2015年11月14日星期六

菲博士

香港神童拔尖入大學例子不少,跳級成才,三扒兩撥,就可以大學畢業,之後三數年間便獲取博士學位。標少天生愚魯,讀書如逆水行舟,千辛萬苦,方抵彼岸。對於那些努力不懈,持續進修,上了年紀還不斷學習,增添學歷的人,羡慕不已。他們的學位,像大戰英雄,戰績彪炳,襟前掛滿勳章,顯示戰功,使人肅然起敬。畢竟這已不是戰爭年代,除了錢可以增加人的價值,就只有學識了。口講無憑,有無學識,不及一紙文憑的印證。甚麽明星,兩個月就完成一個學位,甚麽阿嬸區議員一年就攫取PhD。嘩!所以我前一句要用「印證」,就快到像自己開了printer印證書出來一樣的效率。如果陳文敏當不上副校主要理由是沒有博士學位,以他的學識,真的可以像熱帶風暴,橫掃菲律賓,一日拿幾個PhD回來,當不上港大副校,也可以當嶺南、樹仁的校長。那裏菲博士校友多,份外親切。

看到菲博士的新聞,你估我第一個聯想是甚麼……方鴻漸。佢係乜水?錢鍾書筆下《圍城》的主角人物。《圍城》在1947年初版,距今68年,論小說,《圍城》未必是頂尖的小說,論才華,錢鍾書肯定是開國第一才子。為甚麽扯上《圍城》來講呢?讀過《圍城》的人,一定知道故事主人翁方鴻漸的博士學位是怎樣得來的。未讀過這本書的人就聽我道來,其實如果你未讀過錢鍾書的任何作品,就枉讀文學了。

方鴻漸放洋遊學,心路是這樣的:

    「他是個無用之人,學不了土木工程,在大學裏從社會學系轉哲學系,最後轉入中國文學系畢業。學國文的人出洋“深造”,聽來有些滑稽。事實上,惟有學中國文學的人非到外國留學不可。因為一切其他科目像數學、物理、哲學、心理、經濟、法律等等都是外國灌輸進來的,早已洋氣撲鼻;只有國文是國貨土產,還需要外國招牌,方可維持地位,正好像中國官吏、商人在本國剝削來的錢要換外匯,才能保持國幣的原本價值。」(天地圖書出版《圍城》第九頁)

30年代沒有遙距課程,資訊不發達,剽竊論文不難,始終要出去混,拜洋廟吃洋湯,才與眾不同。方鴻漸又怎樣渾噩呢?

    「方鴻漸到了歐洲,既不抄敦煌卷子,又不訪《永樂大典》,也不找太平天國文獻,更不學蒙古文、西藏文或梵文。四年中倒換了三個大學,倫敦、巴黎、柏林;隨便聽幾門功課,興趣頗廣,心得全無,生活尤其懶散。」(第九頁)

方鴻漸混了幾年,鳥倦就算不知還,總也要面對現實,不負家人期望,弄個博士學位衣錦還鄉,今之視昔,雖然差不多70年前的作品,錢鍾書的洞察力叫人欽佩,戲謔式的文筆仗著學識廣博而發揮得淋漓。

    「他到柏林圖書館中國書編目室去看一位德國朋友,瞧見地板上一大堆民國初年上海出的期刊,《東方雜誌》、《小説月報》、《大中華》、《婦女雜誌》全有。信手翻着一張中英文對照的廣告,是美國紐約甚麽“克萊登法商專門學校函授班,將來畢業,給予相當於學士、碩士或博士之證書,章程函索即寄,通訊處紐約第幾街幾號幾之幾,方鴻漸心裏一動,想事隔二十多年,這學校不知是否存在,反正去封信問問,不費多少錢。那登廣告的人,原是個騙子,因為中國人不來上當,改行不幹了,人也早死了。他住的那間公寓房間現在租給一個愛爾蘭人,具有愛爾蘭人的不負責、愛爾蘭人的急智、還有愛爾蘭人的窮。相傳愛爾蘭人的不動產(Irish fortune)是奶和屁股;這位是個蕭伯納式既高且瘦的男人,那兩項財產的分量又得打折扣。他當時在信箱裏拿到鴻漸來信,以為郵差寄錯了,但地址明明是自己的,好奇拆開一看,莫名其妙,想了半天,快活得跳起來,忙向鄰室小報記者借個打字機,打了一封回信,説先生既在歐洲大學讀書,程度想必高深,無庸再經函授手續,只要寄一萬字論文一篇附繳美金五百元,審查及格,立即寄上哲學博士文憑,回信可寄本人,不必寫學術名字。署名Patrick Mahoney,後面自贈了四五個博士頭銜。方鴻漸看信紙是普通用的,上面並沒刻學校名字,信的内容分明更是騙局,擱下不理。愛爾蘭人等急了,又來封信,說如果價錢嫌貴,可以從長商議,本人素愛中國,辦教育的人尤其不願牟利。

