BEIJING, Nov. 13 (Xinhua) -- Unauthorized copies of foreign textbooks have been banned from Chinese universities in a move to protect intellectual property rights (IPR).

A Ministry of Education circular has instructed universities to conduct thorough checks for unauthorized foreign textbook copies and to stop IPR violations by the end of this year.

The circular came amid one of the government's moves to wipe out the country's rampant illegal copying of music, films and publications.

Chinese universities have witnessed a growing demand for quality foreign textbooks as the country's education undergoes reforms to embrace globalization and face competition from overseas.

Original copies and authorized editions are too expensive for many college students and photocopying is the only way acquire foreign textbooks recommended by teachers.

The circular bans publishing houses affiliated to Chinese schools from publishing domestic editions of foreign textbooks without the permission of the foreign publisher.

"School leaders will be penalized if illegal copies of foreign books are found in Chinese schools," the circular warns.

It also stipulates that the selection of foreign textbooks should be recommended by teaching faculties and subject to the examination of school administrations.

The New Oriental School (NOS), the biggest private English teaching network in China, was sued by U.S.-based Educational Testing Service (ETS) for publishing and selling ETS's test materials in 2001.

The Higher People's Court of Beijing ordered the NOS pay 450,000 U.S. dollars to ETS in compensation in 2005.