Turkish national Serkan Anilir, recently stripped of the doctorate he obtained from the University of Tokyo over plagiarism and falsifying his resume, used that powerful badge of authority to take advantage not just of the institution that gave him the degree but of other universities and research institutes as well. This is the first time in the history of the University of Tokyo, this country's most prestigious university, that a doctorate has been rescinded...
...The university was not aware of the Anilir's plagiarism and fabrication of his resume until suspicions became a hot topic on the Internet around September 2009 and the university received similar information from anonymous informants. By then, Anilir had been hired as a researcher and part-time lecturer at research institutions and other universities. He was extensively covered in the mass media.
Anilir even had a certificate saying he was the first Turkish candidate to be an astronaut with the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration, although NASA has confirmed he was never in consideration...Anilir also described himself as a gold medalist in a European under-20 junior skiing competition, a claim rejected by Turkish officials. He also claims he participated in the 1988 Nagano Winter Olympics as a coach for the Turkish ski team. This too was denied by his home country.
"We used to check the careers [of doctoral candidates], but we simplified the process due to an increase in the number of doctoral theses and a shortage of manpower," Hamada said. As it is impossible for the university to thoroughly check the careers of applicants in its current circumstances, it has to rely on the consciences of the researchers who have submitted theses, he said...
I wonder what "current circumstances" mean Tokyo University can't conduct elementary background checks.
