---
title: "Panama Prosecutors Probe Unachi Salary Promotions Tied to Foreign Degrees"
date: 2026-05-15
modified: 2026-05-16
author: ""
url: https://panamadaily.news/2026/05/15/unachi-investigation-salary-promotions-foreign-degrees/
categories:
  - "Education"
  - "News"
  - "Politics"
tags:
  - "anticorruption"
  - "Chiriquí"
  - "foreign degrees"
  - "Panama prosecutors"
  - "public university"
  - "UNACHI"
---

# Panama Prosecutors Probe Unachi Salary Promotions Tied to Foreign Degrees

## What Happened

Panama’s Attorney General took part in an inspection this Friday at the headquarters of the Universidad Autónoma de Chiriquí (Unachi) as anticorruption prosecutors examined a long-running case involving salary increases linked to foreign academic degrees.

The investigation centers on claims that professors and administrative employees obtained master’s and doctoral degrees from foreign institutions that lacked the accreditation needed for their diplomas to be recognized in Panama. Those degrees were then used to move staff into higher pay scales at Unachi, significantly increasing salaries.

## The Degrees Under Review

The case traces back to a 2023 disclosure involving universities abroad that awarded academic titles without meeting the accreditation standards required for homologation in Panama. One of those institutions, based in the United States, publicly states on its website that it is not accredited by any agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Despite that, its diplomas were reportedly accepted in Panama for personnel who completed short-distance programs and later used the credentials to qualify for higher ranks and better pay at the public university.

## Why the Case Matters

The Unachi case has become a test of accountability in Panama’s public university system, where salary progression and academic credentials carry major financial implications. When foreign degrees are accepted without proper validation, the practice can affect public spending and the credibility of higher education oversight.

Public scrutiny has focused not only on the staff promotions but also on the university’s leadership. Atlantic International University, one of the institutions mentioned in the controversy, awarded a recognition to Unachi’s rector in 2017, when she was invited as an honorary guest at one of its graduation ceremonies.

## Political and Institutional Pressure

The presence of the Attorney General during the inspection signals that prosecutors are treating the matter as a serious anticorruption concern. The move adds pressure on university authorities as investigators review whether the salary increases were legally supported and whether academic validation rules were properly applied.

The case has drawn attention because it combines public payroll decisions, foreign academic credentials, and the responsibility of university administrators to safeguard public funds. For Panama’s public institutions, it also underscores the importance of transparent credential verification and strict compliance with recognition rules.

## What Comes Next

With prosecutors now examining the university’s records and the circumstances around the degree validations, the case is moving into a stage where official accountability is expected to sharpen. For Unachi, the outcome could have lasting consequences for its administration and for how public universities in Panama handle foreign academic titles.