Introduction

Purpose of this policy

This Academic Malpractice Policy is established to uphold the standards of academic integrity and ensure a fair and honest learning environment for all students. Academic malpractice includes but is not limited to plagiarism, cheating, fabrication, and any other form of dishonest behaviour in academic work.

Definitions

CTH defines malpractice any deliberate activity, neglect default or other practice that comprises the integrity of the assessment process, and/or the validity of certificates.   Malpractice may include a range of issues from the failure to maintain appropriate records or systems to the deliberate falsification of records to claim certificates; plagiarism of any nature by students, and introduction of unauthorised material into an examination room.

Failure by a Centre to notify and report to CTH all allegations of malpractice or suspected malpractice constitutes malpractice.

Thrive treats all cases of suspected malpractice very seriously and will report all suspected incidents to CTH using he forms in the CTH Malpractice Policy.

Examples of malpractice

Below are definitions that cover academic malpractice in the context of staff, student, and centre malpractice

Examples of student malpractice

  • Copying from another student (including the use of ICT to aid the copying).
  • Allowing their own work to be copied by another student.
  • The deliberate destruction of another’s work.
  • Disruptive behaviour in the examination room or during an assessment session
  • During an examination exchanging, obtaining, receiving, or passing on information which could be examination related (or the attempt to).
  • Making a false declaration of authenticity in relation to the authorship of an assignment.
  • Use evidence from other students or sources in culinary qualification portfolios (e.g. picture of dishes from internet, time plan, portfolio evidence from books…)

Examples of staff malpractice

  • allowing evidence to be included for assessment which is known by a staff member not to be the student’s own work
  • Assisting students in the production of assignments, or evidence of achievement, beyond that permitted by the regulations.
  • Assisting or prompting students with the production of answers;
  • Permitting students in an examination access to prohibited materials, this may include, but is not limited to, dictionaries, calculators (unless as allowed in a finance examination), phones and other electronic devices.
  • Making a false declaration of authenticity in relation to the authorship of an assignment.
  • Inventing or changing marks for assignments, where there is no actual evidence of the students’ achievement to justify the marks being given.
  • Failure to declare a conflict of interest that may influence the assessment process.

Examples of Centre malpractice or maladministration

  • Inadequate Centre Procedures for the induction of staff or any contracted person involved in the delivery of qualifications.
  • Failure to provide students and staff, including contractors, with the knowledge of their responsibilities through policies and procedures that include the possible consequences of non-compliance, how malpractice can occur and be prevented.
  • Failure to retain accurate student assessment decisions for the specified time-scale
  • Failure to review systems, policies and procedures to ensure they remain fit for purpose
  • Constant refusal to participate in Skype calls and constant postponement of CTH staff visits.
  • Failure to respond to reasonable requests from CTH in the timescales specified
  • Denial of access to resources (premises, examinations, records, information, students and staff by any authorised CTH representative and/or educational regulators)
  • Failure to carry out delivery and or assessment according to CTH’s procedures
  • Inaccurate recording of student assessment decisions.

These definitions aim to cover a broad spectrum of academic malpractice, acknowledging that malpractice can occur at various levels within an academic institution.

Failure to abide by the terms of the CTH licence agreement, reapproval declaration or repeated failure to adhere to the requirements stated in qualification handbooks and the Centre manual.

Implementing the Policy

Thrive will communicate the policy to staff and students through:

  • Student induction
  • Staff induction
  • Ensuring staff are familiar with both the Centre and CTH policies including Malpractice, Conflict of Interest and Sanctions.
  • Regular training for staff in assessment, internal verification and invigilation
  • Reinforced prior to an assessment window

Any member of the academic community who becomes aware of a potential academic malpractice incident is obligated to report it to the relevant faculty or academic office. Reports should include as much detail as possible, including evidence of the alleged malpractice

The process the Centre will adopt when a case of suspected or actual malpractice is identified

Upon receiving a report of academic malpractice, the institution will conduct a thorough investigation following a fair and transparent due process. The accused student will have an opportunity to respond to the allegations

The Manging Director will report cases of suspected or alleged malpractice to CTH using the documentation provided within the CTH Malpractice Policy.  CTH will review the contents of the information provided by the Centre and decide whether sanctions should apply and/or whether the issue is to be investigated by the Head of Centre or CTH. CTH will provide guidance for centres asked to carry out such investigations.

Actions in cases of Centre staff malpractice (sanctions)

The Centre will apply sanctions against staff involved in malpractice, commensurate with the seriousness of the malpractice, according to their own policies.  This may range from compulsory training, prevention of further teaching on a unit or qualification, prevention from further exam invigilation, through to dismissal.

Actions in cases of student malpractice

Violations of this policy will result in disciplinary actions, which may include but are not limited to:

  1. Verbal or written warning.
  2. Reduced or failing grade on the assignment or exam.
  3. Course failure.
  4. Suspension from the institution.
  5. Expulsion from the course

The Centre will apply internal sanctions where student malpractice on assignments is found prior to the submission to CTH and declaration signed on the cover sheet.

The sanctions the Centre may impose include asking the student to restart an assignment from scratch, preventing the student from submitting an assignment at the current assessment period, retaking all c lasses for a unit when next offered, at the student’s expense.

Where student malpractice is found by CTH, the sanctions that may be applied will depend on the seriousness of the malpractice and are described in the CTH Sanctions Policy.  Actions taken by CTH are beyond the control of the Centre.

Right to Appeal

Staff and Students will have the right to appeal against Centre-imposed actions resulting from cases of malpractice.