IBS not a University

The Institute of Business Studies (IBS) is not recognised as a University by the Department Higher Education, Research Science and Technology despite changing their status to University early this year.

This has resulted in a lot of grade 12 students who applied to IBS, missing out on the selection or were selected to other tertiary institutions.

According to the Secretary for DHRST Fr Jan Czuba, IBS was given temporary accreditation for 3 years and within those 3 years, they were supposed apply for Independent Institutional Accreditation which they failed.

“They did not apply for Independent Institutional Accreditation, instead they spoke to former DHRST Minister Francis Marus and they got a political recognition as a university”

However, Fr Jan explained that according to the laws of Higher Education, all applications aspiring to be a University must go through the National Higher Technical Education Board which is the only body that makes recommendations.

“The National Higher Technical Education Board was in existence and still is,I was the chairman of the Board but IBS has never sent any applications through to this body”
Fr Jan said the Board then made a formal declaration that IBS is not a University and not accredited as a Higher Education Institute after considering the fact that their temporary accreditation time of 3 years expired in October this year.
The Secretary urged the public to understand why such decision had to be made and that is to maintain the quality of Higher Education in the country.
“Other countries regard our degree and diploma as quality and that is our Academic Currency which is why such protocols must be followed by any institution that wants to be a university”
“If IBS wants to be a University, they have to demonstrate that they have met our standards”
Fr Jan also revealed that, IBS was given 4 invitations requesting that an External Academic Audit be done in order to give them recognition, however they also refused to be audited.
He said what IBS is doing is ethically and legally wrong and the Department will apply the Higher Education Act to close the institution if they continue or they will be fined K250.000.
“We cannot allow institutions to come to our country or foreigners to establish themselves, use our name as Department of Higher Education, No! You have to respect our laws!”
“As a Secretary for Higher Education, I will do everything to protect the Academic Currency of our Degrees, Diplomas or Certificates, I cannot be compromised!” said Fr Jan.
Meanwhile, Fr Jan called on parents not to risk their children’s future by enrolling them at institutions which are not recognised by the system.