Prospects Hedd reaches landmark two million verification enquiries

Seventeen years after launching to help protect students, universities and employers from degree fraud, Hedd has now processed more than two million verification requests

Back in 2009, growing recognition of the impact degree fraud was having on businesses, universities and students led to the sector-wide development of a central UK verification service.

Out of this collaboration between HEFCE (now the Office for Students) and Prospects, Hedd was launched and immediately made the verification process more straightforward. It delivers powerful efficiencies to recruiters and universities, and helps highlight and shut down bogus universities and fake degree providers.

Hedd stands for Higher Education Degree Datacheck, but to thousands of employers, background screening agencies, embassies and universities across the globe, it is just Hedd, a short, simple word that stands for efficiency, security and speed.

Top eight Hedd highlights

Seventeen years on, we're proud of the progress Hedd and its global community of users have made to raise awareness of the importance of degree verification and drive out the fraudsters. Here are eight highlights we wanted to share with you.

1. Busted!

More than 300 bogus universities have been identified and 85 shut down.

2. Recent research

Last year, YouGov surveyed more than 500 HR decision makers on behalf of Hedd. The research revealed more employers are verifying candidate qualifications, but job application fraud is on the rise, with AI tools playing a key role.

3. Growing our university network

Since launching in 2011, Hedd has continued to expand its reach across the higher education sector. We now work with 85 Hedd partner institutions, with Richmond American University London and Bath Spa University being the most recent to join us in this capacity.

4. Qualification Fraud Awareness Week

For the past few years we have hosted the popular Qualification Fraud Awareness Week, providing valuable best practice information and engaging discussions via a series of webinars. Watch our most recent recording here.

5. Advice and guidance for higher education providers

We are often asked 'what is degree fraud and how does it affect us?' - so we produced this degree fraud toolkit for institutions to answer your questions:

6. International reach

Thanks to our arrangement with the French degree repository Verifdiploma, Hedd users can verify French degree-holders through the system. Additionally, our partnership agreements with the Chinese Service Center for Scholarly Exchange (CSCSE) and the South African Qualification Authority (SAQA), further strengthen our ability to support trusted international qualification verification. Together with our wider network of global partners, Hedd has provided qualification verifications to customers in more than 150 countries.

7. Two million verifications processed

More than two million students and graduates have started work or entered postgraduate study after having their degree credentials verified through Hedd.

8. Collaboration across the globe

Hedd works with its peers across the globe to support international student mobility, qualification verification and best practice. As a signatory to the Groningen Declaration Network and a member of both the Professional Background Screening Association (PBSA) and The Association for International Credential Evaluation Professionals (TAICEP), we contribute to the development of trusted and efficient credential verification worldwide.

If you would like to find out more about how your institution can become a Hedd partner, saving time and resource while generating income, please get in touch.

Written by

Matthew West

Marketing communications executive

Prospects at Jisc