The UL Academic Integrity Policy and Procedures for Managing Allegations of Academic Misconduct, available on the UL Policy Hub sets out the roles and responsibilities of all members of the UL community.
If you are interested in understanding these documents in more detail, we would encourage you to access them directly on the UL Policy Hub website.
The information presented on this part of the Academic Integrity Unit website presents only a fraction of the information included in the policy and procedures. Reference is also made to academic integrity in the Handbook of Academic Regulations and Procedures, also available on the UL Policy Hub.
Overview of policy and procedure development
| December 2023 | Academic Integrity Lead Appointed |
| March 2024 | Policy Working Group Meeting One |
| June 2024 | Presentation of policy and procedures as discussion documents at Academic Council |
June & July 2024​ | Consultation with key stakeholders across UL |
| Start Sept 2024 | Final meeting of Policy Working Group |
| October 2024-Jan 2025 | Approval sought from University Committees (EC, Academic Council, Academic Regulations Committee) |
Procedures for Managing Allegations of Academic Misconduct
Level one: Poor academic practice
This recording provides information on:
- Different levels of academic misconduct
- Process for managing Level One: Poor Academic Practice
- Recommended sanctions
Information and links of relevance
UL Staff: Academic Misconduct Report Form- this should be completed by the module leader/equivalent to ensure that the Level One: Poor Academic Practice is recorded on the Academic Misconduct Register. The register is accessible only to the Academic Integrity Unit.
Recommended sanctions for Level One Poor Academic Practice:
Academic Integrity Training
The student can be referred by the module leader/equivalent to undertake academic integrity training provided by the Academic Integrity Unit.
The student must provide evidence of completion of academic integrity training within the timeframe and to the standards specified by the module leader/equivalent.
And/Or
Penalties on Academic Assessments
One of the following penalties can be applied, at the discretion of the module leader/equivalent, depending on the extent of the poor academic practice. These penalties relate to the assessment in which poor academic practice has taken place, regardless of the overall weighting of the assessment in the context of the module.
The overall grade of the assessment is reduced.
Assessment is marked with sections/items of concern removed/disregarded.
The assessment is awarded a mark of zero.
Depending on the assessment, it may be necessary for the re-submitted assessment to focus on a different topic/theme/area.
Re-assessment or re-examination will normally take place during the annual repeat period(s).
Level two: Academic misconduct
This recording provides information on:
- Process for managing Level Two: Poor Academic Practice
- The Academic Misconduct meeting which is facilitated by the Academic Integrity Unit
- Outlines how the Academic Integrity Unit decides on sanctions for a proven case of Level Two Academic Misconduct
Information and links of relevance for this recording:
UL Staff: Academic Misconduct Report Form: This should be completed to report allegations of Level Two Academic Misconduct
: This clip is designed to support UL Students who have been invited to attend an Academic Misconduct Meeting with the Academic Integrity Unit. Please note that this clip is designed to provide a general overview of the process.
Level three: Academic misconduct
This recording provides information on:
- How module leaders/equivalent can report concerns about Level Three Academic Misconduct
- How these reports are investigated and progressed, when appropriate
Information and links of relevance for this recording:
UL Staff: Academic Misconduct Report Form: This should be completed to report allegations of Level Three Academic Misconduct
Roles and responsibilities
All members of the UL community have a role in upholding academic integrity. The roles and responsibilities of various stakeholders are described in the UL Academic Integrity Policy and are summarised below.
- Be familiar with and uphold the academic protocols, rules and conventions that relate to the assessment(s) of their module and/or programme of study.
- Seek clarification from an appropriate member of staff if they are unsure as to the protocols, rules or conventions pertaining to assessments.
- Ensure that all artefacts submitted by way of assessment are fully their own, or in the case of group work, that of the group as specified by the educator responsible for the assessment.
- Be willing to sign a declaration, if requested, that the work they submitted as part of an assessment does not breach any of the elements of academic integrity described in this policy.
- Ensure that all the assessment items submitted are the assessment artefacts for which they wish to be assessed.
- Undertake any academic integrity education or training as requested by an educator or by the university and provide evidence of completion if requested.
- Co-operate with academic misconduct investigations and associated procedures if applicable. Students should be honest when engaging with all staff members, particularly if involved in an academic misconduct investigation.
- Be familiar with and uphold the academic protocols, rules and conventions that relate to academic integrity within the University.
- Engage with support materials and information events on academic integrity and academic misconduct to ensure that they are aware of their roles and responsibilities.
- Uphold the principles of academic integrity in teaching, learning and assessment activities.
- Implement the Procedures for Managing Allegations of Academic Misconduct when an academic integrity breach is suspected.
- Communicate with parties involved in academic misconduct investigations in an efficient manner using the required procedures.
- Keep records in accordance with the requirements of the Procedures for Managing Allegations of Academic Misconduct.
- Review assessment methods of modules and programmes for which they have responsibility, where applicable, to ensure that they are appropriate and minimise the potential for breaches of academic integrity.
- Signpost students to this policy and the Procedures for Managing Allegations of Academic Misconduct, when discussing academic integrity.
- Commit to being honest with students and the wider University community, when reporting allegations of academic misconduct or contributing to investigations relating to academic misconduct.
- Support educators and students in upholding the values of academic integrity within their work.
- Provide education and training to educators, Academic Integrity Champions and students to enable them to meet their roles and responsibilities described within this policy.
- Implement all aspects of this policy and the Procedures for Managing Allegations of Academic Misconduct.
- Answer queries from educators and students regarding academic misconduct investigations.
- Signpost students to pastoral supports if involved in an academic misconduct investigation.
- Promote an ethos of mutual trust and openness between educators and students.
- Review and update this policy and the Procedure for Managing Allegations of Academic Misconduct
- Uphold and promote the principles of academic integrity described in this policy.
- Provide advice to educators in relation to suspected cases of academic misconduct.
- Support academic misconduct investigations as described in the Procedures for Managing Allegations of Academic Misconduct.
- Refer queries to the Academic Integrity Unit.
- Undertake any necessary training to effectively discharge their roles and responsibilities.
- Make recommendations regarding this policy or the Procedures for Managing Allegations of Academic Misconduct based on experience and observations in their role.
