Two Dominican universities that primarily catered to foreign medical students were closed down by the government. President Leonel Fernández ordered their closing following an evaluation that revealed they did not meet minimum requirements for a degree in medicine. The Universidad Federico Henriquez y Carvajal and the Universidad Eugenio Maria de Hostos, that provided medical instruction in English, were closed following recommendations made by the Consejo Nacional de Educación Superior (Cones), the government department that supervises universities. The closing primarily affects 135 students from the United States, Canada, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, China, Belize, Korea, France, Israel, Mexico, Panama, Uruguay, Venezuela, Brazil, Ecuador, Japan, Iran, India, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan. Of these, 35 are students that would have graduated in April. The government has recommended that the students transfer to other Dominican universities to complete their schooling. According to press reports, Cones determined that these centers even issued false titles, and shortened study periods, making it possible to obtain a degree in medicine in less than a year, in some cases. The president of Cones, Alejandrina German, said that the schools were charging foreigners US$50,000 for their medical courses, and another US$17,000 to issue the diploma. In the 70s, the Dominican government closed down the Universidad Mundial and CETEC, medical schools that also catered primarily to foreigners. Foreigners interested in studying medicine in the Dominican Republic should limit themselves to the universities that cater primarily to Dominican students.
