The ICHM Scam explained
Shiela Jones
Brown’s www.virtualuniversities.net, which has since been pulled
down.
'Accreditation' of Universities in Australasia:
Within Australasia, a University is not accredited. Universities are
created under Royal British Charter (Acts of Parliament) and must meet
the certain criteria. For example, within Australia, Universities must
meet criteria prescribed under the Australian Qualifications
Framework.(Link checked & updated 16/12/00;19:40) Universities are
deemed to be 'self-accrediting'. Once an Act of Parliament has been
assented to, the University is then listed in one of the following
publications:
· International Handbook of Universities (UNESCO publication)
· Commonwealth Universities Yearbook
· World Education Series (PIER publication)
· Countries Series (published by the NOOSR(Link checked & updated
27/12/99;9:44) in Australia)
The word 'University' is generally a regulated word. In Australia,
this regulation is administered by the Australian Securities and
Investment Commission (Link checked & updated 27/12/99;9:45). The word
'university' may not be used in a business name without ministerial
consent.
So, unable to legally form a university, the clever people behind the
scam formed a college, which is NOT a regulated business name.
As Stephen Fogarty, the Principal of Southern Cross College points out
on the url http://www.southerncross.edu.au/why_study.htm
‘To offer a Degree within Australia a College must have formal
government accreditation.’
The International College of Hotel Management Incorporated only exists
on paper. It has no physical facilities, no teaching staff, no
professors, no faculty… nothing, except for their
‘Enrollment Office’ in a maildrop at GPO Box 249,
Adleaide. They have only ‘Education Managers’.
The actual teaching work is done on a subcontract basis by local TAFE
colleges. Their entire operation is targeted at enticing foreigners to
come to Australia and spend their money. This may explain why they
have won awards for tourism, but no academic awards.
Because they use existing TAFE courses, they have managed to dupe the
Government of South Australia into backing and recognizing the scam.
Although, through the use of clever accounting and deductions the
actual ICHM is a ‘not for profit’company.
However, the ‘Education Managers’ are making huge personal
profits in exploiting the actual low costs of the courses at the TAFE
colleges and the exorbitant fees they charge to non residents ($20,000
for a diploma course which includes accommodation and $11,500 for a
Bachelor degree that can be completed in 30 weeks and delivered
‘entirely on-line’)
A quote from their site shows the emphasis in the recruitment policy
towards conning foreigners to come to Adelaide to study.
‘HOW MUCH DOES THE DEGREE COST?
For overseas students, the fee for the ICHM degree is A$11,500. For
Australian students, a special lower fee has been approved. GST of
about $130 must be added to this amount.’
They don’t even say what the fees are for Australians. That is
how interested they are in recruiting Australians as students. I
wonder why?
In a final piece of irony, the whine about their attempts to keep
their fees low and yet announce that if anyone actually does opt for
Recognition of Prior Learning, the student must pay ICHM a fee of 15%
of the fee payable IF the student HAD completed the modules through
ICHM. 15% for doing NOTHING!
Somebody is creaming off a fortune here at the expense of foreign
drongos and the gullible Government of South Australia.
Peter French
I have a complete copy of them, their accreditation and the
process taken to achieve accreditation. A TAFE institute can
issue degrees in Australia - the South Australian Conservatorium
of Music in one, whereas is other states here it is affiliated with
or is part of a traditional University. The verity of the ICHM
degree is its acceptance here into masters degrees as stated on
the ICHM WebPages
A partner in the operation is the Government of South Australia.
They are not very happy with your statements.
Your statements are not only misleading, they are malicious, and
totally untrue.
You have no idea of the Australian education system and just cut out
and paste bits that suit you.
None take any notice of you and the only 'apparent' support is from
you under another name submitted from varying selected non-traceable
locations.
Peter French
Shiela Jones <cordon...@yahoo.com.au> wrote in message
news:6e567552.01071...@posting.google.com...
Shiela Jones
> A partner in the operation is the Government of South Australia.
> They are not very happy with your statements.
You are absolutely right Peter. They are more than thet; they are
furious! Not at my statments but at the fact that they were duped into
partnering with this dubious *private college* which is losing
taxpayers money.
Their audit states; Audit estimates that the loss on operations of the
International College of Hotel Management since inception, in January
1993, to 31 December 1998 would be in the order of $1.8 million
Shiela Jones
This was posted in response to my explanation of how the dubious and
financially incompetent ICHM fraud has dressed up a collection of
cheap TAFE courses as a *degree* course at a huge markup, which it
sells on to gullible draft-dodging foreigners.
How does Peter French explain this criticism quoted from the Analysis
of the current skill base, resources and attitudes of Program staff:
Tourism, Hospitality and Recreation.....?
*Given that the ICHM staff are TAFE ACT staff, it is surprising that
there does not seem to be an active program of transferring skills and
experiences.*