Academic Misconduct and Academic Integrity

What is academic integrity?

Having integrity means being honest and sticking to morals that most people would agree with, such as telling the truth. The University is a 'learning community' within which students and staff learn from each other, from their peers and through original research. All members of the University are expected to maintain high standards of academic conduct and professional relationships based on courtesy, honesty and mutual respect. In maintaining this learning community, the concept of academic integrity is fundamental.

Academic Integrity Statement for Students

Further advice and guidance on academic integrity and academic misconduct are available from your module tutors, the Students’ Union and the Student Development and Study Skills Service.

What does this mean in practice?

As a member of the academic community at the University of South Wales, we expect you to work in accordance with the following principles:

  • Take responsibility for your own work;
  • Fully acknowledge the work of others wherever it has contributed to your own by referencing appropriately (further information can be found here: Referencing, plagiarism, and good practice
  • Ensure that your own work is reported honestly;
  • Avoid actions which seek to give you an unfair advantage over others;
  • Ensure that you follow the ethical conventions and requirements appropriate to your course;
  • If you are studying on a professionally-recognised vocational programme, maintain standards of conduct which are appropriate to a practitioner in that area;
  • Behave with respect and courtesy when debating with others, even when you do not agree with them;
  • Support others in your own efforts to behave with academic integrity.

What is Academic Misconduct?

Academic Misconduct is failure to comply with the principles above, ie, “‘any action or attempted action that may result in creating an unfair academic advantage or disadvantage for any other member(s) of the academic community.” (section 7.2 'Definition of academic misconduct' of the Academic Integrity Regulations)

Examples of academic misconduct

Examples of Academic Misconduct include plagiarism, cheating, contract cheating, falsification, recycling and collusion.

Please access the current Academic Integrity Regulations for the definitions of each type.

For more detailed descriptions please access the Examples of Academic Misconduct document.

Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) statement

Why is Academic Integrity important to you as a student?

If you breach academic integrity by committing academic misconduct then you are not doing what you came to University to do, which is to learn and become a better, more skilled and more knowledgeable person. You will have gaps in your knowledge that future colleagues and employers will pick up on, and which may cost you dearly.

If another student on your course commits academic misconduct, it is you they are cheating, by devaluing your hard work and accomplishments. If you think another student is doing this, then please talk to your course team.

Acting with academic integrity enables you to demonstrate your own knowledge, skills and understanding of the subject and then to receive feedback to help you progress

Regulations and Procedures 2024-2025

The Academic Integrity Regulations for the current academic year can be found below. Please see the bottom of this webpage for regulations from previous academic years.

Academic Integrity Regulations 2024-2025

Academic Integrity Procedures 2024-2025

Guidance documents

The below documents provide further guidance about the academic misconduct process following an allegation of academic misconduct.

Staff forms - suspected case of academic misconduct

If an academic member of staff wishes to raise a suspected breach of academic integrity, they should complete the below form, including any evidence and send it to [email protected]

Please note that there is a derogation to the Academic Misconduct Procedure 2021-2022 for all UNICAF students studying USW degrees. Please see here for further details. 

UNICAF tutors please use this version of the UNICAF Academic Misconduct Allegation Form

The below documents relate to requests for review following a notification of a penalty. The 'Request for Review Form' should be completed and emailed to [email protected] if a student feels the decision falls under one of the grounds stated in Academic Integrity Procedures.

The General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) have now replaced the Data Protection Act. An explanation of how the University will use your data can be found here and in the Communication Plan above. Please note that in accordance with GDPR Regulations any third party supporting evidence will only be accepted if it is accompanied by a completed Third Party Consent Form. 

  • Academic Misconduct Regulations & Procedure 2023-2024 English | Cymraeg
  • Please see Annex 1 of the Academic Misconduct Regulations and Procedure 2021-22 for the Tariff of Penalties for Taught Courses
  • Tariff of Penalties for Research Degrees English | Welsh

The following are key changes to the student casework regulations for the 2022/23 academic year.  

  • Amendments to wording for the purpose of clarification (A1 1.2, 1.3, 1.4 / A2 2.2, 2.5, 2.9, 2.11, 2.12, 2.14, 2.15 / A3 3.1 / A4 4.2, 4.6, 4.11, 1.4 / A5 5.4 /  A8 8.1, 8.2 / B2 2.1-2.7 / B3 3.1 / B4 4.1 / B4 4.3, 4.4 / B5 5.1, 5.4 / B6 6.4, 6.8, 6.9, 6.11 / B8 8.1)
  • Inclusion of reference to the Regulations for Taught Courses (Appendix 1)
  • Amendment of the membership of the Review Board from ‘three’ to ‘four’ members appointed by Academic Board, to ensure parity across other procedures (B6 6.10)
  • The clarification of a student’s ability to have a legally qualified support person/representative at meetings and hearings (B1 1.6-1.8)
  • Addition of further information in relation to advice and support for students (B1 1.1-1.3)
  • Inclusion of ‘postgraduate’ in reference to research students throughout the document
  • Addition of ‘employed students’ when reference to apprentices are made to clarify that both categories of students will follow the same processes in relation to informing their employers (A1 1.2 / A2 2.7, 2.15 / B4 4.4 / B5 5.4 / B6 6.11)
  • Inclusion of a section articulating that allegations against a member of staff of assisting a student to commit an academic offence or selling work to other students or third parties will be considered through the Disciplinary Procedure for Staff (A4 4.5)
  • Poor academic practice to be dealt with locally, consequently all references of this in relation to the formal process to be removed (A2 2.3, 2.4)
  • Clarification that reporting students will not be informed of whether an allegation is raised or not and will not be told of any potential outcome under the procedure (A2 2.3)

Procedural Flowcharts

Contact us

Queries relating to academic misconduct should be directed to [email protected]