/Institutions/University-of-Dubai/json/2024-2025/Student-Handbook-2024-25-local.json

/Institutions/University-of-Dubai/json/2024-2025/Student-Handbook-2024-25.json

Student Handbook 2024-25 > Student Academic Integrity Policy

Student Academic Integrity Policy

Policy 

The University of Dubai is committed to ensure a university culture characterized by intellectual and personal honesty, social integration, ethical behavior and respect for the rights of the individual. UD also expects its students to be self-disciplined in both their approach to studying and in their general conduct and behavior. 

Academic Integrity is part of The UD Code of Conduct (Annex 4.3) is designed to promote this culture at UD and hence sets out the standard code of conduct expected of students including academic integrity. Students who violate these standards will be subjected to disciplinary actions, according to established penalties as stated below. 

1. Types of Academic Infractions (Violations)

 1.1 Plagiarism     

UD has zero tolerance towards plagiarism. Every academic submission made by a student should be the work of his/her own or should be properly quoted, cited or acknowledged. The faculty have the right to make final decisions in regard to the students’ grade considering student work integrity based on the criteria and the faculty awareness of the students’ work level.  

1.2 Misrepresentation

1.3 Fabrication:  Fabrication refers to falsifying or misusing data in any academic exercise.

1.4 Facilitation

Facilitation refers to knowingly or intentionally assisting any person in the commission of an academic integrity violation.

1.5 *Exam Cheating

*Exam cheating is considered a severe violation and automatic disciplinary actions will be given as indicated above. Cheating on midterm or final exam leads to a fine of 1,000AED,  automatic failure of course without the right to a SIC hearing and documentation of the incident on the academic record (TC). A second violation leads directly to expulsion. If no further instances the incident will be removed from the academic record (TC). VPAA has the authority to convene an SIC to investigate any academic integrity violations, should there be a requirement for one. 

**Violations can receive more than one disciplinary action by the SIC team, depending on the severity of the case and can include additional disciplinary actions than are cited here. 

1.6 Online and eLearning Types of Misconduct

2. Academic Integrity Violation Process

Student Academic misconduct is an academic violation that covers but is not limited to plagiarism, misrepresentation, fabrication, facilitation or cheating on exams. Apart from exam cheating and plagiarism, the decision on whether or not to treat an academic misconduct as a violation of the UD Code of Conduct, is at the discretion of the instructor.

 

 

Process for reporting and documenting incident not related to Exam Violations 

1. Faculty reports the case by filling out the incident report form and submits online 

2. Incident report is logged into the UD-wide database and shared with the following departments:

   • Registration Department
   • VPAA office
   • College Dean
   • Program Director

3. If it is a first time infraction not related to exam violations the instructor can determine disciplinary actions and apply them. If an instructor chooses he/she can consult with the program director to determine disciplinary actions.

4. If second offense the VPAA Office is notified through the system and forms a SIC

5. SIC informed and given 1 week to investigate and send their recommendation to the VPAA

6. VPAA reviews report and final decision is shared in writing by the VPAA Office to all concerned departments and hardcopies to the registrar’s office 

7. The registrar’s office notifies the student via email and ask them to collect the original document. 

8. All documents are filed in the student’s records

 

2.2 Appeals process 

1. Student sends a letter of appeal to the VPAA within 5 business days

2. VPAA coordinates with the SIC

3. SIC reconvenes and sends their recommendation to the VPAA within 5 business days.

4. VPAA sends his/her recommendation to the President

5. President reviews case and gives final decision

6. VPAA Office shares the decision to all concerned including departments and sends hard    

             copies to the Registration Department;

1. Registration Department emails the student and requests them to pick up original   

            document. Copies of all documents are also filed in the student’s record.

 

 

 2.3 Process for reporting and documenting Exam Violations 

1. Invigilator or Exam Director reports the case by filling out the incident report form and submits online 

2. Incident report is logged into the UD-wide database and shared with the following departments:

   • Registration Department

   • VPAA Office

   • College Dean  

   • Program Director

3. VPAA decides if case requires SIC team, if not, disciplinary actions are applied as outlined in the policy.

4. If yes, VPAA Office forms a SIC.

5. SIC informed and given 1 week to investigate and send their recommendation to the VPAA

6. VPAA reviews report and final decision is shared in writing by the VPAA Office to all concerned departments and hardcopies are sent to the registrar’s office. 

7. The registrar’s office notifies the student via email and asks them to collect the original document. 

8. All documents are filed in the student’s records.

 

2.4 Appeals process – applies only when SIC team is involved

1. Student sends a letter of appeal to the VPAA within 5 business days.

2. VPAA coordinates with the SIC.

3. SIC reconvenes and sends their recommendation to the VPAA within 5 business days.

4. VPAA sends his/her recommendation to the President.

5. President reviews case and gives final decision.

6. VPAA Office shares the decision to all concerned including departments and sends hard copies to Registration Department;

7. Registration Department emails the student and requests them to pick up original document. Copies of all documents are also filed in the student’s record.

