User:Warnborough
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[edit] Response to Wikipedia Article on Warnborough
Lies, Half Truths, Exaggeration and Myths
Considerable misleading and false information has been written and promoted on Wikipedia about Warnborough by various parties. Although Wikipedia claims anyone may edit this information, all our efforts to provide correct information have been unilaterally deleted by “Super Users”. The Wikipedia appeals process is fraught with numerous barriers preventing plaintiffs from making legitimate changes. Whilst we look into the legal aspects of the Wikipedia article, we feel it prudent to publicly refute the erroneous allegations and provide the correct facts.
Before we proceed, it should be made very clear that there are TWO (2) separate Warnborough institutions which have been slurred by the Wikipedia article. Their histories are presented briefly below.
a) Warnborough College UK (WCUK)
Warnborough College was founded in Oxford in 1973. Originally, it offered study abroad programmes to American students, and over 350 accredited American colleges and universities have accepted its courses for credits. The College was an accredited teaching and examination centre for the University of Oxford Delegacy of Local Examinations. It has been an official examination centre for Educational Testing Services (ETS) examinations for over 25 years. It is one of only four institutions in the UK whose graduates are eligible to sit for the US Law School Admissions Test (LSAT).
Further recognition came with IS09001:2000 and 27001:2005 quality certifications in 2004 and 2006, under the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS). The College is also a certified Investor in People (IiP). As a private College for Adult Education, it is listed in the official reference Handbook on Higher Education in the UK published by the Government Printing Company. It is also listed by the UK Department for Education and Skills (DfES) on its Register of Providers website (www.dfes.gov.uk/registerofproviders/) as a ‘genuine education and training provider’.
WCUK is based in Canterbury, and offers Certificate and Diploma courses, professional development and bespoke training programmes. It does NOT award degrees.
b) Warnborough College Ireland (WCI)
Warnborough College Ireland (WCI) was founded in the Republic of Ireland as Warnborough University in 1997. In late 2005, it changed its name to Warnborough College Ireland in order to meet accreditation requirements under the Irish National Framework. Operations ceased working under the title of Warnborough University in early 2006.
The Irish accreditation body accredits both designated colleges (official government funded colleges) and independent colleges that educate at the Third level (university level). Colleges falling into this remit are entities teaching courses classified between levels 5 and 10 (measured in terms of knowledge imparted). Level 5 would correspond to a ‘Certificate’ course, level 6 to a ‘Diploma’ course, level 7 a ‘Bachelor’ degree, level 8 a ‘Masteral’ degree, level 9 a Higher qualification, and level 10 a ‘Doctorate’ degree. Warnborough is entitled to award Third Level and Fourth Level post-graduate degrees.
WCI is currently undergoing accreditation through the Higher Education Training and Awards Council (HETAC). Once this is achieved, the College will be officially listed as an accredited institution by the International Education Board of Ireland, the official representative body of the Irish Department of Education, abroad. WCI is an independent Irish Third Level Institution. It is based in Bray, near Dublin, Ireland.
Wikipedia Myths vs Real Warnborough Facts Wikipedia Myth Warnborough Fact That Warnborough College (UK) is a degree-granter.
WCUK has never claimed to award any degrees (UK or otherwise). It is a criminal offence in the UK to offer UK degrees without a Royal Charter. It has only ever awarded Certificates and Diplomas.
Warnborough University is not a recognised University in Ireland.
There is no Warnborough University in Ireland as WU changed its name to Warnborough College (Ireland) in 2005. WCI is a candidate for national accreditation.
Warnborough University is a company incorporated in Ireland.
See above. All institutions operate through incorporated entities (whether companies or charities) for legal and other reasons.
Has no authority to issue UK, Irish or any other jurisdiction’s degrees.
Wrong. WCI is an independent college in Ireland entitled to award undergraduate and post graduate degrees. Without this authority, WCI would not have been able to apply for accreditation in the Republic of Ireland.
