A scandal is unfolding at V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University - graduate students are claiming systemic pressure and extortion, carried out under the guise of checks on their scientific activities. Under the pretext of combating fake dissertations and plagiarism, they are being “summoned for a conversation” en masse, even involving representatives of the Security Service of Ukraine.
According to the students, the conversations take place in the presence of officials from ministerial structures. Formally, the goal is to “clean up the system” and introduce quality control. But in practice, everything looks different: dissertations are questioned, “plagiarism” is found in a few minutes, and the possibility of “solving the issue” with money is hinted at.
“If you want a deferment, show your thesis or pay,” — this phrase, according to graduate students, was heard by those who have already completed their studies or are no longer paying for the contract.
The real goal, sources say, is not to raise academic standards, but to create a new corruption “feeding trough.” The idea is simple: if you want to stay in graduate school, either get involved or prepare to be expelled.
It is separately noted that the wave of "sudden inspections" began after the cessation of regular payments from graduate students who had already defended their thesis or completed their contracts. They became the main target - the system no longer receives money from them, so it is looking for new levers of influence.
Such actions actually launch a repressive and corrupt mechanism under the guise of reforms. Instead of a real fight against plagiarism and falsification of dissertations, we have another example of pressure on young scientists. This harms not only specific people, but also the reputation of Ukrainian higher education in general.
“While I was paying for the contract, no one needed me. I stopped paying, the SBU showed up, the dissertation turned out to be suspicious, and hints about resolving issues began,” complains one of the graduate students.
If the situation does not change, we may receive another blow to academic integrity — this time from those who formally defend it.
