China to strengthen management on national science funds
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2006-09-26 09:32
BEIJING -- The State Council has publicized a draft regulation on the
national science funds in order to solicit public opinions on how science
projects to be sponsored, supervised and managed.
According to the draft, the National Natural Science Foundation of China
should solicit advice from experts from universities, scientific research
institutes when approving projects supported by the funds.
Expert panels should independently judge and evaluate the applications of
candidate researchers in terms of scientific values, innovation, social effects,
the researcher's ability and the feasibility of the project, said the draft.
The foundation should spot-check the implementation of the project and
regularly evaluate the work, establishing databases of research data and expert
panels.
If the principals of the project falsify research facts or plagiarize
scientific research the funds will be suspended, said the draft.
Project researchers who are involved in falsifying research data, padding
expenses, embezzling and waste funds could be banned from applying for funds for
five to seven years, according to the draft.
Several recent scandals at China's top universities have raised public
concern over the supervision of academics at higher-learning institutions.
Earlier in May, Chen Jin, a dean at Shanghai Jiaotong University, was fired
for faking state-funded research on the Hanxin computer chip and Liu Hui of
Tsinghua University was dismissed as professor in March for forging his academic
achievements and work experience.
According to Minister of Science and Technology Xu Guanhua, China's
investment in science and technology will reach 71.6 billion yuan (8.95 billion
U.S. dollars) in 2006, up 19.2 percent from 2005.
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