The Fudan University Graduate School on Monday released the result of its investigation into the doctoral dissertation by Zhang Wenhong, the director of the infectious disease department of Shanghai Huashan Hospital Affiliated with Fudan University.

A screenshot shows the result of the investigation into the doctoral dissertation by Zhang Wenhong by the Fudan University Graduate School, on Aug 23, 2021. (Photo: screenshot from official website of Fudan University Graduate School)

An investigation was launched after a netizen had on Aug 14 claimed that part of Zhang's doctoral dissertation was identical to a thesis by a professor at Qilu Institute of Technology in Jinan city, Shandong province.

The university said that its academic standards committee had carried out the investigation in accordance with the relevant procedures of the 2017 Fudan University Academic Standards Implementation Regulations.

Zhang Wenhong, head of the Center for Infectious Disease at Huashan Hospital of Fudan University. (Photo: CGTN)

The committee found, according to the Detailed Rules for Training Scientific Research PhD Students, which was revised in January 1999 by the former Shanghai Medical University - it later became Fudan University's Shanghai Medical College - Zhang's doctoral dissertation had met the requirements for doctoral dissertations at that time.

"The summary for the appendix has nonstandard writing, which does not affect the scientific research achievements and academic level of the doctoral dissertation, and does not constitute academic misconduct," read a statement on the university's website.