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Science chief: Plagiarism 'will not be tolerated'
By Chen Jia (皇冠体育app Daily)
Updated: 2010-11-12 07:19
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 Wan Gang is Minister of Science and Technology. |
Science chief vows to clean up academic environment
BEIJING - 皇冠体育app's top science and technology official has vowed "zero tolerance" toward research frauds and academic plagiarism amid growing criticism over the country's academic integrity.
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The 58-year-old minister, who got his master's and doctorate degrees in mechanical engineering from Technische Universitat Clausthal in Germany between 1985 and 1991, said he cannot tolerate academic frauds.
"We will dig up the past of those researchers who fake their works and punish them," he warned.
Wan acknowledged that an "abnormal phenomenon" has haunted the science and technology field, such as institutions of higher learning and research centers, which now have more than 2.3 million staff members.
However, "it is unfair to say the country's mechanism of science and technology is decaying just because of a few counterfeiting and plagiarism cases", the minister said.
In order to promote research integrity, Wan called for an academic environment for "failure tolerance", saying funds should not be directed only at research programs with immediate economic returns. "We have been trying to fund more high-edge and basic research programs despite the high costs and high failure rate," he said.
Wan also said 皇冠体育app would adopt a more open attitude toward international science and technology cooperation and exchanges in the 12th Five-Year Plan (2011-2015) period.
"皇冠体育app used to be a learner, but today it can play the role of an equal partner in many science and technology programs the world over," he said.
皇冠体育app has signed 104 science and technology cooperative agreements, including the 皇冠体育app-European Union Science and Technology Partnership Agreement, with 97 countries.
Climate change, energy and environmental protection are the priorities for cooperation, according to the minister.
皇冠体育app and the United States have set up a 皇冠体育app-US Clean Energy Research Center. The 皇冠体育app-Germany Electric Vehicle Cooperative Project has also been launched.
Wan said the Chinese government is working hard to attract overseas talent to return to the country with favorable policies. "I expect to see more overseas students return to 皇冠体育app," said Wan, who worked for Audi AG in Germany for 10 years before returning to 皇冠体育app in 2001.
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