French university boss suspended in fraud case

PARIS: The president of a French university was suspended yesterday for allegedly obstructing a probe into claims that corrupt academics sold degrees to hundreds of Chinese students.

Higher Education Minister Valerie Pecresse ordered the probe in April after reports said Sud Toulon Var university was enrolling Chinese students with an inadequate level of French and dishing out qualifications for money.

Last month, she authorized a full judicial inquiry and disciplinary action after an inquiry confirmed the southeastern faculty had bent the rules to award degrees to Chinese students who did not merit them.