国自然通报评审违规案，多专家被永久取消资格

Core Viewpoint - The National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) is intensifying its efforts to ensure the integrity of the scientific funding review process, with a significant increase in penalties for those attempting to engage in unethical practices such as "connections" and "favoritism" [2][3]. Group 1: Strengthening Penalties for Review Violations - Among the 20 cases reported, 6 involved violations during the review process, including soliciting information and breaching confidentiality rules. The penalties for these violations are notably harsher compared to other types of scientific misconduct [3]. - A permanent disqualification from the NSFC review process was imposed on Li Junfa from a Beijing university for violating expert conduct norms during the 2022-2024 project review, marking one of the strictest penalties in recent years [2][3]. - Other notable penalties include a 7-year disqualification for Yu Zhixiang from a Sichuan university for soliciting information and interfering with investigations during the 2024 review [3]. Group 2: Ongoing Special Rectification Efforts - The NSFC has been focusing on the issue of "favoritism" in the review process, with a clear indication of this focus emerging in 2023 through the release of a list prohibiting 24 types of solicitation behaviors [4]. - The NSFC's director emphasized the need for effective measures to ensure that the improvements are not temporary, highlighting the importance of accountability over mere education [5]. Group 3: Distribution of Case Types - Among the reported cases, 35% (7 cases) involved issues of paper and data falsification, which remains the most prominent type of scientific misconduct. This includes practices such as image plagiarism and data manipulation [6]. - There were 5 cases (25%) related to misconduct in project applications, including a case where 13 applicants were found to have plagiarized content from others' applications, resulting in the cancellation of their applications and a 3-year disqualification [6]. Group 4: Building a Healthy Academic Ecosystem - The NSFC emphasizes the need for ongoing serious handling of scientific misconduct throughout the application, review, execution, and publication processes. It calls for researchers to embody the spirit of modern scientists and for institutions to fulfill their responsibilities [7]. - The NSFC is transitioning from merely punishing misconduct to establishing a comprehensive governance system aimed at preventing such issues, which is crucial for maintaining the integrity of the review process [7]. - The NSFC's commitment to a "zero tolerance" policy towards scientific misconduct is evident in its ongoing efforts from 2023's special rectification to the strict handling of cases through 2026, aiming to create a more transparent and supportive research environment [7].