China to set up credibility evaluation system for scientists
5/7/2006 15:16
China will set up a credibility evaluation system for scientists to curb
the repeated frauds in the academic circle, said Minister of Science and
Technology Xu Guanhua in Beijing yesterday.
At a meeting of China's top
advisory body, Xu said China will improve the evaluation organizations in the
academic circle and establish archives to record the scientists' mistakes and
violation of regulations.
The evaluation in the academic circle should be
authoritative and strict, Xu said in a report delivered at a meeting of the
Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National
Committee.
China will record and evaluate the credibility of the research
organs who apply for national scientific funds, Xu said.
Those scientists or
research organizations who lose credibility will be warned and made public, Xu
said.
He stressed that it is an important task for the academic circle to
combat scientific fraud and misconduct.
"Although the number of scientific
frauds is still small, its harm on China's scientific progress cannot be
underestimated," Xu said.
The ministry will reform its evaluation and
awarding system, improve administration on experts and strengthen supervision on
the use of scientific funds to systematically curb the scientific misconduct, Xu
added.
The meeting was chaired by Jia Qinglin, chairman of the CPPCC National
Committee. One of the topics of the four-day meeting is to offer suggestions on
increasing national creativity.
According to Xu, China's investment in
science and technology will reach 71.6 billion yuan (US$8.95 billion) in 2006,
up 19.2 percent over that in 2005. The scientific investment will be doubled in
provinces including Liaoning, Shandong, Hubei and Hunan.
"The figure is very
exciting," said Xu, adding that an environment encouraging creativity and
innovation is coming into being.
But the scientific community is seriously
concerned about how to allocate such large public funds. As the top agency
overseeing the research fund allocation, the Ministry of Science and Technology
disseminates about 30 percent of China's total R&D funds via conduits of
national R&D programs.
Xu said his ministry will post information on
inviting applications for state R&D projects online. Meanwhile, they will
build databases of candidate researchers and expert panels, with their credit
history.
Several recent scandals at China's top universities have raised
questions about the supervision of academics at higher-learning institutions and
the science circle.
Earlier in May, Chen Jin, a dean at Shanghai Jiaotong
University, was fired for faking research on the Hanxin computer chip, which had
received state-funding.
Chen, who formerly chaired the Micro-electronics
School at Shanghai Jiaotong University, was found to be deceiving technological
appraisal teams from the government, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai
municipal government and relative ministries which invested public funds in his
research project.
Shanghai Jiaotong University has dismissed Chen from his
post as the dean and professor. The Ministry of Science and Technology and the
State Development and Reform Commission later announced they would stop
financing Chen's research project. Chen was ordered to give back the
investment.
In late April, Yang Jie, former director of the Life Science and
Technology Institute, was sacked from the prestigious Tongji University in
Shanghai after the veracity of his academic record was questioned.
Liu Hui of
the Beijing-based Qinghua University was dismissed as professor and assistant to
the director of the university's medical school in March for forging his
academic achievements and work experience.
Lu Yongxiang, president of the
Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), said recently that scientists need to be more
self-disciplined to curb scientific misconduct, which occurred more frequently
after China adopted the market-oriented economy.
"Ethics education, checks
and balances, and outside supervision are necessary to cure the disease," said
Lu, who also chairs the presidium of CAS academic divisions, the CAS's top
governing body.
Although nationwide science advancement associations and many
leading research entities have drafted regulations to combat plagiarism or
falsification of research data, Lu said, the scientific community lacks
effective checks and punishment for violators.
Lu blamed dishonest, fickle
and inappropriate distribution of public funding for research for deteriorating
ethical standards of scientists.
Xinhua
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