Education
13:19, 04-Oct-2018
China draws up withdrawal mechanism for advanced scholar award
Updated
12:34, 07-Oct-2018
["china"]
Share
Copied
Chinese authorities have established a withdrawal mechanism for the prestigious "Yangtze River Scholar" award to penalize receivers who lack virtue or violate related rules and laws.
The award was set up in 1998 to encourage scholars and professors and attract talents from all over the world.
According to a new regulation released by the Chinese Ministry of Education, receivers of the honor who cannot fulfill their obligations should apply for withdrawal of the accolade, while those who violate certain rules and laws would be deprived of it.
The "Yangtze River Scholar" award, one of China's highest academic honors, has three types of positions: distinguished professors, chair professors and young scholars. Those who receive the honor get a sum of money from the Ministry of Education as an encouragement for their academic contribution.
Students attend a university class. /VCG Photo
Students attend a university class. /VCG Photo
Scholars who violated political disciplines or rules and are then prosecuted for criminal liability, or engaged in falsification, or infringed on academic virtue would be stripped of the honor.
The new regulation is aimed at tightening the administration of the awards. In recent years, the Ministry of Education has withdrawn the honor from dozens of scholars for various reasons.
Chen Xiaowu, former professor of Beihang University, who was accused of sexually harassing students, was deprived of the honor as well as his teaching post earlier this year.
Students attend their graduation ceremony at a Chinese university. /VCG Photo
Students attend their graduation ceremony at a Chinese university. /VCG Photo
Others have used the honor as a bargaining chip to change jobs and receive higher salaries.
The new regulation is aimed at clarifying the responsibilities of the scholars, and encouraging them to put more effort into teaching and research, the ministry said.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the launch of the program, which has attracted a variety of high-level talents at home and overseas and contributed to enhancing the quality of talent training and academic development.