Background and Personal Information

I am writing with great hope, earnestly seeking support from Chinese Authorities regarding a serious issue that has significantly impacted my academic and professional career. I am a citizen of Pakistan and was enrolled in the Ph.D. program of College of Economics at Shenzhen University (Session 2016–2019).

Summary of the Issue

Despite fully meeting all academic and regulatory requirements stipulated in the Article 14 of Interim Implementation Measures for the Degree Regulations of People's Republic of China, I have not been awarded Ph.D. Degree.  The matter is pending since November 2022.

Legal Basis for Appeal

I have attached evidence from the Guangdong Online Complaint Portal, which shows how Shenzhen University misrepresented the facts—a highly unethical act. Initially, the University concealed the rules under which my defense was decided. After my efforts spanning more than two and a half years, the University responded to the Guangdong Complaint Portal on November 24, 2024. It stated that it had applied the following two Rules in my defense held on November 23, 2022:

1.      Article 14 of the Interim Implementation Measures for the Degree Regulations of the PRC, and

2.      Article 28 of the Shenzhen University Degree Award Rules (Revised 2021) 

However, this was again a false statement and a lie. The two rules cited in the University’s response are from entirely different regulatory frameworks and cannot be applied simultaneously to the same event. The University retroactively applied Article 28 of its own internal rules, which is legally incorrect, as I was enrolled in 2016. Moreover, the University did not apply Article 14 of the Interim Implementation Measures for the Degree Regulations of the PRC during my defense.

In its reply to the Guangdong Complaint Portal, the University concealed the first and main voting under Article 14, i.e. “Graduation Thesis (Approved for Graduation)” wherein I achieved 5/5 votes on November 23, 2022, which, under Article 14, was sufficient for the degree to be awarded (Decision Attached). Article 14 directly links the thesis defense with the conferral of the degree, as the thesis defense is for the purpose of Ph.D degree award. There was no requirement for a second vote for "Dissertation (Degree Recommendation)" under this Article. It is merely a redundant and repetitive procedure and holds no independent legal significance, particularly for students who have already passed the first vote. Article 14 is provided below:

Article 14 of the Interim Implementation Measures for the Degree Regulations of the PRC:

Decisions on whether or not to confer the doctor’s degree shall be made by the dissertation committee in accordance with the defending result. Each decision shall be adopted by secret ballot and with a two-thirds majority of the committee members supporting, and then submitted to the academic degree evaluation committee with the signature of the chairman of the dissertation committee. The meeting shall be recorded.
(Please copy and paste this link into your browser: http://www.asianlii.org/cn/legis/cen/laws/imfiotroad655/

These repetitive concealments and deceptions show that the University’s hands are not clean. I believe it is our shared responsibility to identify shortcomings in the system and take steps to rectify them. I seek community support in this matter so that I may attain justice. Therefore, please sign this petition and circulate in your circles. 

Request for Attention and Support

What I seek is not merely a degree — but justice. I completed my research and passed the defense; I believe I have rightfully earned the degree.

This case reflects broader issues in academic governance, procedural fairness, and international academic trust — especially for scholars from developing countries.

I humbly request your intervention and assistance in this matter. Specifically, I ask you to consider the following:

1. Express concerns to Shenzhen University regarding the procedural irregularities in my case;
2. Advocate for degree conferral in accordance with Article 14 Interim Implementation Measures of the Degree Regulations of the People's Republic of China w.e.f. November 23, 2022, as quoted by Shenzhen University itself on November 24, 2024 while replying to Guangdong Online Complaint Portal.
3. Your voice for transparency and fairness in academic justice would mean the world to me, and I would be deeply grateful for your support. Please raise this matter to Chinese Education Authorities and Shenzhen University's Management. Email Addresses of 1) President, Shenzhen University, Prof. Mao Junfa: mao@szu.edu.cn, jfmao@szu.edu.cn, jfmao@sjtu.edu.cn, 2) Prof. Pan Yanchun, Dean, College of International Exchange, SZU: panyc@szu.edu.cn. 

