First Academic Corruption Case in Taiwan: Two Professors from National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology Sentenced to 7 Years and 5 Years and 2 Months

According to a report by Central News Agency, two professors surnamed Wang and Tang from National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology were prosecuted by the Qiaotou District Prosecutors Office for accepting bribes ranging from 100,000 to 400,000 New Taiwan Dollars from multiple students in exchange for assisting them in completing master's and doctoral theses and passing degree examinations.

The Qiaotou District Court today sentenced Professor Wang to seven years in prison and Professor Tang to five years and two months, both with two years of civil rights deprivation. The main student offender, surnamed Cheng, received a seven-month sentence with a three-year suspended term, while the other five students were sentenced to six months with two-year suspended terms. All rulings are appealable.

The case came to light when the Qiaotou prosecutors discovered suspicious financial flows during an unrelated investigation. Further probes revealed that Professors Wang and Tang had accepted money to improperly facilitate degree acquisition for students.

The prosecutors, in coordination with the Southern Division of the Anti-Corruption Agency and the Kaohsiung Investigation Office of the Ministry of Justice, conducted searches and summoned the suspects. Wang and Tang, along with student Cheng, were initially detained on suspicion of violating the Anti-Corruption Act, but were later released on bail—Wang on NT$200,000 and Tang on NT$100,000. The other five students were released on NT$100,000 bail each.

The court considered their confessions and the seizure of evidence—including mobile phones and bank records—when granting bail, but imposed travel restrictions and prohibited contact with case-related individuals.

This case marks the first time in Taiwan that academic degree fraud has been prosecuted under anti-graft laws, raising serious concerns about academic integrity and university governance. It is expected to prompt reforms in thesis review processes and ethical oversight in higher education institutions across Taiwan.