http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/opinion/2010-01/11/content_9296724.htm
Corruption in academics
(China Daily)
Updated: 2010-01-11 07:43
Albert Einstein, if he were still alive and living in China, would have been
unable to be a professor nor would he have been given the highest academic
title of an academician at the Chinese Academy of Sciences if it came to the
number of dissertations he has published.
If he yearned for the honor, he would have to buy dissertations and pay for
their publication.
The turnover from the business of dissertation sales and publication was
estimated at 1 billion yuan ($146 million), according to research conducted by
a Wuhan University group. In their three-year study, the group headed by a
professor found that the total number of academic journals and magazines fall
far short of the number of research papers that need to be published.
All academic publications can only publish 2.84 million papers a year while
11.8 million people want to have papers published. They are graduates,
professors and research fellows. Only one out of five papers can only be
published on these publications.
For those who are required to have papers published to attain diplomas, degree
certificates, promotions and salary raises, paying money to have papers written
and published has become a last resort when they have no other choice.
This explains why the sale and publication of papers has turned into a booming
business.
This business will in turn push more within the industry to seek help while an
increasing number of master's or doctorate students will act as ghost writers
for the firms. When more people benefit from the business, it will bite deep
into the ethics of academics.
The academic field could falter because scholars and researchers are losing the
incentive of burying themselves in their studies to come up with great ideas,
discoveries or inventions when they can just buy papers to get what they want.
If an increasing number of graduates, professors or research fellows pay their
way, it will only depreciate the value of everything in the circle of
academics. Those who stubbornly bury themselves in books and stick to their
principles will soon become laughing stocks.
If no measures are taken to crack down on the dirty business, the scenario of
buying honors and acclaim will for sure become a reality in the near future.
Look at the increasing number of professors who have been caught cheating in
papers, look at those who have even been caught in papers published in
international journals. Some in the circle of academics have lost the sense of
shame.
Among other things, the practice of imposing quotas of papers on students,
professors and even some other professionals must be abolished. This is both
the laziest and easiest way to assess what students have learned and how
professors have conducted research. Most of the time, they're unnecessary.
Students can be made to write papers but it is unnecessary for them to have
papers published. Professors will write papers if they find it necessary, and
there is no need to push them in such a stupid manner.
Without demand for papers, the dirty business will surely die out. This should
be the first step to crack down on corruption in academics.
Related readings:
Academic corruption
Chinese scientist urge to check academic corruption
Probe into bogus academy
(China Daily 01/11/2010 page8
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