Zhao Zijian, a 29-year-old Chinese man, has become the center of social media attention and public debate due to his impressive yet controversial academic record, which includes two postdoctoral degrees, four PhDs, four master's degrees, and over 20 memberships in academic organizations.
Appointed as a researcher at the Inner Mongolian National Culture and Art Research Institute, Zhao's qualifications raised eyebrows, especially considering the typical duration required to complete such advanced degrees. His doctoral studies were allegedly completed at a "Catholic university" in South Korea and the Lyceum of the Philippines University.
Zhao's claimed master's degrees span communications, Buddhist studies, and mindfulness from institutions like the University of Hong Kong and Spanish universities. He also boasts 22 memberships in academic societies and 24 published academic articles with an aggregated impact factor of "28+".
The institute has suspended its collaboration with Zhao and is investigating his qualifications. While the head of the institute, Yin Fujun, reported no "obvious counterfeiting" and confirmed the verification of Zhao's master's degrees through the Chinese Service Centre for Scholarly Exchange (CSCSE), only one of his PhDs has been verified, with another under process.
Concerns have been raised about the legitimacy of Zhao's online-obtained degrees and the institutions' credibility. Some of his claimed academic memberships are of the public or student variety, which can be purchased.
China is increasing its efforts to combat academic fraud, and the case of Zhao Zijian has highlighted the need for rigorous verification of academic credentials. Zhao has not yet responded to the controversy.
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