John Bear Statement: ‘.edu address which is supposed to be reassuring’
Warnborough has three official websites: www.warnborough.edu; www.warnborough.ac.uk; and www.warnborough.ie. Education domain names are only given to genuine educational institutions.
John Bear Statement: ‘a one room office in London with no degree granting authority’
John Bear was invited to a meeting in 1997 to discuss the numerous inaccuracies he had previously published (without verification). He consequently admitted his mistakes during this meeting in front of three witnesses. However, John Bear did not visit the other Warnborough training facilities in London, nor did he appear to understand that a large proportion of the instruction was delivered via distance learning, which did not require the same level of facilities available at the previous Oxford campus.
BBC statement: ‘a mention on Warnborough University’
At no time was a claim ever made on this programme that Warnborough was a diploma mill or was awarding fake degrees. Furthermore, the programme was not a BBC production. Rather, it was made by a third party production company, well-known for sensationalist topics, and subsequently sold to the BBC’s 24-hour news channel. In making the programme, the company used unethical tactics to obtain information for its story – sending undercover agent provocateurs, reporters fraudulently posed as BBC employees and trespassed into the Warnborough building.
Oregon ODA statement: ‘is not an Irish degree-granter’
WCI is an independent college in Ireland entitled to award graduate and post graduate degrees.
ODA: ‘Not a UK degree-granter’
This is correct. Neither WCUK or WCI award UK degrees and never have. The ODA has failed to distinguish the significance between the two separate, legal entities – WCUK and WCI.
ODA: ‘Appearance on UK Register of Training Providers does not confer or represent authorisation to issue degree’
This is correct. WCUK has never claimed that appearing on the UK Register of Training Providers represents authorisation to issue degrees. WCUK does not award degrees, only Certificate and Diplomas. However, to be on the UK Register of Training Providers, an institution must be bona fide. Recently, the ODA have put a statement on their website disclaiming the accuracy of their own listings.
External Links on Wikepedia: Diploma Mill, etc.
Placing the external links to articles on Diploma Mills, etc on the same Wikepedia Warnborough listing is misleading, and implies that Warnborough fits in with these groups by virtue of association.
Note on Accreditation
All accredited institutions have been, at some time in their history, unaccredited. Being unaccredited does not mean that an institution is bogus, has low academic or other standards, or is a degree mill. It is wrong of accredited institutions and/or government agencies to promote this assumption.
There is currently no framework amongst governments, accrediting agencies, and the like, to distinguish between unaccredited institutions and unaccredited institutions which are going through accreditation.
Accreditation is voluntary. The accreditation process is lengthy, and requires a substantial commitment of financial and human resources. The fact that WCI has engaged in the accreditation process demonstrates the deep commitment WCI has for maintaining its already high academic standards. It also demonstrates the WCI's dedication to providing the best education for enhancing the employment prospects and lives of its students.
We take our deep commitment to quality assurance and the welfare of our students and potential students seriously. If you have any questions about Warnborough, its degree-granting status, or accreditation, please do not hesitate to contact us directly.
Warnborough College UK mailing and physical address:
Warnborough House, 8 Vernon Place, Canterbury, CT1 3WH, UK
Telephone: +44 (0) 1227 762107
Fax: +44 (0) 1227 762108
Email: inquiries@warnborough.ac.uk
Warnborough College Ireland mailing and physical address:
Royal Marine House, Strand Road, Bray, Co. Wicklow, Ireland
Telephone: +353 (0) 1 202 1037
Fax: +353 (0) 1 276 5555
Email: ireland@warnborough.ie
Or email our President, Dr Brenden Tempest-Mogg at president@warnborough.edu for more information. He will be pleased to assist you with your queries.
Dr. Brenden D. Tempest-Mogg
President
Consultant on Accreditation, Distance Learning and International Education
B.A. (University of New South Wales)
M.A. (Essex University)
M.Litt. (University of Oxford)
Ed.D. (George Washington University)
Member Institute of Directors, London
Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, London
Oxford Business Alumni, Said Business School, University of Oxford
Last updated: 02/25/2007 11:05(GMT)
