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Europe Business Assembly logo

The Europe Business Assembly (EBA) is a legitimate company registered in the UK involved in Market research and public opinion polling.

EBA also runs the Oxford Academic Union and publishes the Socrates Almanac. A 2017 article was published in The Times  largely based on comments of anonymous ex-employees accusing EBA of selling  "fake awards", or what are more widely known as "vanity awards". However, these claims have since been refuted by the company.

Background

EBA was founded in 2000, by Ukrainian businessman Anton Savvov, and he runs it out of Oxford and Ukraine, along with his son Ivan Savvov. By specifically referring to nationality of businessmen, the author of the article puts all Ukrainians in negative light, therefore violating the Independent Press Standards Organization’s the Editor’s code of practice in point of Discrimination.

Activities

Over the past 17 years EBA has been organising international forums called the Summits of Leaders, which attended by international institutions such as University Degli Studi Di Brescia 

EBA offers the European Quality Award, Socrates International Award (for intellectual development of society), Best Enterprise Award, Best Manager of the Year Award, Rose of Paracelsus Award (medical practice and practitioners), Queen Victoria Commemorative Medal (corporate social responsibility), and The Name in Science Award. The awards are presented in venues including Oxford Town Hall and the Institute of Directors in London, by EBA's director general John Netting, a former lecturer at Oxford Brookes University, with ceremonies including trumpeters, bagpipes, processions, and period costumes. 

 The EBA also runs the Oxford Academic Union, with membership costing £980, and publishes the Socrates Almanac.

Criticism

The Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project reported of the EBA and similar organizations that "anyone who replies, shows interest and agrees to pay gets an award".

In 2015, an Indonesian magazine criticized EBA for selling "meaningless accolades to egotistical officials, especially those from countries notorious for corruption". The report noted at least two Indonesian officials had purchased the "nonsense awards". In 2017, two Malaysian councils were criticized for buying awards from EBA in 2013 and 2014. Malaysian local legislator Muhammad Farid Saad equated the acquisition of the honors to "buying fake academic degrees”. Also in 2017, Chinese media reported that China's state-run Longyuan Power Group had "allegedly paid for the made-up award of Best Enterprise" in 2011 from EBA. The South China Morning Post said the scam traded on the University of Oxford’s name to sell fake awards to companies.

In July 2017, The Times reported that the "University of Oxford's academic reputation is being exploited by Ukrainian businessmen selling millions of pounds worth of fake awards and honours".

The University, however, does not share this view: A spokesman for the University of Oxford said: “We can confirm that the Europe Business Assembly is not affiliated or otherwise linked to the University of Oxford. We have no further comment on this company.” 

According to Companies House EBA is based in Oxford , it has no relations with the University of Oxford.

EBA Awards are legitimate accolades designed and produced in the UK, officially registered with The Intellectual Property Office  in the United Kingdom:

1)    Queen Victoria Commemorative medal UK00003092481

2)    Socrates Award UK00003092483, UK00003105710

3)     European Quality Award UK00003092485

4)     Best Enterprise Award UK00003105713

5)    Name in Science Prize UK00002563774

The Times states that EBA advertised itself as being an Oxford institution, however it uses photos from EBA website in its article  without referencing EBA copyright.

References

  1. ^ Kenber, Billy (24 July 2017). "Oxford university in fake awards farce". Thetimes.co.uk. Retrieved 26 July 2017.
  2. Curtis, Joseph (24 July 2017). "Ukrainian businessmen make millions selling 'fake' honours". Dailymail.co.uk. Retrieved 26 July 2017.
  3. "What Price Honor?". www.occrp.org. 10 October 2014. Retrieved 29 July 2017.
  4. Yeung, Kenneth (13 July 2015). "What Price Glory?". Indonesia Expat. Retrieved 28 July 2017.
  5. Sin Chow, Tan (27 July 2017). "Penang local councils 'fell for vanity awards scam'". Star Media Group Berhad. Retrieved 28 July 2017.
  6. Hu, Tracy (26 July 2017). "Chinese wind energy firm in Oxford fake awards scam, report says". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 28 July 2017.
  7. Trafford, Billy Kenber, Investigations Reporter | Anna Gross | Christina Zhao | Robert. "Oxford university in fake awards farce". Retrieved 2 August 2017. {{cite news}}: no-break space character in |title= at position 33 (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)

External links

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