A growing number of universities in Japan are introducing software systems to detect plagiarism in academic papers amid the evolving controversy over the “STAP cell” papers produced by Riken, the state-backed research institute.
Under an ordinance that took effect in April 2013, the education ministry has made it mandatory for all doctoral theses to be published on the Internet, replacing its decades-old rule requiring publication in print.
An official at a company selling plagiarism-checking systems said, “I believe more and more universities are introducing the system because if plagiarism comes to light after the theses are published, the credibility of the university’s oversight will be called into question.” One popular product is iThenticate, which was developed by a U.S. company. More...

By Pushkar P. How can the Indian government improve the quality of education at the majority of the country’s universities, colleges and institutes? This is more than a question for questioning’s sake: it’s of vital importance in a country of 1.27 billion people, of which half are under the age of 25. Nearly 190 million Indians are aged 18-25. Their numbers will rise until about 2030 after which they will begin to decline. These young women and men will need a college education or vocational training to secure a better future. More...

By Richard Wolf, USA TODAY. The Supreme Court dealt another blow to affirmative-action programs Tuesday, upholding the right of states to ban racial preferences in university admissions.
The 6-2 decision came in a case brought by Michigan, where a voter-approved initiative banning affirmative action had been tied up in court for a decade. Seven other states — California, Florida, Washington, Arizona, Nebraska, Oklahoma and New Hampshire — have similar bans. Now, others may seek to follow suit. More...