    方鴻漸盤算一下,想愛爾蘭人無疑在搗鬼,自己買張假文憑回去哄人,豈非也成了騙子?可是——記着,方鴻漸進過哲學系的——撒謊欺騙有時並非不道德。柏拉圖《理想國》裏就説兵士對敵人,醫生對病人,官吏對民眾都應哄騙。聖如孔子,還假裝生病,哄走了儒悲,孟子甚至對齊宣王也撒謊裝病。父親和丈人希望自己是個博士,做兒子女婿的人好意思教他們失望麽?買張文憑去哄他們,好比前清時代花錢捐個官,或英國殖民地商人向帝國府庫報效幾萬鎊換個爵士頭銜,光耀門楣,也是孝子賢婿應有的承歡養志。反正自己將來找事時,履歷上決不開這個學位。索性把價錢殺得極低,假如愛爾蘭人不肯,這事就算吹了,自己也免做騙子,便覆信説:至多出一百美金,先寄三十,文憑到手,再寄餘款;此間尚有中國同學三十餘人,皆願照此辦法向貴校接洽。愛爾蘭人起初不想答應,後來看方鴻漸語氣堅決,又就近打聽出來美國博士頭銜確在中國時髦,漸漸相信歐洲真有三十多條中國糊塗蟲,要向他買文憑。他並且探出來做這種買賣的同行很多,例如東方大學、東美合眾國大學,聯合大學(Intercollegiate University)、真理大學等等,便宜的可以十塊美金出賣碩士文憑,神玄大學(College of Divine Metaphysics)廉價一起奉送三種博士文憑;這都是堂堂立案注册的學校,自己萬萬比不上。於是他抱薄利暢銷的宗旨,跟鴻漸講生意成交。他收到三十美金,印了四五十張空白文憑,填好一張,寄給鴻漸,附信催他繳款和通知其他學生來接洽。鴻漸回信道,經詳細調查,美國並無這個學校,文憑等於廢紙,姑念初犯,不予追究,希望悔過自新,滙上十美金聊充改行的本錢 。愛爾蘭人氣得咒罵個不停,喝醉酒,紅着眼要找中國人打架,這事也許是中國自有外交或訂商約以來唯一的勝利。 」(第11/12頁)

本來九流學府的學位,無異於方鴻漸向愛爾蘭人買一紙文憑,為何不向大陸買呢?以前開玩笑講哈佛學位(哈爾濱佛教大學),現在真的成立了中國土產哈佛(哈爾濱佛教學院),頒出學位,那些走捷徑的人,不圖祖國學位,而外求菲律賓的,理由好簡單,菲博士更易蒙混,加上一個洋名,身處國外,露餡較難。真的要讀,香港的大學,postgraduate program澎湃,比undergraduate人數更多,不是為了容易蒙混,為啥?兩個月得學士學位,一年得博士學位,不禁使人質疑涉及刑事成份。那也罷,反正那些都不是搞學術的人。銜頭印在卡片上,大不了使酒樓知客肅然起敬,找份要學位的工大概不敢當自己真的具備這條件去申請吧!可是大專院校的教職員持有這種學位而至符合延聘的要求,繼而獲聘,他們會教出甚麽質素的學生來?有關大學對此要負上更大責任,因為他們比一般人更清楚那些學位有價值,那些一文不值。


23 則留言:

  1. Hearsay from a former dental council member.

    Few decades ago before the opening of the Faculty of Dentistry of the University of Hong Kong, the Philippines was a popular venue for studying dentistry by the family of the general public. Originally, graduates from the dental schools of the Philippines were not required to take the license examination of the Dental Council of Hong Kong. However, since early 1970's , graduates from the dental schools of the Philippines were required to take the license examination of the Dental Council of Hong Kong.

    The reason for change was, as I was told, the then Dental Council received complaints about certain graduates in fact did not take up the min no of years studies in the university but still could still be graduated with an authentic/ genuine degree certificate.

