There have been accusations by many agents that some UK University regional managers in particular for South Asia regions have been taking bribe, practicing favouritism, nepotism and having arrangements that are clear conflict of interest.
As UK have experienced unprecedented number of internationals students in recent years, universities have been oversubscribed with number of admission applications and failing to issue offer letter in time or at all, struggling to arrange academic credibility interviews and pre-CAS interviews. Many universities closing application deadlines, deposit deadlines far too early.
Some international regional managers are taking full advantages of this situation, many agents blamed that they take cash money to ensure their favoured agents get quick offers, interviews and CAS and agents who do not have any such arrangements do suffer, fail to meet recruitment target leading to non-renewal of agent agreement because they are not 'cash-cow' for those managers. Some managers also get expensive family holidays or high value gifts paid by agents who get favours.
Some managers also favours agents who are their relatives or have connections through other business or family interests while some initiated to open agencies by their relatives/close friends to get awarded with agent contracts, high commission rates or extra benefits in the name of volume bonus. These are clear conflict of interest and breach of professional integrity.
Agents know who these managers are, but no one has any hard proof or no one dares to officially disclose this to avoid fierce reactions from the university and other potential negative impacts by individuals/organisations involved in this.
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