China attempts to crack down on scientific fraud

SciDev reports that in an attempt to combat scientific misconduct, the Chinese Ministry of Education has 'stipulated seven acts of academic misconduct and how they will be punished.' The circular states that plagiarism, falsifying data and references, fabricating CVs and changing others' academic achievements or signing their names without permission are scientific misconduct.

The new measures are aimed at higher education institutions after a recent scandal saw an associate professor and dean of pharmaceutical science lose their jobs over allegations of copying data. Higher education institutions are consequentially also under pressure to train teachers and students in good academic conduct.

Hou Xinyi (Nankai University) is quoted as saying that 'it is the government-controlled grant and award system that has spawned misconduct among Chinese academia', with this system making it easier for those in higher positions to win funding leaving researchers under pressure to gain contacts in addition to publishing in as many high impact journals as possible.

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Show me the money

China has announced plans to offer "outstanding" foreign scientists more research funding than they were receiving at home, in an attempt to bolster the Country's science base. It is hoped that the two projects coordinated by the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS); 'Specially Hired Foreign Research Fellows' and 'Youth Foreign Scientist Project' will introduce more than 200 foreign research in total every year.

The plan has been welcomed with Yan Denghuam associate professor at the China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower quoted as saying, "Foreign scientists' ideas and training can surely rub off on Chinese scientists".

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China increases output

A DIUS published report shows that China is on the verge of 'overtaking Britain in the world table of the most prolific nations for academic research' reports THES. The report also shows that currently, Britain produces the largest number of research papers after the US. Where as the gap in publication rate is very slight, a difference of only 110 papers between Britain and China, Britain was ranked as the top country for value for money (producing more papers and citations than any other per unit of investment in R&D). China and the US are ranked 17th and 16th respectively.

Read the THES article in full

Read the DIUS report in full