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The Mayor of Paphos, Phedon Phedonos, warned Thursday that Cyprus could soon face an international controversy over universities allegedly issuing degrees without proper student attendance.
In a social media post, Phedonos described what he called a looming “degree scandal” involving Cypriot institutions and students from African countries. He shared a video of a previous speech in which he outlined the problem of virtual enrollment and questioned the oversight of higher education.
“When a country promotes itself as a hub for higher education, it must ensure its universities meet high standards and are closely monitored,” Phedonos said in the recording.
Claims of virtual fraud
Phedonos cited instances where students reportedly participated in online classes through fake IP addresses. “We are at risk of moving from the era of golden passports to what could be called the era of golden degrees,” he said. “Some universities may list thousands of students, yet a large portion may never actually attend. In one case, a class supposedly attended by 150 students had only about 10 physically present, yet degrees were issued and sent abroad, and payments were received.”
According to Phedonos, these practices have involved sending degrees to countries in Africa for fees reportedly lower than standard tuition rates.
Call for oversight
He urged the creation of a robust regulatory authority to oversee universities and ensure the quality of degrees. “Any institution failing to meet standards should have its license revoked immediately,” Phedonos said.
The controversy comes amid ongoing international scrutiny of Cyprus’ past programs, including its citizenship-by-investment initiative. Local officials have not yet confirmed the allegations.
See the post below:
