In 2014, the Norfolk Island school was called a degree mill by the Sydney Morning Herald,[1] and in 2015 legislation was passed by then education minister Brendan Nelson to prevent further operation.
While the Commonwealth Minister for Territories assented to legislation, this does not mean that Greenwich University awards were ever recognized by the Federal Government of Australia.
"[4]On 2 December 2002, the federal government enacted legislation to regulate the use of the title university and the delivery of higher education in Australia's external territories.
In 1990, John Bear, who was previously affiliated with the International Institute for Advanced Studies in California, became president of Greenwich University, then located in Hilo, Hawaii.
[citation needed] Warnborough College represented to the US Department of Education during its termination hearings in 1996 that, at the time, its degrees were actually issued by Greenwich, with which it had a contractual arrangement to do so.