Sham Teacher Awards and a Fake University: A Case of Exploiting Vanity for Profit

It will soon be a year since my first post exposing the Global Teacher Award (in November 2023). In this post, I recall and recapitulate the entire case. This summary was made by NotebookLM.

This blog post investigates and uncovers a scheme involving seemingly fake teaching awards and a bogus university, primarily operating out of India, that appears to exploit the vanity of teachers for financial gain. The investigation, undertaken by Miljenko Hajdarović, a Croatian historian and educator, focuses on three key entities: AKS Education Awards, International Internship University (IIU), and Eco Training Center – Sweden.

Podcast made by NotebookLM

The Global Teacher Award from AKS Education Awards

The investigation started when Hajdarović noticed an increasing trend of Croatian teachers boasting about receiving the Global Teacher Award from AKS Education Awards. He became suspicious of the award’s legitimacy due to vague details, the exotic award ceremony location in New Delhi, and the overall lack of transparency surrounding the organisation.

Method of Fraud

Hajdarović applied for the Global Teacher Award himself to understand the process. He found the application process remarkably superficial. It involved a self-evaluation based on broad criteria and obtaining recommendations from five individuals, with no rigorous verification of qualifications or achievements.

Key Findings

Website and Organisation Scrutiny: The AKS Education Awards website presented a generic award description and lacked specific details about the selection process or the organisation itself. Images on Google Maps revealed the organisation’s headquarters to be a modest building, contradicting the image of a prestigious global awarding body.
Fabricated Team and Credentials: Hajdarović’s examination of the founders and team members’ online profiles exposed inconsistencies, the use of stock photos, and fabricated credentials, further solidifying his suspicion of a scam.
Profit-Driven Motive: The investigation revealed that awardees are responsible for covering all expenses related to attending the award ceremony in New Delhi, including travel, accommodation, and meals, indicating a profit-making scheme for the organisers disguised as a prestigious award.

Here are three views of the headquarters of AKS Worldwide Pvt. Ltd. (click to enlarge):

Alleged AKS WORLDWIDE team of experts with listed profiles on other networks. I checked the links but none of them worked. Admittedly, it is a bit strange that they have two CFOs and to make it nicer, they both have the same first and last name. Let’s add to that that the first person is female in appearance and her name is Clark.

While waiting for feedback, Hajdarović came across an article about the award published in the news of the Croatian state television – it is interesting that the article was published on the official website of the Indian Embassy in Croatia

The Best Global Educator Award from International Internship University (IIU)

Hajdarović’s investigation expanded to include the Best Global Educator Award conferred by the IIU. This award also raised red flags, as he could find no concrete information about the award itself, its selection criteria, or any details about previous winners outside of a few Croatian recipients.

Method of Fraud

The IIU – International Internship University presented itself as a globally recognised institution offering various educational programmes and claiming accreditation from international bodies. However, a detailed analysis revealed a carefully constructed facade designed to deceive individuals seeking academic recognition.

Key Findings

Inflated Claims and Fake Accreditation: The International Internship University – IIU website boasts a vast network of courses, global presence, and accreditations from organisations like the World Education Organization, which Hajdarović’s investigation revealed to be non-existent. The IIU also claims accreditation from the International Accreditation Organization (IAO), which does exist, but whose legitimacy Hajdarović calls into question.
Dubious Administrative Team: The profiles of the International Internship University – IIU’s administrative team, including the founder, Peeyush Pandit, were riddled with inconsistencies. Fake titles, questionable credentials, and the use of stock photos cast doubt on their legitimacy.
Exposure as a Fake University: Indian news articles uncovered the International Internship University – IIU as a fraudulent operation selling bogus doctorates to unsuspecting individuals, further validating Hajdarović’s suspicions about the Best Global Educator Award being part of a larger scam.

Screenshot of IIU website (November 2024)

The Eco Training Center – Sweden Award

The Global Teacher Award Environment Teacher 2020, awarded by the Eco Training Center – Sweden, was also investigated due to suspicions raised by its association with the previously mentioned awards.

Method of Fraud

This organisation leveraged the reputation of Sweden’s education system to create an illusion of legitimacy. However, closer scrutiny revealed numerous inconsistencies.

Key Findings

Non-existent Organisation: The Eco Training Center – Sweden lacked a functional website and an identifiable physical location in Sweden. The given domain name was not recognised by ICANN, suggesting it was never registered.
Discrepancies in Registration and Identity: Official confirmation from Swedish authorities confirmed that no organisation under that name existed. Further investigation revealed inconsistent registration dates, conflicting information about the founder’s involvement, and the potential use of a private address as the organisation’s headquarters.
Links to the Indian Scam Network: Hajdarović discovered connections between the Eco Training Center – Sweden and the network operating out of India, including the issuance of joint awards with the IIU and the celebration of Indian holidays on the organisation’s Facebook page.

Reactions to the Investigation and Wider Implications

Hajdarović’s exposé generated a range of reactions within the Croatian teaching community. While some praised his efforts for exposing these fraudulent schemes, others criticised him for attacking colleagues and the teaching profession. Notably, he was expelled from the largest Facebook group for teachers in Croatia after publishing his investigation, raising concerns about the suppression of critical discussion and potential threats to freedom of expression within the education system.

The investigation also highlights a concerning trend of individuals using these questionable awards to enhance their professional profiles, gain media attention, and secure positions on influential boards, potentially influencing the criteria for legitimate national awards.

During the following year, none of the participants, i.e. Croatian teachers who received the so-called awards or financial resources from the local self-government body, the ministry or the state, apologised for his actions. None of the bodies that allocated money for the trip to India publicly reacted, demanded a refund and called for accountability. At the last Croatian Ministry of Science, Education and Youth award ceremony for the most outstanding teachers in October 2024, the names involved in this case appeared again.

Hajdarović’s investigation exposes a network of sham teaching awards and a fake university that appear to prey on educators’ aspirations and vanity. This scheme not only deceives individuals but also undermines the integrity of the teaching profession. This investigative work is a stark reminder of the importance of critical thinking, thorough investigation, and open dialogue within the education system to ensure that genuine achievements are celebrated and fraudulent activities are brought to light.