President Klaus Iohannis calls on the Minister of Education to take note of the position of civil society on changing the legislation governing the notion of plagiarism.
I have taken note of the open letter of an important part of the academic community and of the civil society which, in solidarity, expresses its dissatisfaction with the normative project that proposes substantial changes in the methodology of analysis of plagiarism complaints in doctoral theses, initiated by the Ministry Education.
As I have stated on numerous occasions, I have zero tolerance for any deviation from the culture of integrity in academia. My position on the phenomenon of plagiarism remains unchanged!
Society’s performance and confidence in academia and research are decisively influenced by the ability of institutions to credibly and expeditiously resolve plagiarism suspicions.
The fight against plagiarism should not be limited to sanctioning deviations from the rules of integrity of academic writing, but concrete and coherent action is needed to prevent the establishment of a “culture of plagiarism” and to avoid compromising quality in education and education. research.
Plagiarism is intellectual theft and it is unacceptable that, in the face of conclusive evidence, accused persons should not take a step back, as is the case in established democracies. In order to progress as a society, the competent institutions must drastically sanction those who illegally appropriate the intellectual work of others, but also those who facilitate this.
I appreciate that the civil society and the academic environment have clearly expressed their point of view and expectations regarding the proposed amendments to the Regulation on the organization and functioning of the National Council for Attestation of University Degrees, Diplomas and Certificates. I urge the initiators of the project to take into account the concerns and risks identified in the public space and to act accordingly.
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