To avoid becoming a "black mark" in the publication of scientific papers.

TP - The rapid growth of international publications in Vietnam is revealing alarming dark sides. From openly advertised "publication services" to the reality of mass retraction of articles, the country's science is facing a major challenge regarding ethics and reputation within the global academic community.

Alarm

D.TNH has become a name that is both "righteous and evil" in Vietnam's scientific research community, which has recently been divided into two factions: those who respect intellectual property rights, and those who pursue the quantity of publications at all costs.

In Vietnamese academia today, Mr. D.T.H.H. has become a haunting and controversial phenomenon. For genuine scientists, this name should be avoided like "the plague," because even a single misstep could tarnish one's career and reputation, no matter how much one tries to cleanse it.

Sharing his painful story with reporters, a university lecturer recounted his experience with a heavy heart. In the 2010s, when the practice of publishing international scientific papers in Vietnam was still very rudimentary, lecturers often had to find their own way. Through introductions, they sought out Mr. D.T.H. for collaboration. This unique collaboration resulted in his publication of a paper, a work he claims was his own genuine research.

However, the consequences of that "handshake" have lingered for a long time, making him constantly wish he had never met this person. After he was recognized as an Associate Professor, Mr. D.T.H. used his name to promote himself everywhere as "bait" to invite others to collaborate.

More seriously, there were articles in which he had absolutely no involvement and was not consulted, yet Mr. D.TNH arbitrarily attributed his name. The climax of the tragedy was when that joint article was retracted due to the violation. Public opinion turned against this associate professor, forcing him to seek help from the police to prove his innocence. For him, this was a painful lesson, and every time he hears D.TNH mentioned, he still can't hide his "fear."

Fostering a love of science among high school students.

Not only did he borrow their names, but many scientists expressed astonishment at receiving emails from Mr. D.T.NH. The emails openly promoted "publishing services," promising to publish articles in prestigious systems like ISI and Scopus. The language used was very casual, like a sales pitch: "priority given to those who act quickly." In these emails, Mr. D.T.NH introduced himself as a doctoral student (not yet having completed his PhD) but boasted an impressive statistic: 320-340 internationally and domestically published articles out of a total of 400-450 works. Of these, over 100 articles were listed in ISI/Scopus databases, including SSCI, SCI, and ESCI categories, from Q1 to Q4.

In contrast to the stigma faced by dedicated intellectuals, this name has become a "lifeline" for those eager to have their names listed in scientific papers to gain illusory achievements, serving their own pragmatic personal goals.

Observations show that the practice of scientists listing only their current workplace as the address on international publications is becoming increasingly common. Experts consider this a sophisticated way to circumvent regulations and "sell" scientific papers. Tien Phong newspaper has repeatedly reported on this situation of turning academia into a commodity for economic gain.

Students study in the laboratory.

According to Dr. Le Van Ut, Assistant to the Chairman of the University Council for Scientific Research & Head of the Research Group on Scientific Measurement and Research Governance Policy (SARAP) at Van Lang University, the latest statistics bring both joy and concern. SARAP's analysis, based on Web of Science (WoS) data, shows that in 2025, Vietnam will publish a total of 14,880 WoS research papers, an increase of approximately 18.63% compared to 2024. This figure accounts for approximately 0.53% of the total global output. Notably, the majority of this achievement comes from universities. The two main national research institutes only contributed 1,460 papers (9.81%), with the institute of science and technology contributing 1,410 and the institute of social sciences contributing 50.

However, the downside of this rapid growth is the number of retracted articles. As of May 2025, 65,637 articles worldwide had been removed from the WoS system. In Vietnam, this number has reached 228 articles. This is a red flag regarding research integrity.

Data from PostPub (tracking retracted papers from 1996 to 2023) indicates that the majority of retracted papers from Vietnam stemmed from violations of research integrity and ethics. Authors from countries frequently collaborating with Vietnam on these retracted works include: Iran, India, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Iraq, Malaysia, and Pakistan. Alarmingly, most of the countries on this list have high rates of scientific fraud and the buying and selling of research papers.

Chain reaction

What is more worrying is not the absolute number, but the increasing and ongoing trend of retracted papers. The consequences of numerous retracted papers include a loss of credibility within the international scientific community; genuine scientists being negatively impacted when seeking international funding and collaboration; students and researchers being affected when citing retracted papers; and the risk of being blacklisted by major journals or having their papers reviewed by reviewers.

The retraction of a paper is not simply a technical error, but a disaster for reputation. According to Dr. Le Van Ut, its repercussions extend across three levels. For individuals, academic prestige is destroyed, directly affecting their morale, opportunities for appointments, funding, and international collaborations. For educational institutions, a high number of retracted papers will severely damage their reputation, potentially leading to being blacklisted, directly impacting their university ranking. More significantly, it erodes the international scientific community's trust in Vietnam's education and research.

Currently, the development of scientific research and the view of science and technology as one of the important foundations for socio-economic development are crucial. However, the process of developing scientific research in Vietnam also presents challenges and may require careful consideration. Mr. Ut believes that violations of integrity stem from "skipping stages" and the economicization of science. In particular, the imposition of excessively high KPIs, forcing lecturers to produce "top-notch" products while financial and material resources are limited, has inadvertently pushed researchers down the wrong path.

According to Dr. Le Van Ut, the consequences of retracted scientific papers are extremely devastating. Not only are there 228 retracted papers as of May 2025, but the biggest price to pay is the erosion of trust.

To address this, Dr. Le Van Ut proposed a new approach: research management focused on technology transfer. Instead of chasing after inflated numbers, the focus should be on real value. "It's not about how many scientific products are created, but how many are transferred and what value is generated," Dr. Ut emphasized.

The concept of "transfer" needs to be understood more broadly, encompassing: new knowledge products, new reputation products, and new technology products. All must be measured by concrete value (including both direct and indirect monetary value). Once management policies change, the incentive to "rush" will automatically be eliminated.

The good news is that regulatory agencies have begun to take more decisive action. The Ministry of Education and Training has just issued Circular 26 on professional standards for university lecturers, which prioritizes adherence to academic ethics and scientific integrity. Many institutions, such as Hanoi University of Science and Technology, have also issued strict regulations: prohibiting the buying and selling of research results, banning the copying of ideas, and severely punishing data falsification.

Science demands absolute honesty. "Corrupt elements" like Mr. D.T.H. or transnational "exam cheating" rings can only be eliminated when the Vietnamese academic environment truly values ​​genuine merit rather than the superficial glamour of inflated numbers on paper.

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Source: https://tienphong.vn/de-khong-tro-thanh-vet-den-cong-bo-bai-bao-khoa-hoc-post1842175.tpo