The Council of Europe and the Italian Information Centre on Academic Mobility and Equivalence (CIMEA), with the endorsement of the Italian Ministry for Universities and Research, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to reaffirm their shared commitment to promoting academic integrity, enhancing educational quality, and safeguarding the reputation of European higher education institutions, while establishing a strategic partnership to create the Centre for Preventing and Countering Education Fraud. The Memorandum of Understanding was signed on 26 June 2025 by Mr Bjørn Berge, Deputy Secretary General and Prof. Dr. Luca Lantero, Director General of CIMEA.
The Centre for Preventing and Countering Education Fraud will reinforce regional and international efforts to address education fraud, including diploma mills and other forms of misconduct, while promoting academic integrity and transparency across education systems.
This initiative builds on the Council of Europe’s Recommendation CM/Rec(2022)18 on countering education fraud and supports the Council of Europe Education Strategy 2024–2030 “Learners First”.
To support this initiative, CIMEA has made a voluntary contribution of €400 000 to launch the work of the Centre for Preventing and Countering Education Fraud.
