ENQA and QAA webinar “Protecting and promoting academic integrity: How quality assurance agencies can take action”

On 18 March from 10:30-12:00 CET, ENQA hosted a webinar with QAA on academic integrity and the role QA agencies can play in it.

Academic integrity is a key aspect that underpins trust in high quality education systems. Quality assurance agencies are being called upon to play a role in taking actions against academic misconduct, which can include the use of essay and degree mills, plagiarism, collusion between students and forged qualification certificates. This webinar explored the practical steps that quality assurance agencies can take in protecting and promoting academic integrity.

This webinar was organised by ENQA and QAA, exclusively for ENQA members and affiliates.

Programme

During the webinar, participants heard from three quality assurance agencies about their activities to address this issue.

In his presentation “Practical approaches to protecting academy integrity and combating academic misconduct”, Gareth Crossman (QAA, UK) presented practical steps that can be taken to promote academic integrity within the jurisdiction of ENQA members. The session looked at QAA’s guidance on preventing contract cheating and the use of essay mills. It also explained the development of an Academic Integrity Charter that UK higher education institutions have been invited to sign up to.

In her presentation “Supporting Academic Integrity – A View from Ireland”, Deirdre Stritch (QQI, Ireland) provided an overview of the steps taken in Ireland to engage with higher education institutions and enable them to strengthen their individual and collective capacity to embed a culture of academic integrity and minimise opportunities for academic misconduct. This included a focus on the work of the Irish National Academic Integrity Network and its outputs in the last 15 months.

In her presentation “Supporting academic integrity: cross-border cooperation and enabling at the country level”, Aurelija Valeikienė (SKVC, Lithuania) explored how effective cross-border agency cooperation and collaboration can help support academic integrity. The session also looked at the recognition of non-domestic quality assurance by ENQA agencies.

The webinar was facilitated by Maria Kelo, Director of ENQA.

Resources

• QAA guidance on addressing essay mills
• QAA Academic Integrity Charter
• Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) (Amendment) Act 2019 – Irish law: Section 43A introduces new offences in relation to the facilitation of learner cheating

• QQI Academic Integrity webpage
• Irish National Academic Integrity Network
• Your own work, Your own degree, Your own achievement! – Irish student-facing campaign raising awareness of contract cheating and the supports and resources available to students within Irish higher education institutions.

• Cross-border higher education toolkit for quality assurance agencies – produced in the context of the QACHE project, coordinated by ENQA

Presentations

Practical approaches to protecting academy integrity and combating academic misconduct by Gareth Crossman

Supporting Academic Integrity – A View from Ireland by Deirdre Stritch

Supporting academic integrity: cross-border cooperation and enabling on the country level by Aurelija Valeikienė

Recording

A recording of the webinar is provided below and on ENQA’s YouTube page.