The University of Otago is joining a nationwide fight against fake degrees, some of which are almost indistinguishable from the real thing.
All universities in Australasia are joining a high-tech system, called My eQuals, which will allow them to provide digital copies of qualifications to graduates to pass on to employers.
The effort comes as internet sites around the globe sell fake degrees to order, buyers being able to pick their qualification and provider.A quick search on Google found multiple sites selling fake Otago University degrees, which are advertised as looking just like the real thing.
The sites also offer academic transcripts and charged up to $US379 ($NZ534).
Otago University director of academic services John Price said the university would introduce the system later this year.
"The sale of fake degrees for New Zealand institutions, and others globally, is not uncommon," Mr Price said.
However, the university already had systems in place to combat fraud.
"The university maintains an online database of students who have graduated from Otago and employers can check qualification details against this.
"We also encourage any employer or institution that has any doubts about a claimed Otago qualification to contact us," he said.
Universities New Zealand chief executive Chris Whelan said the fake degrees sold online were almost indistinguishable from the real thing.
They were "very convincing" and the websites boasted of being able to print them on the same card as the real thing.
The only thing the counterfeiters would not copy was the signature of the person who signed the degree.
My eQuals combated the practice by removing the need for employers to sight paper copies of degrees.
It was not known how common it was for people to buy fake degrees or diplomas purporting to be from New Zealand institutions, Mr Whelan said.
"We are not aware of it being a widespread problem.
"But the fact is there are websites out there ... which offer degrees and transcripts showing grades for individual courses for a wide range of world universities and there is some that even offer them for New Zealand universities."
That the sites were offering them suggested people had been buying them.
Combating fake degrees through My eQuals was an important way of protecting the reputation of New Zealand universities.
"Our education system is highly regarded and we don’t want anything that can bring that system into disrepute.
"We certainly don’t want employers thinking this person fronted up with a degree from a university in New Zealand and they are rubbish, therefore New Zealand degrees are rubbish."