Prospects signs agreement on degree verification between UK and China
Prospects has signed an agreement with the Chinese Service Centre for Scholarly Exchange (CSCSE) to be the official partner for validating the UK degrees of graduates entering or returning to China to work
This is the UK's first official international collaboration to help prevent degree fraud. It will make it mandatory for all graduates from UK universities returning to China to have their qualifications checked.
Verification will be facilitated through Prospects Higher Education Degree Datacheck (Hedd) service, which is the official system for degree and university authentication in the UK. The agreement follows a three-year trial with around 70% of CSCSE degree checks on UK graduates now able to be managed through Hedd.
China is the largest source of international students in the UK. Nearly 40,000 graduates return to China from studying in the UK each year.
The signing was one of several agreements to expand UK-China education collaboration, which took place at the tenth annual UK-China Education Summit. Held in London, it was attended by UK Secretary of State for Education, the Rt Hon Justine Greening MP, and her Chinese counterpart Mr Chen Baosheng, China's Minister of Education.
Jayne Rowley, Chief Executive of Prospects, signed the agreement with Liu Xuyan, Director, Overseas Academic Credential Evaluation Office, CSCSE.
Jayne said, 'This agreement marks a significant step forward in addressing the international challenge of degree fraud. China is a leading example for other countries. It means that they can be assured that every graduate returning to China from studying in the UK will be validated before entering their workforce.
'We will be working with all of the UK's higher education institutions to ensure an efficient service, helping to protect our country's reputation for a first class higher education system.'
For further information visit www.hedd.ac.uk
Find out more
- Clare Tregaskis, press officer: 0161 277 5285 c.tregaskis@prospects.ac.uk
- Sarah Brookes, marketing director: 0161 277 5327 s.brookes@prospects.ac.uk