    Is history repeating now in 2015?

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    1. I remember the popular dentistry u at that time was called University of the East. When dentists were in short supply at that time, there was some sort of compromise.

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  2. 作為一個教育工作者, 竟以出售學位的途徑揾錢,可耻的同時,也是一件很可悲的事。

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    1. 大學教育越来越變成一門生意,所以也變得手鬆,讓學生畢業。

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  3. http://legalref.judiciary.gov.hk/lrs/common/ju/ju_frame.jsp?DIS=99231&currpage=T

    DR. YIP CHI HIM ROGER AND ANOTHER v. LEE KWOK LEUNG AND ANOTHER (HCA 356/2009, Hon L Chan J, 30 June 2015)

    1. In this action, the 1st plaintiff (“Roger Yip” or “Yip”) claims against the 1st defendant (“Stephen Lee” or “Lee”) for damages for defamation. The 2nd plaintiff (“Capital”) claims against the 2nd defendant (“Green Dragon”) for damages for breach of a contract dated 30 March 2007 (“the Listing Contract”)....

    343. Based on the above analyses, findings and acceptance of the evidence of the defendants, I make the following findings...

    382. In the premises, I hold that Lee has also succeeded in the defence of justification on the imputation of a fake or invalid doctorate degree....

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  4. 377. After the commencement of this action, Lee produced two
    e-mails from Universidad Empresarial casting doubt on whether Yip had indeed been conferred with this honorary degree. The first mail is dated 19 January 2009 from the office of the registrar of the university (CB 186). It says:
    “Dear Sir,
    We can’t confirm Roger Yip’s diploma, he is not in our records. Definitely we will love to have a scan copy of that diploma so was can trace it and try to know where it come from.
    Thanks
    Registrar office.”
    The second mail is from one William Zamora of the university and dated 16 March 2009 (CB 189). It says:
    “Dear Mr Lee,
    After reading your email, is very sad to read all of that. Neither Terence Wong or Roger Yip are part of my university and don’t have legitimate documents from my university.
    Hope this clears everything for you.
    William Zamora”
    William Zamora was said to be the President of International Operations and Development in a brochure printed for the degree conferment ceremony in which Yip was conferred with the doctorate degree (C1 181-182). He did not seem to have taken part in the ceremony.

    378. Yip’s former solicitors also wrote to the university on 15 April 2009 requesting the university to provide verification and written confirmation of Yip’s honorary degree (C8-2000). But the university did not provide any reply.

    379. The diploma purportedly given by the university to Yip for the degree also appears interesting. The national language of Costa Rica is Spanish, but the content of the diploma is in English. There is not a word of Spanish save the logo at the top and the name of the university. The name of the university is not stated as “Universidad Empresarial de Costa Rica” or its English translation “Business University of Costa Rica”, but in the form of half-Spanish and half-English called “Empresarial University of Costa Rica” (C8-2001).

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  5. It is a judicial finding of L Chan J (in HCA 356/2009) that Roger Yip used a fake degree.

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    1. Thank you for referring this case to me. Interesting reading. Yip claimed that he was conferred with an Honorary Doctorate degree, not a substantive degree. In the recent cases we saw in the news reports, they involved substantive PhD.

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    2. I find all people (including Roger Yip) who use fake degrees (of whatever kind) disgusting.

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    3. Agree without demur. Vanity.

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  6. The issues of this case are (1) plagiarism; and (2) Mal-practice of Lifelong college.

    I think that it is not fair to make adverse comment against all Philippine Universities, albeit their standard may not be the top standard.

    Furthermore, it is also not fair to make adverse comment against those graduates from Philippine University, in particular those from Bulacan State University and Tarlac State University, unless they got their certificates via lifelong.

    US

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    1. True.

      On the other hand, if through some special arrangements with Lifelong, people could obtain a degree at exorbitant speed, it is reasonable to conclude these universities are dodgy. Apart from Lifelong, who knows whether there are Lifeshort, Lifewhat? There might be multi channels to obtain a dodgy degree. What about individual negotiation?

