Title trading
As title trade of illegal trade is designated titles. The so-called "doctoral consultations" represent a legal gray area.
background
The doctoral degree brings its holder social prestige and possibly an increase in income, depending on profession and country. Hence, there is a temptation for some people to attain the degree without investing time or effort. Above all, the degree without the addition of "hc" and without the requirement to have it with an indication of origin is particularly attractive. In Austria or Germany , this is not legally possible without a regular doctorate and dissertation .
The sociologist and elite researcher Michael Hartmann called the "social prestige of a doctorate" still relatively high. The doctoral degree is no longer absolutely necessary in order to belong to an elite , but it rounds off the “supposedly flawless overall picture” and certainly helps with one's personal career . In particular, "in professions in which you have to represent, it is definitely useful to get a doctorate". Debora Weber-Wulff demanded that the doctoral degree no longer be entered in the identity card, as it is only of importance in a scientific context, not in an economic or private environment.
Situation in Germany
In Germany, the mediation and assistance with doctoral theses is regarded as doctoral advice. So-called title dealers convey titles such as a diploma , doctorate or professorship. One service is to establish contact with the professor and to support the doctorate. However, since the doctoral student ultimately has to find and work on his topic himself, there is very little left that could legally be taken over by a "doctoral consultancy".
In some cases, the doctoral advisors also convey titles from foreign universities, mostly from Eastern Europe or other continents. These usually do not make too great demands on the content of the doctorate. Doctoral advice helps with the translation into the respective national language or with the writing of the doctoral thesis yourself. According to Zeit, a doctorate costs 25,000 to 40,000 euros - a diploma or a professorship a little less.
Companies that provide honorary doctorates from foreign (mostly Eastern European) universities or institutes that are awarded to interested parties in return for a “donation” operate in a legal gray area. Although this is not necessarily illegal, these degrees may not be entered in the ID card and also not listed without "hc" and an indication of origin, which greatly reduces the attractiveness of the offer.
The target group are mostly lawyers, brokers, business consultants, managers and doctors who are in the working world and do not want to spend the time on a dissertation.
Situation in Russia
Around 30,000 doctorates are awarded annually in Russia. In some cases, doctoral degrees are awarded to deserving civil servants without consideration or even sold directly. In 2012, the rector of the Academy of Mathematics in Moscow had to resign because his doctoral degree had been bought.
See also
Individual evidence
- ^ Opinion for the Committee on Education, Research and Technology Assessment on the “Quality of Scientific Work” ( Memento of December 16, 2011 in the Internet Archive ) (PDF file; 113 kB)
- ↑ Fraud: At the title dealer
- ↑ The wrong game with doctoral theses in Russia - tagesschau.de ( Memento from February 11, 2013 in the Internet Archive )