Austrian report exposes PhD scandal threatening Malta’s academic integrity

A recent report by the Austrian newspaper Wiener Zeitung has uncovered troubling practices involving a Vienna-based institute that facilitates obtaining PhDs from Malta’s Signum Magnum College (SMC) with minimal effort. This revelation has sparked calls for an investigation, with Nationalist MEP Peter Agius at the forefront of the response.

The Wiener Zeitung report highlights that the Studienzentrum Hohe Warte (SHW), located in Vienna, offers doctoral degrees from SMC without requiring students to attend classes or complete coursework.

The ease with which these degrees can be purchased threatens the integrity of Maltese academic qualifications and undermines the hard-earned credentials of genuine students.

Peter Agius reacted strongly to these revelations. On Facebook, he denounced the practice, asserting, “Such operations undermine the value of genuine academic qualifications.”

He reported the matter to the Malta Further & Higher Education Authority (MFHEA), demanding immediate action. Public reactions have been equally critical.

“Well done, Peter. My children and I worked hard to graduate. This is a great insult and injustice,” one commenter said.

Another added, “We became the laughingstock of the world. Now, this centre sells degrees without studying. The police should investigate to ensure no Maltese citizens are falsely claiming high qualifications.”

In response to Agius’s concerns, Dennis Zammit, Head of Legal and Compliance at MFHEA, confirmed that SMC is undergoing a statutory review.

Zammit thanked Agius for bringing the issue to their attention and assured him that the institution’s operations were being scrutinised.

A PhD from SMC costs €25,600, with an installment payment option. Yet investigations show it operates out of a business centre in St. Julian’s, Malta, and does not have facilities such as lecture halls, cafeterias, or libraries. The entire process is conducted online.

Michael Schmelczer, president of SMC, has connections to several offshore companies involved in tax evasion, as detailed in the Paradise Papers. His Perchtoldsdorf villa serves as the registered address for SMC.

Jürgen Petersen, managing director of the state agency responsible for the quality assurance of domestic universities, AQ Austria, commented on the proliferation of “mailbox universities,” which are not subject to rigorous checks or European accreditation standards. Petersen said AQ Austria only became aware of SMC through recent investigations.

The MFHEA’s ongoing review is expected to conclude in September.