“Scammed by IVEY?” Students Expose Alleged Fake UK Diplomas

Colombo, Sri Lanka — A storm is brewing at IVEY Campus in Colombo 07, where a group of postgraduate students has lodged a formal complaint alleging they were misled into enrolling in a bogus UK-affiliated academic program. The students, who completed the Postgraduate Diploma in Strategic Leadership and Management under the impression that it was officially recognized by the UK-based awarding body OTHM, are now left without accreditation, recognition, or recourse—despite paying substantial fees.

Students from Batch 5 (commenced August 2023) and Batch 6 (commenced February 2024) claim that IVEY Campus, located at No. 104, Srimath Anagarika Dharmapala Mawatha, failed to register them with OTHM UK despite promising full academic recognition. The program was marketed as equivalent to the taught portion of a Master’s degree under the Ofqual-regulated OTHM framework, requiring only a university-affiliated dissertation to complete a full MBA or Master’s qualification.

However, reality has proven far from the glossy brochure. None of the students—despite paying course fees in full and an additional £200 registration fee per student—have been officially registered with OTHM UK. Repeated efforts to follow up with campus CEO Mr. Fawzer Farook and Dean Dr. Nazeefa Fawzer via calls, emails, and WhatsApp messages have reportedly yielded no resolution.

Dr. Nazeefa Fawzer, who serves as Director and Dean of the campus, is a renowned research lecturer affiliated with several other academic institutions in Colombo, including APIIT. Her academic stature in Sri Lanka’s higher education landscape has made the allegations particularly alarming for those affected.

A total of 13 students are now demanding urgent action:

Batch 5

• K. Kunadarsi
• J.A. Roshan Jayanath
• Chamika Jayawardena
• Dilshan Mahesh Bodhidasa
• Frazer Fernandes
• Naveed Haq
• Amani Naeemullah – Student No – L7SML2308010

Batch 6

• Dilhara Abeyrathna
• Rashika Wijekoon
• Hamza Hidayathullah
• Mary Arshani
• Roshanu Mahenthiran
• Lahiru Peiris (student number error unresolved)
• Lakshitha Madushanka

The students allege that while IVEY Campus issued internal letters of module completion to some individuals, those documents are meaningless without official OTHM UK registration—rendering their time, effort, and money effectively worthless in the eyes of global academic institutions.

“We fulfilled all academic and financial obligations. Now we’re left with certificates that mean nothing abroad,” said one affected student, who asked not to be named.

The group also revealed that all payments were made to the institution’s Commercial Bank account (Account No: 1000543382, Duplication Road Branch), raising questions about potential financial misconduct.

With dreams of foreign postgraduate education and global careers now hanging in the balance, the students are calling for immediate intervention and legal action. They urge Sri Lankan authorities and education regulators to investigate the matter and ensure that IVEY Campus is held accountable if found guilty of fraud and misrepresentation.

The case has not only cast doubt on the credibility of IVEY Campus but has also reignited concerns about unregulated private institutions in Sri Lanka that promise foreign qualifications without proper authorizations or affiliations.

Efforts to contact IVEY Campus via the listed phone numbers (077 220 7004 and 077 072 8483) went unanswered at the time of reporting.

As education remains a passport to opportunity, these students are now left in academic limbo—and demand that justice be served.