China has strengthened its fight against academic misconduct by publishing new standards defining plagiarism, fabrication, falsification and other violations of research integrity. Experts believe the clarity will make it easier to discipline researchers who violate the rules.
The document, issued by the Ministry of Science and Technology, has been adopted by 20 government agencies ranging from China’s Supreme People’s Court to the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
Depending on the severity of the offense, punishments can range from canceling a project’s funding to revoking the offender’s titles and permanently banning them from promotion or other research positions. Institutes that connive with or shield violators will also be punished with budget cuts or judicial action.