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  7. 標標, 一提到香港與高等教育, 我就想起嚴重缺乏批判思考的學生和所謂「教授」。香港的大學的其他學科我不清楚, 但人文學科和法律的質素這幾年令我質疑。

    劍文弟

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    1. 我無你咁大膽,講啲咁嘢。

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    2. 稍稍扯開話題, 樹大的"菲學位"主要在經濟系, 其他教員都還算是正途出身(包括本地大學及其他地方學府的正式研究院)

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  8. Read this: http://legalref.judiciary.gov.hk/lrs/common/ju/ju_frame.jsp?DIS=99231&currpage=T

    C H Roger Yip (葉志謙) is in my opinion a disgusting man. The HKSAR Government should create a specific statutory crime to prosecute people who go around Hong Kong using fake or invalid degrees. There are so many of them and they are all disgusting dishonest crooks.

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  9. The recent district council election results in Hong Kong reminded me of this. What do you think? Has Elizabeth Quat committed any criminal offence by claiming to have these 3 degrees or is she fine?

    https://webb-site.com/articles/quat.asp

    "Dr" The Honourable Elizabeth Quat Pui Fan, JP of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of HK, claims on her LegCo biography page to be a "Doctor of Philosophy (Management)". In biographies elsewhere on the internet, in her election biography for the Chief Executive Election Committee, she also claimed a "BBA and MBA in Marketing". But nowhere could we find a statement of where these qualifications were obtained. So Webb-site wrote to her office, and her assistant replied that the degrees were:

    1993 Bachelor in Business Administration (Greenwich University, Hawaii)
    1994 Master of Business Administration (Greenwich University, Hawaii)
    1996 Doctor of Philosophy, Management (Greenwich University, Hawaii)
    Ah yes, Greenwich University, Hawaii. We can tell you a thing or two about that. In no way is it related to the legitimate University of Greenwich (formerly Thames Polytechnic) in England. Greenwich University, Inc. (GUI) was incorporated in Hawaii on 2-Feb-1990. It never received any accreditation from an accreditation body recognised by the US Department of Education. That makes it a degree mill by our measure. Its officers included Marjorie Fishman, Pauline Butler and one "John Walsh of Brannagh" (John Walsh). It operated out of this bungalow at 103 Kapiolani Street, Hilo, Hawaii, then home of Douglass L Capogrossi, President of Greenwich University (yes, that's Douglass with two esses).

    Quite pretty, we are sure you will agree - but it doesn't look like the head office of a university, distance-learning or otherwise. Another entity with the same officers at the same address was United Pacific Corporation (UPC), incorporated on 2-Apr-1990, 2 months after GUI. UPC had multiple trade names including United Pacific University, Sterling School of Business, Pacific International University, Greenwich University Centre for European Studies (from 22-Oct-1991) and "Greenwich University" (from 22-Jul-2003), all of which have expired. The last filings for both GUI and UPC were in 2003 and they were involuntarily dissolved after 3 years of delinquency.

    By the way, on 4-Mar-2014 we asked Ms Quat's office for the title of, and a copy of, her doctoral thesis, or where one could be found. Nothing has been forthcoming.

    Norfolk Island
    After Ms Quat obtained her "degrees" from Hawaii, in 1998 Greenwich University moved to Norfolk Island, an external territory in the Commonwealth of Australia, which since 1979 had been allowed a higher degree of autonomy, so to speak. In the 2011 census, the island had a population of 2302 people, of whom 78% were residents. Many can trace their heritage to mutineers of The Bounty, whose descendants settled from Pitcairn to Norfolk Island in 1856. Prior to that it had been a penal colony.

    According to his own biographies on Linked In and the Victorian Bar of Australia, John Walsh has been "Chancellor Emeritus" of Greenwich University since 1989 and President of Norfolk Island Bar Association since 1994. We have been unable to locate any other members of that association, nor a web site for it. John Walsh has also been appointed to various Norfolk Island positions, including as a senior member of the Administrative Review Tribunal and as deputy chairman of the Gaming Authority. In 2004 elections he was nominated and ran unsuccessfully for the 9-member Norfolk Legislative Assembly. He also calls himself the "Duke de Ronceray Sir John Francis Patrick Cyril Colclough Walsh of Brannagh" and "Marquis de Segre, Count de Bauge et de Fontevrault, Viscount de Fontevrault, Baron de Beaufort". Honestly, we don't make this stuff up.

