China launches largest-ever academic misconduct crackdown after Student Geng scandal

China has launched its largest-ever investigation into academic misconduct following the allegations made by a high-profile blogger known as Student Geng. The National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) has disclosed 31 new misconduct cases involving over 40 researchers at universities and hospitals across the country. Among those targeted are four prominent professors who had previously been recognized with the National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars, an honor often paving the way to membership in China's top science and engineering academies.

These four academics, who held positions such as deans or associate deans, have had their research funding revoked, titles stripped, and been barred from applying for funding for up to seven years. President Xi Jinping recently called for stricter standards and more concrete measures to address academic misconduct, signaling the severity of the issue in China's research ecosystem.