Concerned about the growing incidence of plagiarism by students and lecturers alike, the authorities of the University of Yaounde I have restated their commitment to wipe out the ill.

Speaking recently at the first ever Scientific Days of the Faculty of Science, Prof. Daniel Abwa, the Vice Rector in charge of Teaching, Professionalism and Development of Information and Communication Technology, described plagiarism as "a plague to the university system."

"Universities seek to promote and celebrate excellence. Mediocrity should not be entertained among lecturers. Plagiarism is destroying the system and those responsible must be identified and flushed out. Others cannot work hard and publish their works only for some people to copy them and claim it is the result of their efforts," said Prof. Daniel Abwa. He said the two main criteria for promotion were research (the number of publications in local and foreign journals) and teaching efforts.

The event was also used to knight 36 recently promoted lecturers from the Faculty of Science, following last year's sitting of the Consultative Council for the Promotion of University Lecturers. Among them were 10 Senior Lecturers, 15 Associate Professors and 11 Professors. For the first time, three of the new Professors were women - Florence Ufi Chinje Melo, Nintchom Penlap Veronique Beng and Fotso Pauline Laure.

One of the new Associate Professors, Bigoga Daiga Jude of the Department of Biochemistry, said he was evaluated on his contributions to research, governance (writing and winning grants) and teaching. He also needed to have been in the position of Senior Lecturer for at least four years, published a minimum of six publications in which he was the leading researcher. Meanwhile, his research interest was malaria.

Lectures were also given on "University Research And Development: Opportunities, Challenges And Future," by Prof. Tonye Emmanuel, and "The Role of Senior Lecturers, Associate Professors and Professors," by Prof. Kofane Timoléon Crépin. The Dean of the Faculty of Science, Prof. Paul Bilong, oversaw the knighting of the newly promoted lecturers.