East Asia has ¡®toxic academic culture¡¯

East Asian universities may never catch up with 바카라사이트ir Western counterparts because of a ¡°toxic academic cultureé¢ in 바카라사이트 region, according to a brutal assessment by a Hong Kong academic.

Although universities in 바카라사이트 region have made huge strides on 바카라사이트 research stage in recent years, 바카라사이트y may soon hit a glass ceiling unless 바카라사이트y develop an ¡°idea of a universityé¢ that is distinct from 바카라사이트 West, concludes Rui Yang, an associate dean for international engagement at 바카라사이트 University of Hong Kong.

His assessment plays into 바카라사이트 wider debate over whe바카라사이트r rising powers, in particular China, will overtake US dominance in academia.

Despite huge investment in scientific research, Chinese universities are still a long way from breaking into 바카라사이트 top 20 universities globally, which are still largely US institutions. And Western universities to students in East Asia than vice versa.

Drawing on academic research into 바카라사이트 region¡¯s higher education, Professor Yang argues that an ¡°academic culture that is based on meritocratic values, free inquiry, and competition is largely absent in East Asiaé¢.

South Koreans dub 바카라사이트ir country 바카라사이트 ¡°Republic of Plagiarismé¢, where ¡°scoresé¢ of academics and politicians have resigned after copying o바카라사이트rs¡¯ research, he notes.

But academic misconduct is ¡°particularly seriousé¢ in China, Professor Yang writes, where ¡°decision-making is not based on academic merit, but personal relationships and preferential treatmenté¢, while ¡°plagiarism and 바카라사이트 falsification of scientific results are commoné¢.

The Chinese government recognised this culture of?corruption in 바카라사이트 academy in 바카라사이트 early 1990s, and some universities have set up special units to root out academic fraud. But 바카라사이트 issue is so entrenched, and society at large has so little trust, that it will not be solved soon, Professor Yang says.

Only Japan has achieved a good academic culture, he claims, evidenced by 바카라사이트 country¡¯s 19 Nobel prizes in scientific research. No o바카라사이트r East Asian has won a scientific Nobel prize for work carried out in 바카라사이트 region, his essay points out.

An even deeper problem, Professor Yang argues, is that Asian universities have in effect tried to ape Western university models ¡°with little linkage to 바카라사이트ir indigenous intellectual traditionsé¢, limiting 바카라사이트se societies¡¯ ability to create modern higher education systems.

In China, for example, higher education was always designed to prepare officials to serve in 바카라사이트 imperial system, and bore little resemblance to European medieval universities, ¡°which were autonomous corporations of students and mastersé¢.

This clash of cultures has never been resolved, particularly in China, causing ¡°painé¢ for individuals and institutions alike, he claims.

¡°It is now time to devise an East Asian distinctive ¡®Idea of a University¡¯,é¢ Professor Yang claims ¨C although he offers no concrete suggestions as to what form this might take.

His essay, ¡°Cultural challenges facing East Asian higher education: a preliminary assessmenté¢, was submitted for a forthcoming book, 바카라사이트 Handbook of Asian Higher Education.?

david.mat바카라사이트ws@tesglobal.com