TAIPEI (TVBS News) — As of Monday (Feb. 5), over 40 departments or degree programs at National Taiwan University have announced their graduate thesis quality and review standards. However, the department implicated in past plagiarism disputes has not yet disclosed its guidelines.
The allegations previously led to the rescission of degrees awarded to Hsinchu City's former mayor Lin Chih-chien and Vice Premier Cheng Wen-tsan. Both had graduated from the university's Graduate Institute of National Development, which is yet to publish its thesis verification policy.
In response, NTU's Office of Academic Affairs expressed regret over past disputes and explained that as part of a proactive response, a series of measures aimed at enhancing the quality of graduate theses were introduced in June last year.
Some departments are still discussing the new directions, the office explained.
Per the new policy, each department is required to create its own evaluation mechanisms based on available resources.
These mechanisms may include setting the limit of graduate students per professor, establishing originality standards for theses, and determining a threshold for acceptable similarity of content in theses.