EUCLID University?

[FireMedic_Philosopher]

Hey all,
So I was using AI to try and research doctorate programs and Perplexity recommended something called EUCLID,which appears to be an asynchronous online college run by the UN (HQ in Gambia, West Africa, with satellite offices in Washington DC and Montpellier, France)
If I understand the website correctly, all programs are taught in English but with basic French being recommended of all students. The school primarily offers degrees to UN officials, though it also says general citizens are welcome to apply. Masters degrees are 7,600 total USD and Doctorates 10,145 USD TOTAL.
The website says they are not CHEA accredited because they operate under a UN charter??
They also claim all programs are "work at your own pace"...and can be completed in as little as 18 months.
Anyone know anything about this place?
website: http://www.euclid.int

[eLearner]

There is no such thing as "CHEA accredited." CHEA does not accredit schools. CHEA is an institution that provides information and opinions on higher education matters but has no accreditation nor state/federally-granted regulatory authority. This is regularly misunderstood by both citizens and foreigners alike.

As for EUCLID. I have done a good deal of research on them. My conclusion is that the school is legitimate and properly accredited in its home country, but if someone had counter information I'd be open to seeing it.

People point to some things in the past regarding their status in the United States as it appears they had been attempting to gain a footing here at one time, but in the end that matter is not relevant since they are not a United States institution, so there should be no expectation that they be recognized by any United States organization. I'm sure we all understand that here in this space, but the general public is ignorant to that concept and think that if a foreign school is not recognized here, even though only a handful are, then there must be an issue with it.

[bjcheung77]

Basically, I would review DegreeInfo in addition to searching this board...
https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/Thread-...#pid436225
https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/Thread-...#pid436225

[FireMedic_Philosopher]

Basically, I would review DegreeInfo in addition to searching this board...
https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/Thread-...#pid436225
https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/Thread-...#pid436225

Sorry BJ, I tried searching the forum for Euclid before posting this thread but got a message that my search term was too short or something.

[newdegree]

Don’t waste your time and money on a program like that. So many more regionally accredited options.

[Stanislav]

It is not ran by the UN. Euclid's founders include one Laurent Cleenewerck, one-time micronation founder and amateur "diplomat" behind something called Human Bioetics Treaty Organization. Euclid is organized as a treaty between a dozen small states, and now additionally is chartered and accredited as a University in the Central African Republic and The Gambia. It does seem to cater, in part, to diplomats and government officials of the member states. It's status and recognition are subject to debate. I personally think that it is, indeed, a real school. Cleenewerck himself (who now works as a Russian Orthodox priest in France) is a research methods coordinator and in this capacity co-authors a fair number of minor publications with graduate students (this what would happen at a real school). However, getting a degree from them may mean that you will have to explain it's treaty nature, UN registration, headquarters states etc.

[eLearner]

Don’t waste your time and money on a program like that.

What is it like?

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However, getting a degree from them may mean that you will have to explain it's treaty nature, UN registration, headquarters states etc.

Wouldn't just pointing to it being accredited in its home country be the way to go?

[Stanislav]

However, getting a degree from them may mean that you will have to explain it's treaty nature, UN registration, headquarters states etc.

Wouldn't just pointing to it being accredited in its home country be the way to go?

What is Euclid's home country? People may justifiably doubt that it can legitimately be described as a CAR or The Gambia university. And if we have an American (Pakistani?) school with Gambian accreditation, it becomes uncomfortably close to the case of Saint Regis University (a notorious degree mill that bribed some Liberian official to become "accredited").
Don't get me wrong, I don't think Euclid is anything like Saint Regis. However, it's not enough to "point to it being accredited" to argue that. To be fair, it passes other tests, like having faculty with real degrees and students and faculty publishing research. But in this case, we're forced to essentially do accreditors' job and evaluate the school ourselves.

P. S. Fr. Laurent's own degrees are also interesting. He has some French IT diplomas, and then went to St. Serge Institute for his seminary degree (this is a well known if tiny school, and AFAIK the degree is validated by the Sorbonne). He then did some study at one of the US Orthodox seminaries (St. Tikhon's?) to get "MDiv equivalency" (which I gather is code for some classes a Bishop told him to take in order to get ordained). St Tikhon's is ATS accredited. His priestly ordination is very valid (by late Archbishop Vsevolod of Ukrainian Orthodox Church USA). Then he got Master's in Ecumenism Studies from Ukrainian Catholic University. UCU is a great school; I believe the degree itself will be equivalent to "propio" simply because of the niche major - but seems rigorous enough. He then got degrees from schools he was closely associated with - an MPH from Euclid, as well as a Doctorate from St. Gregory Nazianzen Institute. The latter is run by an interesting priest in Puerto Rico (Dr. Dr. Dr. Archimandrite Count Andrew), at the time was validated by Universidad Rural Nicaragua. Fr. Laurent was one of that school's administrators, until I suppose they had a falling out and Fr. Andrew converted to Eastern Rite Catholicism. Finally, Fr. Laurent got a PhD in Public Health from Texila American. Quite a journey. Cleenewerck did write at least one book and several articles and in general presents as an academic, if very unconventional one. I like weird stories like this one.

[eLearner]

What is Euclid's home country? People may justifiably doubt that it can legitimately be described as a CAR or The Gambia university. 

According to them and the IAU (WHED), The Central African Republic as it's where their primary headquarters is located.

[Stanislav]

What is Euclid's home country? People may justifiably doubt that it can legitimately be described as a CAR or The Gambia university. 

According to them and the IAU (WHED), The Central African Republic as it's where their primary headquarters is located.

Also, The Gambia, where it's other primary headquarters are located. But wait - they are also a Washington, DC - based international NGO. Or is it at a home country of people who primarily run it (tend not be CAR or Gambia)? Dr. John Bear concluded that it's home is a double-wide trailer in Eureka, California, then-home of Fr. Laurent (and I suppose now that would be where he now lives, at his Moscow-aligned new parish in France). I believe this last take to be false, but note how an expert in this field (instrumental in taking down a superficially similar outfit, St. Regis) could believe that?

I happen to agree it's a real school, and I happen to like it. It doesn't mean it is well-known or established enough to convince everyone. Buyer beware.