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I know we live in a world where „academy” means a place to hang out and to simulate teaching and learning, but…
You may probably know by now that Sorin Antohi lied when he said in his CV he held a PhD. The problem with Western universities is that they don’t require original diplomas or copies, they just believe you. Academic honesty. In Romania, they require these documents, so you have to have the decency of faking them on a good printer.
Nobody is against Antohi’s academic achievements. After all, he was the head of the History department at CEU for so many years and the good relation between Soros, Elkana and Ricoeur is in part his work. But why did he lie? And is it so hard to get a PhD in Romania?
The situation looks like Mona Musca’s Securitate file. Antohi confessed he collaborated with the former Securitate, but he forgot to mention, under the „well-kept secrets” section, that he didn’t ever get his PhD.
Students from CEU started a list of signatures to show that Antohi’s lack of the traditional PhD is not a problem for them. I would say they should start a list of signatures to change the employment regulations at CEU which should require all faculty to prove with official documents their achievements. Because, you see, Romanians prove guilty wherever they go and no matter the environment they work.
Academic honesty. I wonder if Plato had a PhD…
Plato, no… I guess he didn’t have a PhD. But maybe his teacher, Socrate, did. :))
How can students sign those papers? It’s a matter of honour, image and common sense.
Don’t kid yourself. Western universities are far less trusting than you seem to think – most requires certificates and transcripts, especially from East European countries like Romania. CEU is far from a standard Western institution.
Oh, is it so? I was never asked for academic records from the US academic institutions I visited two times. The same happened when I applied for Soros scholarships. But I never thought cheating.
CEU is acredited in the US, has American professors, American syllabi.