Embargoed until
00.01 22 April 2021
118 higher education providers across the UK have demonstrated
their commitment to protecting academic integrity and combatting
the threat posed by essay mills and other forms of academic
misconduct by signing up to QAA’s Academic Integrity Charter.
The Charter was developed with the support of the UK Academic
Integrity Advisory Group. It sets out seven principles that
signatories commit to implementing within their institutions, and
has been welcomed by UK Government Ministers.
Academic misconduct is a growing problem globally, and presents a
threat to the UK higher education sector’s world class
reputation. It takes a wide variety of forms including the use of
essay and degree mills, plagiarism, collusion between students,
forged or altered qualification certificates through to fake
institutions and questionable accreditation bodies. Students who
commit academic misconduct, especially if they deliberately
cheat, risk their academic and future careers.
The seven principles in the Charter will help providers develop
their own policies and practices to ensure that each student’s
qualification is genuine, verifiable and respected.
QAA is inviting all remaining UK universities and colleges
offering higher education to join the 118 current signatories, to
demonstrate a sector wide commitment to the promotion and
protection of academic integrity.
The principles are:
- All members of a higher education provider’s community are
responsible for embedding and upholding academic integrity.
- Taking a holistic ‘whole community’ approach, covering all
provision.
- To work together as a sector.
- To engage with and empower students.
- To empower and engage with staff.
- To have consistent and effective institutional policies and
practices.
- To take responsibility as autonomous institutions for
promoting and maintaining the quality and integrity of provision,
and securing the academic standards of awards.
Douglas Blackstock, QAA’s Chief Executive Officer
said:
“Every university and college that signs the Charter is
demonstrating its own, and a collective, commitment to promote
academic integrity. The growth of essay mills cuts across all
levels of education and isn’t confined to the UK. The charter is
a significant step forward, but we also need action from
governments and internet service providers to make it impossible
for essay mills to function”.
Universities Minister, said:
“Degree fraud cheats both learners and employers and has no place
at all in our higher education system.
“This Government is committed to tackling academic misconduct,
and upholding the hard work of students, especially during this
difficult time.
“I welcome the introduction of QAA’s Academic Integrity Charter
and encourage all universities and colleges to join this sector
wide effort to protect our students and uphold the integrity of
our world-leading higher education.”
, Scotland’s Higher Education Minister said:
“We know that academic misconduct is a growing problem globally,
and presents a threat to the reputation of higher education
worldwide, so we must be vigilant in cracking down on anyone
involved in this practice.
“While all universities have disciplinary procedures in place, I
welcome the Academic Integrity Charter for UK Higher
Education, published last year by the Quality Assurance
Agency for Higher Education, which will help our institutions
combat the issue. I am pleased to see so many institutions have
now signed up to the Charter – a signal of the sector’s
collective commitment to take action to tackle this problem.”
Ends
Notes to editor
- For more information, please contact Gareth Crossman, QAA’s
Head of Policy and Communications g.crossman@qaa.ac.uk or
07824 122535.
- QAA is a charity and the UK’s independent body entrusted with
monitoring and advising on standards and quality in UK higher
education. It works across all four nations of the UK and also
builds international partnerships to enhance and promote the
reputation of UK higher education worldwide.
- QAA’s Academic Integrity Charter, and a list of signatories,
can be found here https://www.qaa.ac.uk/about-us/what-we-do/academic-integrity/charter.
- QAA has recently been contacted by the Tertiary Education
Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA) in Australia regarding the
insertion of malicious codes that direct students to essay mill
sites. The Australian Government provides funding of $3.9 million
a year to TEQSA for its Higher Education Integrity Unit.
- QAA is campaigning for UK governments to criminalise essay
mills.
- Comparison sites give an indication of number of essay mills
in operation. UK Top Writers currently lists 963 essay mills
sites. https://uktopwriters.com/best-essay-writing-services/
with an average of 15 new sites listed each month.
- QAA’s Academic Integrity Advisory Group is made up of expert
academics, sector agencies, organisations and individuals working
to protect academic integrity, and student representatives. UK
governments, regulators and funders sit as observers https://www.qaa.ac.uk/about-us/what-we-do/academic-integrity.
- QAA has published guidance for UK higher education
institutions to help them combat essay mills and contract
cheating https://www.qaa.ac.uk/docs/qaa/guidance/contracting-to-cheat-in-higher-education-2nd-edition.pdf
