our evaluation process has proven very effective.  (Just to be sure, in case you’re wondering, we don’t receive any fees or royalties from these entities.) Those students who have nothing to hide, contact either one of these entities, depending on the type of verification required and request to have their verified academic documents sent directly to our company. And then there are those who put up a big fuss, claiming it to be an inconvenience and costly (yes, the CDGDC and CHESICC do charge the student a fee for the verification). The bigger fuss they make, the more insistent we are in the verification. If there is no problem with their documents, then obtaining the verification should be a piece of cake.

We recently had an applicant from China who submitted photocopies (not original or official) of his academic transcripts and refused to go through the CDGDC for the verification.  As a rule, we do not accept just photocopies of academic documents for evaluation from anyone and anywhere. This individual was incredulous and did not want to have his documents verified and even accused us of being ‘unethical,’ which is an interesting twist on using reverse psychology to win a point.

According to the article in The Boston Globe: “Justice Department officials (in the U.S.) in  May (2015) charged 15 Chinese, including a Northeastern University student, in a testing scheme in which some students paid others as much as $6,000 each to take their SAT and English proficiency tests. Students in China ordered fake passports and sent them to co-conspirators in Pennsylvania, who took their exams.” The article continues: “More than 8,000 Chinese students were expelled from US universities in 2014, according to a report by WholeRen Education, a Pittsburg-based education consultancy). Around 80 percent of the cases involved poor grades or cheating.”

Bottom line is, given that the U.S. continues to be the preferred destination for Chinese students for study, cheating on their U.S. college applications and transcripts will prevail. U.S. schools need not be blinded by full-paying international students, especially from China to boost their budgets. If all U.S. schools implement a strict verification policy, they not only benefit from capitalizing on the international student but also enjoy the peace of mind that their admission decision was based on bona fide and legitimate documents.


The Frustrated Evaluator
www.acei1.com

1 Comment

Filed under Education, Human Interest

Tagged as , , ,

August 14, 2015 · 4:01 am

My Once in a Lifetime Trip

August 13th, 2015
Trip_1
Image: Siwathep (Thep) Singh Khaderpor (center with blue tinted sunglasses) and friends

When I realized that I won “Many Languages, One World” essay contest and that I’m going to New York, I was really excited. I packed all my nicest shirts, pants, and shoes hoping that I would look my best on this once in a life time trip! As soon as I got down from the plane at the New York airport, of course we took pictures and posted to our various social media since we were really happy! However my happiness didn’t last for long, 10 minutes later I realized that the airline lost my luggage. I had nothing with me apart from my passport and a selfie stick. My money, my clothes, my speech were all lost. “This is going to be the worst trip ever”, that’s all I could think of.

Trip_2
Image: @ American Museum of Natural History, New York

As soon as I got to Adelphi University, I started making friends with people from so many different countries. They came to know about my “losing luggage” story. Each of them agreed and decided to lend me a different thing. For example, Jefferson, my friend from Brazil, lent me his pants every day! Eric, my friend from Uruguay, lent me his socks every day! Alline my friend from Mexico lent me her hair dryer every day! And of course so much more people lent me their stuff. My “losing luggage” story wasn’t becoming that depressing anymore, in fact I’m glad that it brought me to get to know so many friends and to be able to quickly become so close to each of them.

For the first 3 days, we were so busy with meetings and we needed to separate into our language groups so that we can prepare our speech at the UN. Our Chinese group topic was focusing on developing a healthy life at all ages. Everybody did a really great job there at the UN which was held on July 24th, 2015. We all needed to give a speech for no more than 2 minutes. Personally, I think everybody did so great and I’m so happy for all of them.

Trip_3
Thep at the UN

After the speech, we all went to the New York Times Square and had dinner at a beautiful restaurant: Hard Rock Café. As for the next day, we went to the 9/11 Memorial Park, then had a wonderful boat ride to have a look at New York’s beautiful scenery, the Statue of Liberty, and so much more. After the boat ride, we went to the American Museum of Natural History. We came back to the Adelphi University around 6:00 that evening, all of us then went to our own individual’s room to get ready for our last dinner together.

