A renowned university in southeastern Xiamen City has fired a full-time professor who fabricated her study experience in a US Ivy League school after the fraud was publicized by Fang Zhouzi, a self-proclaimed fighter against pseudoscience and academic fraud.

Xiamen University in the coastal city confirmed Fang's accusations against Fu Jin, saying "she never studied for a doctorate degree in Columbia University," describing it as "a malicious fraud."

Fu has admitted faking the degree and has been ordered to make a public apology while the university has also apologized for an error for damaging the school's reputation, Xiamen Daily reported yesterday.

The medical professor was found on July 20 to have lied about her educational background, and Fang, China's famous science cop, soon confirmed it after his investigation.

According to a letter from the National Student Clearing House, the US system for degree verification, Columbia University was unable to locate either a degree or enrollment record for Fu.

Xiamen University remained silent at first, saying it needed time to check the authenticity of the allegations.

Records showed Fu was invited to lecture at the university between 2004 and 2008, and she applied to be a full-time professor in 2009.

"She severely violated academic morality and was dishonest," the university said.

Fang is well known for unmasking bogus research and academic frauds in China, including the cases of Li Yi, a Taoist priest in Chongqing Municipality, and Tang Jun, former president of Microsoft China.

Tang, once dubbed "the emperor of wage-earners," was found in July 2010 to have fabricated his American study experience when he was the president and chief executive officer of the Newhuadu Industrial Group Co.

Tang claimed he had a degree in computer science from the California Institute of Technology.

However, he later admitted he did not have a degree from Caltech, and asserted he had never claimed to have received a degree there, but only conducted research at the university. He also admitted he had not been awarded a degree by Japan's Nagoya University.

Tang was discredited in media reports since then and apologized last month over the degree scandal.

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