The Ministry of Education (MOE) yesterday said that it would insist universities verify the expenditure of professors who undertake national research projects, after two professors allegedly embezzled research funds.
The ministry had asked universities to compile a list of potential violations when professors apply for reimbursement from research funds, said Ho Cho-fei (何卓飛), director-general of the ministry's Department of Higher Education.
Universities should take their role as a gatekeeper seriously and strictly screen receipts presented by professors, he said.
On March 24, the Tainan Prosecutors' Office indicted National Cheng Kung University professor of English Tsou Wen-li (鄒文莉) on charges of fraud and forgery, accusing her of embezzling NT$1.1 million (US$34,800) from research funds granted by the MOE and the National Science Council (NSC).
Prosecutors said Tsou used the bank accounts of 13 people, including assistants, students and even her daughters’ babysitters, and filed applications for reimbursement for salaries allegedly paid to research assistants, temporary staffers and students working part-time for her from November 2007 to November last year.
Prosecutors said Tsou, who is in charge of a number of NSC research projects on English reading and writing, spent NT$96,000 from the research funds to pay her daughters’ babysitters and tutors.
Meanwhile, on Tuesday, National Taiwan University (NTU) dean of research and development Chen Tai-jen (陳泰然) was quoted by local media as confirming that the school did receive a report accusing professor of agricultural economics Luh Yir-hueih (陸怡蕙) of embezzling research funds by naming her husband, daughter and sister as research assistants.
Chen said the school had asked Luh to return the funds.
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