Academic Integrity Policy

The purpose of our policy

Our policy states the principles that promote and uphold Academic Integrity in all forms of learning undertaken at Adelaide University.

The policy provides authority to maintain our Academic Misconduct Procedure.

Who our policy applies to

Our policy applies to all members of the Adelaide University Community.

Complaints of potential breaches of the Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research 2018 for students enrolled in research degrees, or in research equivalent courses of honours and postgraduate degrees, are managed under the relevant research policy and associated procedures.

Our Academic Integrity principles

We are committed to promoting and fostering a culture and environment of integrity which is fair, honest, trustworthy, and consistent with our values.  Our four (4) principles for academic integrity are a shared responsibility of everyone.  They are:

1. We will uphold academic integrity by providing staff and students with educational resources, support and guidance that develop academic integrity knowledge and skills.
2. Alleged academic misconduct will be managed in a fair and transparent manner, free from bias and discrimination.
3. Anyone is able to raise concerns about academic misconduct in good faith, knowing they will be supported without fear of discrimination or victimisation.
4. We are committed to upholding high standards by monitoring and reporting on academic integrity. This ensures quality assurance and helps us continuously improve our processes for a supportive learning environment.

Definitions used in our policy

Academic Integrity means a commitment to act with honesty, trustworthiness, fairness, respect, and responsibility in all academic work.

Adelaide University Community refers to a broad range of stakeholders who engage with Adelaide University and includes (but is not limited to) all students, staff, and non-staff members of Adelaide University including alumni, honorary title holders, adjuncts, visiting academics, guest lecturers, volunteers, suppliers and partners who are engaging with and contributing to the work of Adelaide University.

Academic Misconduct is an action or attempted action by a student to obtain an unfair academic advantage. Examples of academic misconduct may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Plagiarism - is presenting other people’s work or ideas as the student’s own without appropriate acknowledgement. Plagiarism can include:
  • copying any material without acknowledging the source
  • paraphrasing sentences or whole passages without acknowledging the source
  • using the ideas, creation or concepts of others, without acknowledging the source.
• Collusion - is unauthorised collaboration in preparation or presentation of work, including knowingly allowing personal work to be copied by others.
• Contract cheating - is commissioning and/or submitting work which was completed by someone else, whether paid or unpaid. Contract cheating can include:
  • knowingly submitting completed or partially completed assignment produced by a commercial service or paid contractor, by a friend, family member, student or staff member of Adelaide University
  • arranging for another person to sit an exam, complete a task or quiz, or complete assignment.
• Exam cheating - is a deliberate attempt to gain an unfair advantage, including:
  • unauthorised early access to assignment/exam or answer sheet
  • communicating with or copying from another person during the exam
  • supplying, receiving or using unauthorised material in an exam
  • any other conduct that would give an unfair academic advantage to a student.
• Filesharing - is the unauthorised distribution of copyrighted course materials, assignment documents, exam questions, completed assignments, or the use thereof.
• Self-plagiarism - is submitting work for which the student has received or intends to receive credit in the same course or other courses or attempting to gain credit for the same work twice.
• Falsification - is presenting misleading or untrue information as part of an assignment submission. Falsification can include:
  • submitting falsified, copied or inappropriately altered data or results as part of assessment
  • altering or falsifying any document or record for the purposes of gaining academic advantage or meeting assignment requirements
  • deliberate attempts to deceive about assignment submission times, word counts, attendance or participation in learning activities
  • inclusion of citations to non-existent or incorrect sources
  • sharing login credentials to pose as another student or enabling another person to pose as the student as per the [IT Acceptable Use and Security Policy].
• Solicitation – is when a student offers or gives money or any item or service to an Adelaide University staff member or any other person to gain academic advantage for the student or another person.
• Inappropriate use of artificial intelligence (AI) – is to subvert the aims of assignment or give the student an unfair academic advantage. Inappropriate use of AI can include but is not limited to:
  • submitting work produced (or produced in part) by generative artificial intelligence as the student’s own work
  • using information generated by artificial intelligence without acknowledgement or attribution
  • using artificial intelligence or digital tools to submit work which significantly misrepresents the student’s level of competence
  • using digital tools to disguise plagiarism, collusion, copying, contract cheating or any other Academic Misconduct.
• Promoting cheating - is promoting or being involved in facilitating ways to breach Academic Integrity. It is a criminal offence to advertise or offer Contract Cheating services.

Please refer to our Adelaide University glossary for a full list of our definitions.

Our Academic Integrity Procedures

The following procedures are part of our Academic Integrity suite.

Document type

Academic Misconduct Procedure

How our policy is governed

Our Policy suite is categorised, approved and owned in line with the governance structure of Adelaide University and the offices and officers listed below.

Legislation and other documents related to this policy

Adelaide University Act 2023

Higher Education Standards Framework standards

5.2 Academic and Research Integrity

Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research 2018

History of changes

Note on structures, positions and position titles:

At the time of writing, the organisational structure, positions and position titles for Adelaide University have not been confirmed. Accordingly, square brackets [ ] temporarily enclose position titles in this procedure until position titles for Adelaide University are known.