The Council of Europe and the Italian Information Centre on Academic Mobility and Equivalence (CIMEA), acting under the mandate of the Italian Ministry for Universities and Research, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to establish in Italy the Centre for Preventing and Countering Education Fraud.

Signed on 26 June 2025 by Mr Bjørn Berge, Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe, and Professor Luca Lantero, Director General of CIMEA, the agreement marks a major step forward in strengthening Europe’s collective response to education fraud and reinforcing academic integrity.

“Education fraud is a global threat to public trust, safety, and the right to quality education. The consequences are real and far-reaching.”
— Bjørn Berge, Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe

“The global market of education fraud continues to expand — it’s a fast-growing criminal industry. We need to act now!”
— Professor Luca Lantero, Director General of CIMEA

A Shared Response to a Growing Threat

The Centre will serve as a shared operational mechanism open to all Council of Europe member States, addressing a wide range of fraudulent practices including diploma mills, forged qualifications, and academic misconduct. It will also provide guidance tools, data analysis, and technical support to national authorities and education stakeholders.

Anchored in the Council of Europe’s Recommendation CM/Rec(2022)18 on countering education fraud, the Centre will contribute to the implementation of the Education Strategy 2024–2030 “Learners First” , with a focus on integrity, trust, and quality assurance in European education systems.

Strong Support from Italy

In support of this initiative, CIMEA has made a voluntary contribution of €400,000 to help launch the Centre and reinforce its initial operations.

The Centre will be hosted by CIMEA in Rome, working in close coordination with the Education Department of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, and engaging with networks across Europe