The BBC Busted A 'Bogus' University By Successfully Enrolling A Dog In Its MBA Program
For a £4,500 fee - about $7,300 - AUOL would have given management consultant "Peter Smith" an MBA, based on a CV with 15 years of work experience and an undergraduate degree. However, Pete is actually a dog, and his prior employment and degree were, obviously, made up.
The BBC sent this CV, along with an MBA application, to AUOL. Additionally, the BBC reports, "AUOL also requires applicants to provide photocopies of previous qualifications and a photograph of themselves. However, Newsnight was unable to provide either since the qualifications did not exist and the applicant was a dog."
Pete was accepted for an MBA based on prior experiences, and an AUOL representative told the BBC that the school "awarded him the full degree immediately based on his qualification and his professional experience."
The AUOL is uncredited in England and is listed as a "bogus" university by an Italian organization, although the BBC "found hundreds of senior executives listing AUOL qualifications."