Wanting to Study Doctoral Degree Abroad Instead Became a Victim of Alleged Fraud

The lack of clarity regarding the start of doctoral studies at PWU in the Philippines is troubling hundreds of applicants who have paid IDR 30 million.

RONY ARIYANTO NUGROHO

A group of PhD students majoring in Archaeology at the University of Indonesia participated in a field study of reading tomb inscriptions guided by lecturer Lili Suratminto at the Museum of Inscriptions in Jakarta in early December 2019.

An advertisement for a partial scholarship for pursuing a PhD or doctoral degree abroad has emerged on social media and appears to be tempting for many individuals interested in pursuing higher education. The online S-3 tuition fees from foreign universities in collaboration with administrators in Indonesia for a period of two years for only Rp 30 million is certainly attractive.

However, when the promised time for enrollment arrived, the names of the applicants did not appear in the promised university. The absence of clarity about the start of S-3 classes at Philippine Women's University (PWU) in Manila, Philippines, has caused anxiety among hundreds of applicants who have fully paid Rp 30 million. This affordable fee was obtained by applicants because the management provided a partial scholarship worth Rp 60 million.

As disclosed by Irzan, a registrant who works as a private employee in Jakarta. He is currently searching for information on pursuing a PhD degree through the internet. Then, he came across massive advertisements about pursuing a PhD degree at PWU.

Also read: Plagiarism of Scientific Publications, Academic Integrity in Higher Education Needs to be Evaluated

"It makes sense that the cost is IDR 90 million but there is a partial scholarship so applicants only need to pay IDR 30 million. It's not just about the affordable price, I also tried to investigate the existence of PWU and there is an equivalency of degrees from this university. So, I feel confident," said Irzan when contacted on Saturday (20/4/2024).

DOKUMENTASI PRIBADI

A screenshot of an advertisement for doctoral studies abroad for Rp 30 million has left 207 applicants in limbo, including teachers, nurses, and private employees, as they have not been able to study in the promised university. Victims have begun reporting the case to the Bekasi Kota Police on April 8, 2024.

He enrolled in the S-3 study program (prodi) social development. He received a letter of acceptance (LoA) from PWU in December 2023. In an English letter signed by the chancellor/senior vice president for academic affairs > PWU, stated that Irzan is registered as a regular student to start studying in March 2024. They must take 16 courses or 48 credits online. A doctoral degree can be achieved in two years.

As many as 207 participants who are part of a WhatsApp group and have already made payments are getting anxious. They have not received any updates regarding their lectures. They also have not received their student ID cards and access to the university portal. Communications with the manager, who claims to be a founding professor of the International Doctoral Program (IDP), are becoming more difficult, and they are even being approached by a lawyer.

Another victim, Aloysius BG (47), a private university lecturer in Jakarta, finally reported the case to the Bekasi City Police on April 8, 2024. He had deposited Rp 30 million according to the advertisement for a Doctoral (S-3) degree program at PWU to an account under the name of PT Pelatihan dan Sertifikasi Indonesia.

It's a pity for seniors, to the point that some are in debt and sick because of this problem.

Aloysius, in explaining the chronology of the issue, said that the case began with an advertisement on TikTok by an account with the initials BTC. The ad offered a PWU scholarship that covered a portion of the fees, so participants only had to pay Rp 30 million.

The advertisement appeared on Aloysius' social media account at the end of 2023. As he was serious about studying, Aloysius searched for information on the contact number provided until he was convinced that the offer was not a scam.

KOMPAS/RIZA FATHONI

Visitors are seeking information about studying at European universities at the 14th European Higher Education Fair (EHEF) exhibition held at Menara Astra, Jakarta in early November 2022.

After the first payment, on December 20 2023, Aloysius received a LoA from PWU which stated that he was accepted as a student in the doctor of business administration program. Participants were then informed of the deadline for repayment of IDR 30 million, no later than early January 2024 and if not, they had to pay the full IDR 90 million.

Participants who feel there are problems in the doctoral study program at PWU continue to press the management. Then on March 2 2024 it was announced in the Whatsapp group that the 5th batch of the S-3 doctoral program would be transferred to one of the Malaysian universities. The participant did not agree and asked for the money to be returned.

Also read: Number of Doctors in Indonesia Has Not Reached Target

"In the beginning, it was agreed to gradually return the students' money as soon as possible within two months. Then, at the end of March, the management informed that they failed to return the money because it had been used for futures commodity trading," said Aloysius.

To support your career

Most of the registrants for the doctoral program S-3 PWU are teachers, nurses, and doctors. This high level of education is important for supporting their careers.

For lecturers, a minimum education level of S-2 is no longer considered sufficient. In fact, many universities require a minimum education level of S-3 for their lecturers. Some universities provide scholarships for their lecturers, while many others fund their own studies.

KOMPAS/RIZA FATHONI

Visitors are seeking information about studying at European universities at the 14th European Higher Education Fair (EHEF) exhibition held at Menara Astra, Jakarta in early November 2022.

According to data in the higher education database, there are still more than 30,000 lecturers with bachelor's degrees. There are more than 207,000 people with a Master's degree, while there are 42,825 people with a Master's degree.

Scholarships are provided

The Director of Resources, Directorate General of Higher Education, Research, and Technology at the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology, M Sofwan Effendi, said that every year the government provides scholarships for lecturers. Through the Indonesian Education Scholarship program, a quota of 1,300 scholarships for studying both domestically and abroad is provided for lecturers annually.

"I intended to increase my knowledge. There was an offer to study in English from a foreign university. This is quite challenging. I checked here and there, even going to the RI Embassy in the Philippines to verify that PWU does exist. It is unfortunate that even seniors are affected, with some being burdened by debt and illness due to this issue. Hopefully, the Ministry of Education and Culture can also pay attention to this case," said Irzan.