Academic Integrity

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Academic integrity

Staff resources on academic integrity are available on a staff SharePoint site. This site includes news and resources on generative artificial intelligence (generative AI). Links are at the top right of this page.

All staff and students play an important role in Western’s whole of university, educative approach to academic integrity. Western’s Academic Integrity Strategy promotes an integrated and educative approach to academic integrity and the development of professional ethics.

Academic integrity strategy - governance, awareness, curriculum/assessment, and risk management

An overview of the Academic Integrity Strategy is available on the staff SharePoint site. The overview includes a link to the strategy, also on SharePoint.

Aligned with the values of Sustaining Success 2021-2026, academic integrity is a curriculum principle in Western’s new Curriculum Design and Approval Policy. Our new Assessment Policy reinforces that all programs, subjects and assessment tasks should ‘be designed to ensure that all students receive clear instruction about maintaining academic integrity, and that opportunities for contract cheating and other breaches of integrity are minimised’ (Western Sydney University, 2020:4). The Assessment Guide includes strategies for smart assessment design that support academic integrity and student engagement, and minimise cheating.

Western’s approach to academic integrity builds on Western’s ‘Education for Academic Integrity’ strategy and institutional approach to contract cheating (Academic Senate 2020). The Student Honour Code aligns with fundamental values identified by the International Centre for Academic Integrity and endorsed by TEQSA, through core academic integrity values identified in collaboration with student partners at Western: integrity, honesty, responsibility, respect, courage, appreciation of knowledge and learning and active and independent learning. The strategy and the code are delivered through an academic integrity module, co-curricular learning activities; embedded learning, teaching and assessment activities; peer mentoring; academic modelling and discipline culture setting; and restorative activities in response to breaches.

Western’s whole of university approach to contract cheating aims to build capacity of individuals through services and supports, balancing detection and education:

Whole of University Approach

Western’s approach is consistent with recommendations recognised in TEQSA’s Academic Integrity toolkit (TEQSA, 2020) as best practice in academic integrity. Education, detection and deterrent strategies for academic integrity will form the basis of a revised Academic Integrity strategy, under development through the Academic Integrity Working Party of Senate Assessment Committee. This will complete and expand current strategies across programs, including those delivered by third party providers, with additional activities to support early intervention and to detect and deter contract cheating.

Academic integrity guidelines, resources and news are linked to this page. Additional resources will be added as they become available.

Contact Learning Futures if you have questions or feedback on resources on this site. Use the link at the right to report a cheating service. Breaches of academic integrity are dealt with under the Student Misconduct Rule