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  10. Chinese version (as reported in Apple Daily): -

    http://hk.apple.nextmedia.com/news/art/20140412/18687141

    Webb質疑葛珮帆學歷

    民建聯立法會議員葛珮帆報稱學歷為博士,但獨立股評人David Webb追蹤葛珮帆報稱的「Greenwich University, Hawaii」,發現這所學校不但與英國名校Greenwich University(格林威治大學)完全無關,「校址」其實是校長的住址。該校無論在美國或其後搬到澳洲,均從未獲當地教育部門認可,最後更倒閉。

    未獲美國及澳洲認可

    David Webb在其網站表示,他們獲葛珮帆助手回覆,葛就讀的是「Greenwich University, Hawaii」,分別於1993年、94年取得工商管理學士及碩士、96年取得管理哲學博士。

    葛珮帆競選時曾被人力的袁彌明質疑是在野雞大學「買學位」,葛當時就聲稱「用9年時間好辛苦讀返嚟,係捱返嚟嘅」。

    但Webb發現,該校於1990年2月才在夏威夷州成立,從未獲美國教育部門認可,更奇的是,報稱地址竟是校長Douglass Capogrossi住址,該地址同時用於「United Pacific Corporation」註冊地址,兩間公司均已解散。Webb亦曾向葛查閱其博士論文題目,至今未獲回應。

    這所夏威夷格林威治大學於1998年搬到澳洲外屬地、只有2,302人居住的諾福克島,由於該島不受制於澳洲教育條例,所以該校學歷同樣不獲澳洲承認,2002年該校關閉。至於Douglass Capogrossi,同年在夏威夷州開設另一教育機構Akamai University,同樣未獲美國政府認可。

    My question: 民建聯立法會議員葛珮帆有無干犯任何香港嘅刑事罪行?

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  11. Another report (http://hk.apple.nextmedia.com/realtime/news/20140411/52375862): -

    葛珮帆「博士」學歷再被質疑 股評人踢爆:校址為校長地址

    民建聯立法會議員葛珮帆報稱擁有「博士」學歷,但其學歷資格再遭人質疑。獨立股評人David Webb追蹤葛珮帆報稱獲得博士學位的「Greenwich University, Hawaii」,發現其學校不但與英國名校「Greenwich University」(格林威治大學)毫無關係,而「校址」更只是校長的住址,非但從未獲當地教育部門認可,最後更倒閉。

    David Webb稱獲葛珮帆助手回覆,指葛就讀的是「Greenwich University, Hawaii」,分別於1993年、94年取得工商管理學士及碩士、96年取得管理哲學博士。但Webb發現該校於1990年2月才在夏威夷州成立,從未獲美國教育部門認可,報稱的地址是校長Douglass Capogrossi的住址,該處同時用於「United Pacific Corporation」的註冊地址,但兩間公司均已解散。

    葛珮帆競選時曾被人力的袁彌明質疑是在野雞大學「買學位」,葛當時就聲稱「用9年時間好辛苦讀返嚟,係捱返嚟嘅」。

    Q: 民建聯立法會議員葛珮帆有無干犯任何香港嘅刑事罪行?

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    1. How about S.26(2)(a) Cap 554,

      章:

      554 PDF 標題: 《選舉(舞弊及非法行為)條例》 憲報編號: E.R. 2 of 2012
      條: 26 條文標題: 發布關於候選人的虛假或具誤導性的陳述的非法行為 版本日期: 02/08/2012
      (1) 任何人為促使或阻礙某候選人或某些候選人當選,而發布關於該候選人或該等候選人且屬虛假達關鍵程度或具誤導性達關鍵程度的事實陳述,即屬在選舉中作出非法行為。
      (2) 任何候選人—

      (a) 為促使他或跟他有關聯的候選人當選;或
      (b) 為阻礙另一名候選人或另一些候選人當選,
      而發布關於他或跟他有關聯的候選人或關於該另一名候選人或該等其他候選人且屬虛假達關鍵程度或具誤導性達關鍵程度的事實陳述,即屬在選舉中作出非法行為。
      (3) 就本條而言,關於候選人的陳述,包括(但不限於)關於候選人的品格、資歷或以往的行為的陳述。
      (4) 在就有人作出第(1)或(2)款所指非法行為的罪行而提起的檢控中,被告人如證明在作出有關陳述時有合理理由相信該項陳述是真確的,即可以此作為免責辯護。

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    2. Did Hong Kong law enforcement agencies do anything about this?

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    3. Even if a report is made to the police, I don't think a case file will be opened to investigate. There are grey areas. The name of the university may mislead people into associating it with the well established UK one but after all there was specification that it is the Hawaiian one. Another question is, Is the false statement 'materially' false? Does the falsity promote the election of this candidate/

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