Europe Business Assembly

Europe Business Assembly logo

The Europe Business Assembly (EBA) is an Oxford-based organisation selling what The Times has called "fake awards",[1] or what are more widely known as "vanity awards".

Background

EBA was founded in 2000, by Ukrainian businessman Anton Savvov, and he runs it out of Oxford and Ukraine, along with his son Ivan Savvov.[1][2] The directors are Ivan Savvov and "Professor" John Netting, formerly a lecturer at Oxford Brookes University.[3][4]

Although EBA has advertised itself as being an "Oxford institution", it is not affiliated or otherwise linked with the University of Oxford.[1]

Activities

EBA offers various "awards", an "academic union", and an "almanac", all with prestigious-sounding names.[2] The awards are presented in venues including Oxford Town Hall and the Institute of Directors in London, by EBA's director general John Netting, a former lecturer at Oxford Brookes University, with ceremonies including trumpeters, bagpipes, processions, and period costumes.[2] Winners pay for the awards and for participation in the ceremonies; in one case participation in a ceremony cost €11,000, and an award cost about around €7,300. The Center for Investigative Reporting found that companies and individuals in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia had been buying awards from EBA for many years and claiming that they were "outstanding results achieved in a prestigious competition".[5] Other countries that buy awards include the Middle East and Russia because "people there still think that money can buy you credentials", according to journalist Andy Jehring.[6]

Criticism

The Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project reported of the EBA and similar organizations that "anyone who replies, shows interest and agrees to pay gets an award".[7]

In 2015, an Indonesian magazine criticized EBA for selling "meaningless accolades to egotistical officials, especially those from countries notorious for corruption". The report noted at least two Indonesian officials had purchased the "nonsense awards".[8] In 2017, two Malaysian councils were criticized for buying awards from EBA in 2013 and 2014. Malaysian local legislator Muhammad Farid Saad equated the acquisition of the honors to "buying fake academic degrees”.[9] Also in 2017, Chinese media reported that China's state-run Longyuan Power Group had "allegedly paid for the made-up award of Best Enterprise" in 2011 from EBA. The South China Morning Post said the scam traded on the University of Oxford’s name to sell fake awards to companies.[10]

In July 2017, The Times reported that the "University of Oxford's academic reputation is being exploited by Ukrainian businessmen selling millions of pounds worth of fake awards and honours".[1]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Kenber, Billy (24 July 2017). "Oxford university in fake awards farce". Thetimes.co.uk. Retrieved 26 July 2017.
  2. 1 2 3 Curtis, Joseph (24 July 2017). "Ukrainian businessmen make millions selling 'fake' honours". Dailymail.co.uk. Retrieved 26 July 2017.
  3. ↑ "EUROPE BUSINESS ASSEMBLY LIMITED - Overview (free company information from Companies House)". Beta.companieshouse.gov.uk. Retrieved 26 July 2017.
  4. ↑ John W.A. Netting. The Academic Union. Retrieved 1 August 2017.
  5. ↑ "Bought International Awards to Show Off at Home Turf : CIN". Cin.ba. 29 August 2013. Retrieved 26 July 2017.
  6. ↑ Andy Jehring (24 July 2017). "'oxford' for sale Ukrainian business sells credentials from Oxford University for up to £9,300 and even uses its logo despite the university saying they aren't linked". The Sun. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
  7. ↑ "What Price Honor?". www.occrp.org. 10 October 2014. Retrieved 29 July 2017.
  8. ↑ Yeung, Kenneth (13 July 2015). "What Price Glory?". Indonesia Expat. Retrieved 28 July 2017.
  9. ↑ Sin Chow, Tan (27 July 2017). "Penang local councils 'fell for vanity awards scam'". Star Media Group Berhad. Retrieved 28 July 2017.
  10. ↑ Hu, Tracy (26 July 2017). "Chinese wind energy firm in Oxford fake awards scam, report says". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 28 July 2017.
  • "Europe Business Assembly". ebaoxford.co.uk. Retrieved 1 August 2017.
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