Trip_4
Image: At New York Times Square, and at United Nations Headquarters building.

At our last dinner together, Mr. Mark W. Harris, the President of ELS, gave us a wonderful speech and awarded each one of us a certificate. Mr. Harris is such an inspiring person, his speech made all of us realize that from now on we all have a responsibility to make this world a better place. We are now brothers and sisters and we will always have each other no matter where life takes us. As I looked at my friends at the dinner table, I can feel how 6 days totally makes a difference, now it is so hard and painful for all of us to say good bye. Thank you ELS group people who were so amazing and gave us this wonderful experience. Every single memory of this trip will never be forgotten. I am so lucky to be able to meet and become your friends. Every single one of you will always be in my heart, missing you so much my friends.

PS. I found my luggage! Yay! I can lose my luggage a hundred more times, but can never lose those beautiful memories I had with you beautiful people.

SSK

Siwathep (Thep) Singh Khaderpor

Thep is an international student from Thailand who was visiting the U.S. this summer as one of the winners of the “Many Languages, One World” and it’s UNAI (United National Academic Impact)” essay contest sponsored by ELS Language Centers. He is currently a student at Jiangsu University in China where he is studying Medicine. Thep says his professional goal is to “become a heart surgeon to fulfill my love of the sciences and medicine, and to help my fellow human beings. Furthermore, I hope to volunteer my skills to provide heart care to those in need regardless of race and economic status.”
2648988959@qq.com

Leave a comment

Filed under Credentials, Education, Human Interest, Travel

Tagged as , , ,

May 29, 2014 · 4:09 pm

Chinese student challenge: How to support them in succeeding in the U.S. educational system

May 29th, 2014

CGACC

On May 20, 2014, Jasmin Saidi-Kuehnert, President & CEO of the Academic Credentials Evaluation Institute (ACEI) and Sid Krommenhoek, Founder of Zinch, presented a webinar hosted by CGACC on China and the challenges Chinese students pose for U.S. colleges and universities.

According to the 2013 Educational Exchange Data from the Institute for International Education (IIE) Open Doors, in the 2012/13 academic year, 235,597 students from China were studying in the United States; a 21% increases from the previous year. China remains the leading place of origin for students coming to the U.S.

The reasons for this boost in numbers can be linked to China’s growing middle-class affluence, especially when concentrated on a single child and the country’s higher education system not being able to meet the demands of its people. We can also attribute this upsurge to budget cuts at U.S. universities giving rise to the need for institutions to increase reviewed by recruiting abroad and the easing of the stringent student-vise policies that were implement immediately after 9/11.

It is difficult to predict if the huge percentage increases we’ve witnessed in Chinese undergraduate enrollment will continue but at least in the short-term China continues to represent the largest market of undergraduate international students heading to the U.S. One of the single biggest problems concerning Chinese students is the prevalence of document fraud in the application and evaluation process and the uncertainty of the quality of their prior education.

In the webinar, Sid Krommenhoek spoke extensively about China’s state-run education system being overrun by bribery and cronyism. It’s not unusual for parents to bribe school officials to get their children into elite schools, retain agents who will falsify recommendation letters, financial statements, academic transcripts and other documents needed to satisfy admission requirements to a U.S. college or university. Jasmin Saidi-Kuehnert offered helpful tips for admissions counselors and credential evaluators to consider when dealing with transcripts and degrees from China.

The audio and presentation slides of this webinar which Jasmin Saidi-Kuehnert of ACEI and Sid Krommenhoek attended are available for free at this link:

http://goo.gl/W1yCWr

ACEI_black slogan 2 copy
www.acei-global.org

Leave a comment

Filed under Credentials, Education, Politics, Travel

Tagged as , , , , , , ,