Sincerely,

Syed Wajeeh-ul-Husnain
Ph.D. Student
College of Economics
Shenzhen University, China
Mob: +92 333 5253138

wechat. swajeeh

 

背景与个人信息
我怀着极大的希望写这封信，恳请中国有关部门关注并支持我所面临的一项严重问题，该问题对我的学术和职业生涯造成了重大影响。我是巴基斯坦公民，曾于2016年至2019年就读于深圳大学经济学院博士项目。

问题概要
尽管我已完全符合《中华人民共和国学位条例暂行实施办法》第十四条中规定的所有学术和管理要求，但至今仍未被授予博士学位。此事自2022年11月以来一直悬而未决。

申诉的法律依据

我已附上来自广东省网上信访平台的证据，显示深圳大学歪曲了事实，这是极其不道德的行为。起初，学校隐瞒了决定我答辩结果所依据的相关规定。在我坚持申诉长达两年半之后，深圳大学于2024年11月24日向广东信访平台作出回应，声称其在我于2022年11月23日进行的答辩中适用了以下两项规定：

《中华人民共和国学位条例暂行实施办法》第十四条

《深圳大学学位授予工作细则（2021年修订）》第二十八条

然而，这种说法再次不实。上述两条规定分别属于完全不同的法规体系，不能同时适用于同一事件。深圳大学追溯适用其内部规则第二十八条，这是法律上不正确的做法，因为我是2016年入学的。此外，学校在我的答辩中并未实际适用《中华人民共和国学位条例暂行实施办法》第十四条。

在回复广东信访平台时，学校还刻意隐瞒了根据第十四条进行的第一次也是最主要的投票，即“毕业论文（同意毕业）”环节，我在2022年11月23日以**5票全票通过（5/5）**的结果顺利通过答辩（相关决议已附）。根据第十四条的规定，该结果足以授予博士学位。因为第十四条明确指出，博士学位的授予应直接依据论文答辩的结果，而论文答辩本身就是为了博士学位授予而设。该条文中并无第二轮投票（即“论文（学位推荐）”）的要求。第二轮投票只是一个多余的程序，尤其对已经通过第一次投票的学生而言，不具有独立的法律效力。

以下为《中华人民共和国学位条例暂行实施办法》第十四条的内容：

第十四条：
是否授予博士学位，由答辩委员会根据答辩情况作出决定。每项决定应当采取无记名投票方式，由三分之二以上成员同意方为通过，并由答辩委员会主席签署后提交学位评定委员会。会议应当作记录。
（请复制并粘贴此链接至浏览器查看原文：http://www.asianlii.org/cn/legis/cen/laws/imfiotroad655/

这种反复的隐瞒和欺骗行为表明，学校自身并不清白。

我相信，发现制度中的不足并推动其改进，是我们共同的责任。因此，我在此呼吁学术界的支持，以便我能够争取到应有的正义。

请求关注与支持
我所追求的不仅仅是一纸学位，而是公平正义。我已完成博士研究并顺利通过答辩，我坚信自己理应获得博士学位。

此案不仅关乎我个人的权益，更反映出学术治理、程序正义以及发展中国家学者在国际学术体系中所面临的信任与公正问题。

我恳请您对此事予以关注并给予必要的支持与协助。具体请求如下：

向深圳大学表达对本案程序不规范的关注；

倡导根据《中华人民共和国学位条例暂行实施办法》第十四条，自2022年11月23日起授予我博士学位 —— 这是深圳大学于2024年11月24日在回复“广东省网络投诉平台”时所引用的法规。

您在学术正义方面为透明与公正发声，将对我意义重大，我将万分感激您的支持。请将此事反映至中国教育主管部门及深圳大学管理层。

深圳大学相关联系人邮箱如下：

深圳大学校长毛军发教授：mao@szu.edu.cn, jfmao@szu.edu.cn, jfmao@sjtu.edu.cn

深圳大学国际交流学院潘艳春院长：panyc@szu.edu.cn