Academic integrity

Academic integrity is a set of ethical principles and rules defined by law by which participants in the educational process must be guided during study, teaching and research (creative) activity in order to ensure trust in learning outcomes and/or research (creative) achievements,” as we find in the Law of Ukraine “On Education” of 05.09.2017 No. 2145-VIII, Article 42 “Academic integrity”. In other words, by academic integrity we mean the rules that a person must observe when creating their own projects if they use supporting information (in particular, not including other people's work in their project without referring to it). In most cases this concerns pupils or students, because pupils at school prepare written work on various topics, and students at universities prepare essays, coursework and graduation papers.

1. Since the new “Law on Education” came into force, academic integrity has become an integral part of the educational process, and its violation a threat to every student. For failing to observe the principles of academic integrity, students may be required to retake an assessment or a course, or even be expelled.

2. Compliance with academic integrity by pedagogical, research and teaching, and research staff involves:

referring to sources of information when using ideas, developments, statements or data;

compliance with the norms of legislation on copyright and related rights;

providing reliable information about methods and results of research, sources of information used, and one's own pedagogical (research and teaching, creative) activity;

monitoring compliance with academic integrity by students;

objective assessment of learning outcomes.

3. Compliance with academic integrity by students involves:

independent completion of learning tasks and of tasks for ongoing and final assessment of learning outcomes (for persons with special educational needs, this requirement applies taking into account their individual needs and abilities);

referring to sources of information when using ideas, developments, statements or data;

compliance with the norms of legislation on copyright and related rights;

providing reliable information about the results of one's own learning (research, creative) activity and the research methods and sources of information used.

4. The following are considered violations of academic integrity:

academic plagiarism – publication (in whole or in part) of research (creative) results obtained by other persons as the results of one's own research (creativity) and/or reproduction of published texts (published works of art) of other authors without indicating authorship;

self-plagiarism – publication (in whole or in part) of one's own previously published research results as new research results;

fabrication – invention of data or facts used in the educational process or in research;

falsification – deliberate alteration or modification of existing data relating to the educational process or research;

cheating – completing written work using external sources of information other than those permitted, in particular during assessment of learning outcomes;

deception – providing knowingly false information about one's own educational (research, creative) activity or about the organisation of the educational process; forms of deception include, in particular, academic plagiarism, self-plagiarism, fabrication, falsification and cheating;

bribery – giving (receiving) by a participant in the educational process, or offering to give (receive), funds, property, services, benefits or any other benefits of a material or non-material nature in order to obtain an undue advantage in the educational process;

biased assessment – deliberate overstating or understating of the assessment of students' learning outcomes;

providing assistance to students, or creating obstacles not envisaged by the conditions and/or procedures of the assessment, while they undergo assessment of learning outcomes;

5. For violations of academic integrity, students may be subject to the following academic liability:

retaking an assessment (test, examination, credit, etc.);

retaking the relevant component of the educational programme;

expulsion from the educational institution (except for persons obtaining general secondary education);

deprivation of the academic scholarship;

deprivation of tuition fee benefits granted by the educational institution.

6.The types of academic liability (including additional and/or detailed ones) of participants in the educational process for specific violations of academic integrity are determined by special laws and/or by internal regulations of the educational institution, which must be approved (agreed) by the main collegial governing body of the educational institution and agreed with the relevant student government bodies as regards students' liability.

7. The procedure for detecting and establishing facts of violation of academic integrity is determined by the authorised collegial governing body of the educational institution, taking into account the requirements of this Law and special laws.

Every person in respect of whom the question of a violation of academic integrity has been raised has the following rights:

to familiarise themselves with all materials of the inquiry establishing the fact of a violation of academic integrity and to submit comments on them;

to give oral and written explanations in person or through a representative, or to refuse to give any explanations, and to take part in the examination of evidence of the violation of academic integrity;

to know the date, time and place of, and to be present during, the consideration of the question of establishing the fact of a violation of academic integrity and of holding them to academic liability;

to appeal the decision to impose academic liability to the body authorised to consider appeals, or to a court.

8. The forms and types of academic liability of educational institutions are determined by special laws.

9. For actions (omissions) recognised by this Law as violations of academic integrity, a person may be held liable in other ways on the grounds and in the manner determined by law.

The Regulations on academic integrity at the Separate Structural Subdivision "OTPC ONTU" can be viewed via the link.

The Code of Academic Integrity at the Separate Structural Subdivision "OTPC ONTU" can be viewed via the link.