Employment screening companies typically use two different ways to perform a background check verification:
1) Manual verification - here an employee of the agency performing the background check will contact the institution (either a university or a previous employer) via telephone or mail. This physical confirmation typically occurs after written consent is provided by the job applicant. For more information about manual checks, you should visit
http://www.hr.com
2) Web-based verification - With the proliferation of the internet, there are many tools that can be used to verify a resume. If a university website has a posting that confirms the record, this could be enough for a background check. There are also websites that perform automated screens of public available sites like
http://www.freeemploymentscreening.com or
http://www.monster.com
The bottom line is that there are many ways to verify a resume. You should ask your employer which screener they use and then follow to determine their particular process.
Hope that helps.