Job Discussion Forums

[McBrainiac]

These days, the Saudi Cultural Mission has started to require a Letter in a sealed envelope from the university where you studied stating the method of instruction (online, distance learning, or regular classroom). The letter must specify all online credits, if any, and whether the applicant studied on the main campus of the university. They are now asking this of anyone needing a cultural mission stamp.

I can't say that I really understand why they are doing this. It does not seem to me that the mode of delivery of courses has anything to do with quality. What is it about online education that they don't like? Research findings seem to indicate that online ed actually produces better results in terms of outcome. So, what gives? Thoughts?

[robbie_davies]

[babur]

[nomad soul]

An Internet search on sacm degree application for authentication brings up a pdf of the form McBrainiac is referring to.

[nomad soul]

[McBrainiac]

Thanks, that was precisely the point. They are asking this for online graduates of accredited, high profile, major universities. In my long career, I have seen more than one non-native speaker who received Ph.Ds (in both fields related to ESL and unrelated fields) from famous US research universities, and, in one case, proceeded to get a tenured ESL job at a university in Japan. Problem was, he was a fraud! He had attended class for all those years, and must have merely paid someone to write his dissertation! We know this because he couldn't even write a grammatically correct sentence in English! This kind of thing goes on more than people think, I am afraid. So, are online degree holders likely to be any worse than those from any brick and mortar university, such as the Japanese "professor" I described? I really wonder about that.

[babur]

Help = "Please write the module for me". "I need a Masters to stay in Saudi." How much?

[scot47]

I have known teachers in KSA who had their wives do their MA coursework for them. Shameful !

[plumpy nut]

Lots of luck newcomers . Not all universities will give out that kind of information. The university I received my bachelor's from refused. But I eventually received my employment visa anyway.

[plumpy nut]

[veiledsentiments]

A lack of ability in grammar doesn't prove a lack of intelligence or knowledge of the research topic. I suspect that many theses get assistance for the final written form. (commonly referred to as editors)

VS

[McBrainiac]

True, many people get assistance when writing dissertations. You had to have been there to have seen and observed what I did. It went beyond bad grammar. My point was just that traditional degrees have also not eliminated cheating either. IMHO, accredited schools have their quality checks, that is why they are accredited. Delivery mode is not so important.

[rdobbs98]

All I can say it depends. When I sent all my documents to SACM, they at first refused my Executive MBA program but then I submitted the same exact programs from Saudi universities and asked if they would attest their own distance programs and they stated yes, which in turn got mine attested.

I got my Iqama, first the temp employment visa, without much hassle the problem was they were slow and lazy in processing. I learned that you can yell at them on the phone, they either first start yelling or respond this way; if they say no on something, argue because for the most part they change their opinion; and finally stay on their case and check on them constantly. They may not immediately return your contact but they will eventually do so.

One example is child custody issues. I have sole custody and the embassy tried telling me I didn't and weren't going to approve my children's visa without a statement from ex. I gave them an attested copy of the custody agreement, which cost me $20, and it plainly stated I had sole custody. US State Department rules state I do not need any permission from my ex, and why I was able to get their passports without her signature, for sole or full custody parents. I yelled at them and told them to "read the custody document" and what the law stated. They agreed and approved the children's visas. Just another example of their incompetence.

Nisrin, SACM, was the one who told me the embassy was the one sitting on my paperwork for two weeks and she constantly has this issue with them. I spoke with a communications director as well for SACM and they stated the same, the embassy can get stuff done fast but chooses to just do it at their own pace.

The bottom line is don't listen to rumors, when you feel your right push for it, and never take no as an answer. In the end it still may become no but you may also get what you want.

I got my and my children's visas as a result.

[Grendal]

[Expat101]

So I guess all the beautiful official stamps from the government will not suffice them these days? What if your degree was obtained long before online courses were even being used?