China to spot check undergraduate theses once a year

Chinese education authorities will spot check undergraduate theses once a year to prevent plagiarism and ghostwriting, according to a trial guideline issued by the Ministry of Education.

Provincial-level education administration departments should randomly pick theses of those awarded a bachelor's degree in the previous academic year, the guideline noted.

It added that the volume of spot-checked theses should be no less than 2 percent.

Universities and colleges that are found to have a relatively high number of problematic theses for two consecutive years will be required to cut their admissions and make rectifications. Authors of the problematic theses will have their degrees revoked, according to the guideline.