 

2.5 

Disciplinary actions should be proportionate to the nature, severity and regularity of the violation(s). These disciplinary actions may fall into one or more categories. Students with repeat offenses receive higher penalties.  Any evidence related to the violation(s) must be kept with the SIC committee until the release of the SIC report (including cheat sheets).

 

2.6 

If a student manages to hide the instrument used for cheating, or the invigilator suspects there has been a possible violation but can’t see the instrument used, then the invigilator has the right to privately frisk the suspected student.  This may be done only in the presence of a witness and both have to be of the same gender as the student.  For all such cases, a hearing must be held in order to hear all parties involved and to recommend disciplinary action, if deemed appropriate, according to the outlined UD procedures.  An informal resolution may be achieved when the violation is minor and can be resolved between the respondent and a Faculty/Dean/Director).

 

 

3. Disciplinary Actions

 

A. Warning Letter

In the event that the violation is not likely to cause harm to another person in the UD community, a confidential warning letter is sent to the respondent concerned declaring him/her to be in breach of the UD Code of Conduct and demanding that he/she cease the prohibited behavior forthwith. The complainant shall be notified that the respondent has been warned, but that no public disclosure shall be made. The complainant shall be advised that the initial decision is strictly confidential. A copy of the warning letter must be sent to the Chair of SIC for records and saved in the students file.

 

B. Failing Assessment including Exam, Project or Assignment

The respondent will receive a zero as his/her mark on the assessment which may subsequently also cause failure in the course.

 

C. Failing a Course

When the respondent repeatedly violates the classroom code of conduct of a certain course, he/she receives an “F” in the course and may not be allowed to attend classes for the rest of the semester. This disciplinary action is also appropriate when the student objects to the invigilator’s instructions during an exam. Re-offence leads to ‘Suspension’.

D. Failing a Semester

The SIC committee may choose to fail the respondent in all courses currently registered in.  This is also the penalty even when ‘Repeating’ a course.

E. Registration Hold

The respondent may not register in any courses, or receive any transcripts or access any of his/her records until s/he clears up the reasons for which s/he received this disciplinary action. This is applicable when the student has outstanding payments for damage to UD property, or the respondent failed to attend the SIC hearings. 

F. Suspension 

The respondent is prevented from attending or registering in any courses at UD for one or more regular terms as deemed appropriate by the SIC committee after approval by the UD President. This is appropriate when verbal aggressiveness or similar offenses were committed against any member of the UD community, intentional damage was done to UD property or where defamation of the university has occurred.

 

G. Expulsion

The respondent is permanently barred from attending any courses or events at UD. This disciplinary action by the SIC (after approval by the UD President) is appropriate if:

• The violation is committed with malice and is of a kind likely to cause harm to another person in the UD community. 

• The respondent has been suspended before. 

• The respondent has had an exam violation before.

H. Removal of a Graduate Degree

The disciplinary action is applied to graduate students when the Master thesis or the Ph.D. Dissertation is found to be plagiarized. In such a case, the master or doctoral degree will be removed from the student.

I. Disciplinary Probation

Disciplinary probation can be given to a respondent who previously received a disciplinary warning letter or committed any violation that led to any of the above disciplinary action, except “Registration Hold.” The SIC committee may also recommend disciplinary probation for any other cases that it considers grave enough to deserve this disciplinary action. When a respondent is on disciplinary probation, s/he shall not represent the University in any capacity (sports teams, competitions, etc.,), nor hold office in the UD Student Union or any other student organization. 

J. Restitution

A payment for financial injury to an innocent party in cases involving theft, misappropriating, destruction of property or fraud. The evaluated costs to be paid may be in addition to receipt of any of the above sanctions. The fees will be applied by the SIC or a designated office.

K. Withholding Degree

The University may withhold awarding a degree otherwise earned until the completion of the process set forth in Student Disciplinary policy (S 6.11) and Student Academic Integrity Policy (S 6.18), including the completion of all disciplinary actions imposed if any.

 

L. Deactivation

Loss of all university privileges for Student groups or Organizations including recognition and funding for related projects. In severe cases such as fraud, drugs distribution or engagement in political activities, student groups will be dissolved.

 

M. Other Disciplinary Actions

When deemed appropriate, other “educational disciplinary actions” may be imposed by the SIC in combination with any of the above-listed disciplinary actions. The respondent may be requested to participate in a community service project, attend a seminar, meet with the student counselor or undertake a research assignment, for example. 

 

3.1 Repeat Offenses

1. Failing a semester: The second time a student receives this disciplinary action, she/he will get a suspension for one semester. Any courses taken outside during suspension will not be transferred at UD. The third time will lead to expulsion.
   

2. Suspension: The second suspension will be for two semesters while the third will lead to expulsion.

3. Disciplinary Probation: The first offense during the disciplinary probation period will lead to a suspension for one semester. A second offense during the disciplinary probation leads to a second suspension for two semesters while any further violations will lead to expulsion.