Pancho Campo: False claims regarding the Institute of Masters of Wine and the Wine Academy

Extract from front page of official programme for the 1st International Wine Symposium 

Extract from page 23 of the official programme of I Simposium Internacional del Vino: June 2004

The Wine Academy is the Institute of Masters of Wine representative in Spain  – untrue

Following on from today's earlier post about the false claims of an affiliation between CIE Marbella and Middlesex University in the UK, this post highlights further false claims, which were made in the official programme for the First International Wine Symposium held at Marbella – 4th and 5th June 2004. The Symposium was organised by Pancho Campo and Jancis Robinson MW was the keynote speaker.
        

In the programme for the First Symposium of Wine, which was held in June 2004 there is a claim in an article that The Wine Academy Marbella is both an official centre for training MW candidates and is the representative of the Institute in Spain. 

Relevant extract (page 23 of official programme): 

'Hay que destacar que en las instalaciones de The Wine Academy se impartirán los cursos y titulaciones del Wine & Spirit Education Trust de Londres, organización que es, además, el centro oficial para formarse de cara a obtener el prestigioso título de Master of Wine, ya que The Wine Academy ostenta la representación para España de esta institución.

Translation of the extract passage:

'We would like to highlight that courses and qualifications of the Wine & Spirit Education Trust of London will be imparted in the facilities of The Wine Academy, an organisation that in addition is the official centre for training in order to obtain the prestigious title of Master of Wine, as The Wine Academy holds the representation of this institution in Spain.' 

Comments on the claims by Siobhan Turner, executive director of the Institute of Masters of Wine:

'The Institute does not have any official training centres.  The study programme is self-directed, with residential seminars organised by the Institute in a number of different locations around the world.  We have not held any such in Spain.

The WSET Diploma is one of our preferred qualifications for entry onto the MW study programme, but, except for those who gain a Distinction, it is neither a necessary nor a sufficient qualification in and of itself.

I should add that this was not the first nor the last time that someone involved with giving WSET courses implied a direct link onto the MW programme from it – it is a fairly common event.  We have managed to deal with all those of which we’ve been made aware to our satisfaction.

We do not have official representatives other than the Institute’s employees and Council members or those officially appointed into specific roles – e.g. head of the Education and Exam Board, head of Exam Panel, etc. We have no 'representative for the Institute' in Spain, nor any other country.  The Institute has an official organisation in North America and in Australia, but these are parts of the Institute itself, and not representatives.'

Looks like Campo, The Wine Academy Marbella – precursor of The Wine Academy of Spain, and CIE Marbella are again mistaken as they were with Middlesex University.   

Before posting I invited Pancho Campo MW to comment. However, as yet I have received no response from him.