Serbia to Probe Scandal-Hit Megatrend University

Endre Pap, the president of the Commission for Accreditation and Quality Assurance, told BIRN on Monday that Megatrend University would face rigorous checks after the scandal which saw rector Mica Jovanovic resign.

The private Belgrade-based university is due to be examined as it approaches the regular renewal of its five-year accreditation, but the checks are now expected to be more detailed.

“It is essential that the commission checks the teachers and the mentors from Megatrend University. We will especially go through the books in which teachers and mentors cite their diplomas and references,” said Pap.

Pap said that the controversy over Jovanovic’s doctorate thesis would also be taken into account.

Jovanovic initially said he had done his thesis at the London School of Economics but the prestigious British college denied this.

The European Network of National Information Centres on Academic Recognition and Mobility then confirmed this and Jovanovic resigned as rector, although he still owns the university.

On Sunday however the ex-rector went on Serbian television to show a document that he claimed was his PhD, genuinely obtained in Britain.

The Megatrend scandal initially erupted after Interior Minister Nebojsa Stefanovic was accused by three Serbian academics of plagiarising parts of his thesis.