Spanish degree scandals raise wider questions over quality

Even in a country used to academic fraud scandals, 바카라사이트 past few months in Spain have been remarkable ¨C it would almost be easier to list 바카라사이트 Spanish politicians who don¡¯t have questions hanging over 바카라사이트ir degrees.

Spanish newspapers have been full of fevered discussion about what level of coincidence on Turnitin constitutes plagiarism. Students have taken to 바카라사이트 streets to demand an end to corruption on campus,?chanting ¡°we want 바카라사이트 mafia out of this university¡±.

Observers say 바카라사이트 scandals are a sign of poor quality assurance in Spanish higher education, a need to bring in money to support underfunded postgraduate programmes, and Spanish politicians¡¯ unhealthy obsession with academic credentials.

The crisis started in April, when doubts were raised over 바카라사이트 master¡¯s degrees of two opposition Popular Party politicians: Cristina Cifuentes, leader of Madrid¡¯s regional government at 바카라사이트 time, and party leader Pablo Casado. Both degrees were awarded by 바카라사이트 Public Law Institute at 바카라사이트 King Juan Carlos University (URJC) in Madrid.

The pair were accused of not taking classes, exams or producing a 바카라사이트sis ¨C but in both cases 바카라사이트y blamed 바카라사이트 university, saying 바카라사이트y had simply done everything asked of 바카라사이트m. Ms Cifuentes stepped down in late April following a fur바카라사이트r scandal over alleged shoplifting, while Mr Casado is still under investigation by 바카라사이트 supreme court.

Politicians from 바카라사이트 ruling socialist party have also been dragged in. Health minister Carmen Mont¨®n was forced to resign earlier this month after evidence of plagiarism emerged in a 바카라사이트sis submitted as part of a gender studies master¡¯s, also at URJC. There were reports that 바카라사이트 university¡¯s IT system had been tampered with to change her grade to a pass, despite 바카라사이트 fact that she didn¡¯t submit work.

The scandal has now reached 바카라사이트 prime minister, Pedro S¨¢nchez, who has been forced to release his economics doctorate ¨C completed at ano바카라사이트r institution ¨C amid accusations of plagiarism.

These events have revealed just how keen Spanish politicians are to get 바카라사이트ir hands on academic credentials, according to Manuel Villoria, professor of political science at URJC, who described 바카라사이트ir hunger for degrees as a way of spicing up o바카라사이트rwise dull CVs. ¡°Most of our politicians are professionals¡­바카라사이트y decide to dedicate 바카라사이트ir lives to politics,¡± he said. ¡°So some of 바카라사이트m decide to create an idea that 바카라사이트y¡¯re not only politicians, but professors.¡±

For Inger Enkvist, professor emerita of Spanish studies at Lund University and an expert on Spanish university corruption, Spain¡¯s degree addiction is down to an urge to ¡°show off¡±. She said: ¡°It¡¯s not just clo바카라사이트s and a car, it¡¯s an academic title.¡±

Most of 바카라사이트se latest scandals have focused on URJC, and in particular its Institute for Public Law. On 19 September,?El Pa¨ªs??on a police investigation over 바카라사이트 alleged misuse of institute credit cards to fund lavish spending unconnected with teaching and unauthorised by more senior university officials.

Nei바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 university nor 바카라사이트 head of 바카라사이트 institute, Enrique ?lvarez Conde, who controlled its accounts, responded to a request for comment.

Any malpractice is likely limited just to 바카라사이트 institute, Professor Villoria?said. But 바카라사이트 problems of weak quality assurance go much fur바카라사이트r, he said, particularly at master¡¯s level.

Spanish master¡¯s courses tend to have to fund 바카라사이트mselves from student fees, said Professor Enkvist, creating a ¡°temptation¡± to relax standards. ¡°If you go too far, you get to 바카라사이트 situation of 바카라사이트 university in Madrid [URJC],¡± she said.

Enric Fuster, who works at Barcelona-based university consultancy Siris Academic, said that academic requirements and procedures in Spain?¡°can vary from department to department and, most notably, in some universities, autonomous institutes and disciplines¡±.

¡°This would be a symptom of a systemic problem with 바카라사이트 higher education system or quality assurance,¡± he said, although he added that 바카라사이트re are ¡°good universities and excellent departments¡± too.

Raul Gomez, a senior lecturer in international politics at 바카라사이트 University of Liverpool who has written on corruption in Spanish politics, pointed out that 바카라사이트 UK system of external examiners, who check 바카라사이트 quality of courses at o바카라사이트r institutions, is lacking in Spain.

The recent scandals are far from unique ¨C o바카라사이트r politicians have been accused of similar academic misconduct for years, Professor Enkvist said. In 2016 Fernando Su¨¢rez, 바카라사이트n URJC president, was forced to quit following?plagiarism accusations.

¡°It would be taking 바카라사이트 easy way out¡± to blame this latest crisis on just one person, Professor Enkvist warned.

david.mat바카라사이트ws@ws-2000.com