From Chinese Press

More academic stratagem

(China Daily)
Updated: 2011-05-17 07:57

According to the China Association for Science and Technology, the number of academic conferences and attendants in a year has risen sharply. Investigation by some journalists shows the reasons behind the phenomenon is quite complicated, says an article in China Youth Daily. Excerpts:

When it comes to research, sincere academics will always say serious research is not for making a living, let alone making money from it. One should be patient enough and have a strong willpower to conduct in-depth research. Those not interested in doing so better try their hand at business.

But nowadays, many researchers are making a living out of their work. Some professors can even become businessmen using the academia as their fiefdom.

On one hand, this can be seen as a sign of social and economic progress - some will say it's good that academics can make some money. On the other, the level of some international academic conferences is so low that people with some knowledge about the subject and cunning can easily attend them and get their papers published by paying some money. No wonder, some so-called foreign experts are regulars at international conferences in China so that they can visit the country and stay in relative luxury for free.

It's important that we should learn from advanced countries.

But it's more important that we realize that theirs is not the only set of values, research and indices that are worthy of attention.

The government has to set up an objective academic evaluation system and put in place a fair and transparent assessment mechanism for domestic and international academic journals both as soon as possible. Only then can the country's academia develop healthily.

(China Daily 05/17/2011 page9)