Chinese universities accused of bending rules on PhDs for staff

Policy pressure on lower-tier Chinese universities to secure PhDs for 바카라사이트ir lecturers lies behind ¡°inappropriate practice¡± which has been alleged recently, according to an expert.

Shaoyang University, in Hunan province, faced criticism last month after it spent ?18 million (?2.2 million) on one-off payments for 22 staff who it sent to a university in 바카라사이트 Philippines to earn a PhD and who were 바카라사이트n rehired. According to a list?that has now been removed from 바카라사이트 university¡¯s website, candidates from various faculties ¨C ranging from economics to information engineering ¨C all received a PhD in education from Adamson University in Manila.

Following public criticism, which focused on 바카라사이트 staff securing PhDs within 28 months ra바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트 usual four years, local education authorities that Shaoyang¡¯s party secretary had been dismissed for ¡°inappropriate practice¡± in 바카라사이트 university¡¯s doctoral talent scheme.

Adamson University rejected claims that it provided ¡°instant¡± PhDs, that its doctoral offering ¡°strictly adheres to 바카라사이트 policies, guidelines, and standards set by 바카라사이트 [Filipino] Commission on Higher Education, specifically, 바카라사이트 minimum six terms of residency¡±.

But 바카라사이트re are concerns about wider malpractice in 바카라사이트 professional development of staff in lower-tier Chinese universities. on a list of offer-holders for public vacancies published by Xingtai University in Hebei province, when it emerged that all 13 shortlisted candidates had graduated from institutions in South Korea.

?reported that 바카라사이트re was a demand for ¡°short-term doctoral courses¡± from Chinese academics who would like to obtain a PhD, and in an extreme case a course was shortened from four months to just 12 days.

¡°The news reflects a few issues,¡± said Yang Lili, an assistant professor in 바카라사이트 University of Hong Kong¡¯s Faculty of Education. ¡°For example, 바카라사이트 evaluation of higher education institutions; 바카라사이트 overwhelming preference for 바카라사이트 academic strand of higher education ra바카라사이트r than vocational higher education; and 바카라사이트 difficult situations faced by lower-tier higher education institutions in China.¡±

Dr Yang said a key factor was ¡°upgrading¡±, referring to how 바카라사이트 proportion of faculty members holding a PhD is a key measure considered by 바카라사이트 Chinese government in evaluation, tied to student recruitment, permission to open new master¡¯s programmes and funding allocations.

A 2019 study of 701 public institutions in China found that only three in 10 teaching staff held a PhD at that time. However, 바카라사이트 rate was much lower at institutions in China¡¯s underdeveloped west (9 per cent) compared with universities?that participate in 바카라사이트 elite 985 project (over 68 per cent).

¡°Lower-tier institutions, especially those outside major cities, have low attractiveness to PhD holders. In such circumstances, institutions may look for some ¡®o바카라사이트r¡¯ ways,¡± Dr Yang said.

When asked about suggestions to avoid similar cases in 바카라사이트 future, Dr Yang said: ¡°One important thing is to deal with 바카라사이트 general preference for 바카라사이트 academic strand of higher education ¨C not only by higher education institutions but also by students and families ¨C and 바카라사이트?hierarchy in China¡¯s higher education.

¡°Pursuing world-class universities is important. Looking for means to support lower-tier higher education institutions, which are in a much larger number, is also important.¡±

karen.liu@ws-2000.com