Refer China: Male professor sacked for sexually harassing male student and。。。

A male professor surnamed Gong from the Beijing Institute of Technology sacked for sexually harassing his male student and misuse of research funds Photo: Screenshot from Sina Weibo

A male professor from a university in Beijing was dismissed and his title of professor revoked and was expelled from the Communist Party of China on Sunday after the university confirmed the allegations from one of his male students of his violations of code of ethics for educators.

Following an overnight investigation, the Beijing Institute of Technology confirmed at 12:30 pm on Sunday that a professor surnamed Gong from the School of Mechanical Engineering had seriously violated professional ethics, educator conduct codes, Party discipline, and university regulations.

On Saturday evening, a person identifying himself as a postgraduate's student at the School of Mechanical Engineering at Beijing Institute of Technology surnamed Chang released a 52-minute-and-two-second long video on video sharing platform Bilibili, in which he held his ID card and publicly accused his mentor, Gong, the executive vice dean of the School of Mechanical Engineering, of misconduct, according to media reports.

Chang claimed that between November 2022 and January 2024, he was subjected to the harassment and molestation by Gong which led him to develop moderate depression and mild anxiety. He also accused Gong of leaking questions for the postgraduate entrance exam and misusing research funds.

Chang also created a 100-page PowerPoint presentation document to list the accusations against Gong into different sections including a profile of Gong, seducing male students into engaging in sexual relations, misusing research funds for personal dining and entertainment, and references to relevant regulations and case studies, according to Xiaoxiang Morning News.

The university decided to expel Gong from the Communist Party of China, remove him from his administrative position, revoke his title of professor, cancel his qualifications as a postgraduates' mentor, revoke his eligibility for a faculty position at Beijing Institute of Technology, and terminate his employment. A request was also submitted to education authorities to revoke his teaching credentials, according to the release of the university.

The university emphasized its zero-tolerance stance on faculty misconduct. Any violations, once verified, will be dealt with strictly, swiftly, and in accordance with regulations, discipline, and the law.

In the early hours of Sunday morning, the university released a statement saying it became aware of online reports on Saturday evening accusing a faculty member surnamed Gong of violating professional ethics. The university attached great importance to the matter and immediately established a special task force to launch an overnight investigation.

A preliminary review found that the allegations of misconduct by Gong were largely substantiated. The university decided to suspend Gong from all official duties, and the results of the follow-up investigation and subsequent actions would be announced in due course.

The incident immediately sparked heated debate online, with netizens expressing mixed view over the whistleblower's conduct. While some praised Chang for bravely speaking out, others accused him of being overly calculating. One netizen suggested that his master's admission should be revoked as it was obtained by cheating during the improper relationship, Xiaoxiang Morning News reported.

Editor: CH