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Student Corner

Regulations for Handling Violations of Academic Integrity

Article 1
(Scope)

These regulations are applicable to the degree programmes of Macao Polytechnic University (hereinafter referred to as "the University") and its students.

Article 2
(Definition)

  1. The University values students’ character and academic integrity, and requires students to have full commitment to academic integrity when engaging in research and academic activities.
  2. Violation of academic integrity refers to all dishonest behaviours in academic and research activities. Violations of academic integrity include, but are not limited to the following:
    (1)  Plagiarism: The use of all or part of the opinions, concepts, arguments, rewriting and copying the content of others’ works (including text, image, computer programme, music, design, etc.) as their own without the original author’s consent or without proper citation, can constitute plagiarism.
    (2)  Collusion: The hiring or using a third-party service to complete an assignment or thesis, etc., or to provide a third-party service, or share information obtained through a hired or a third-party service provider with other students, or knowingly using the information obtained through a hired or third-party service provider, can constitute collusion.
    (3)  Fabrication or falsification: Fabricating research data or results, or providing falsified information or facts.

    (4) 

    		 Repeated use of assignments: To submit the same assignment for grading for more than one learning module without stating its repeated use.
    (5)  Cheating in examinations: To be regulated by the University’s designated regulations.

Article 3
(Procedures)

  1. If a student is suspected of committing a violation of academic integrity, the academic staff who discovers the relevant matter shall immediately report the suspected violation of academic integrity to the academic unit to which the student belongs together with relevant evidence.
  2. The head of the academic unit shall appoint an investigation team to conduct investigations and hearings on the case within seven working days after receiving the report mentioned in Clause 1 of this Article, in order to investigate whether the relevant student has committed an act that violates academic integrity. The Pedagogic and Research Affairs Office shall send a representative to attend the relevant investigation meetings and hearings, but the representative does not have the right to vote.
  3. The investigation team consists of three members, including:
    (1)  The programme coordinator of the programme to which the student belongs, serving as the chairperson;
    (2)  One academic staff of the academic unit to which the student belongs;
    (3)  One academic staff from another academic unit.
  1. The academic staff referred to in Clause 1 of this Article shall not serve as a member of the investigation team; if the programme coordinator is unable to serve as a member because of this reason, the head of the academic unit shall appoint another academic staff from the programme as a member and to serve as the chairperson at the same time.
  2. The investigation team must arrange for students to attend the hearings, and may also arrange for other persons related to the case to attend the hearings. The absence of any person at the hearing does not affect the proceeding of the procedure.
  3. The investigation team must submit an investigation report to the head of the academic unit concerned within ten working days after being appointed. The report must indicate the preliminary investigation result, and if it is determined that there is a violation of academic integrity, it must point out the type of violation, the applicable penalties and explain the reason for such a decision.
  4. If the investigation team needs more time for investigation, the head of the academic unit may extend the deadline of submission of the investigation report for up to ten working days upon receipt of recommendations from the investigation team.
  5. Upon receipt of the investigation report, the head of the academic unit will make a decision on the penalty or penalties, or the closing of the case, and will forward the file to the Pedagogic and Research Affairs Office for processing.
  6. The decision referred to in the preceding clause shall be notified to the student in writing by the Student Affairs Office and copied to the Pedagogic and Research Affairs Office and the Registry.

Article 4
(Penalties)

  1. The head of the academic unit shall make a ruling based on the nature and seriousness of the student's violation of academic integrity. Depending on the circumstances of the case, one or more of the following penalties may be imposed at the same time:
    (1)  Relevant assignment/thesis/learning module, etc. will be scored as zero, fail or no pass;
    (2)  If the student is a repeat offender, the student may be suspended from study for one academic year and the suspension begins from the next semester following the occurrence of the case;
    (3)  If the circumstances are extremely serious, the student may be expelled from the University.
  2. Any period of suspension of study shall be included in the maximum period of study.
  3. The decision to expel a student must be approved by the Senate.
  4. Depending on the actual circumstances and behaviour of the student who violated academic integrity, the rights, benefits and scholarship of the student may be suspended or terminated at the same time.

Article 5
(Appeal)

  1. Students can submit an appeal to the Pedagogic and Research Affairs Office using a designated form, along with any supporting documents (if appropriate), within three working days after receiving the notice of the penalty decision. Late or incomplete appeal applications will not be accepted.
  2. The appeal referred to in the preceding clause and related files shall be submitted to the Senate, which shall establish an academic integrity case team to investigate.
  3. The academic integrity case team shall include three academic staff which are appointed by the Senate.  One of the members is appointed to be the chairperson.
  4. The appeal has the effect of suspension of the relevant penalties, which will be suspended until the appeal procedure has concluded.
  5. The academic integrity case team shall submit the final report on the appeal to the Senate within ten working days, and the Senate shall make a decision.
  6. The decision referred to in the preceding clause shall be notified to the student in writing by the Student Affairs Office and copied to the Pedagogic and Research Affairs Office and the Registry.

 

Article 6
(Notification)

  1. The Pedagogic and Research Affairs Office shall inform the Student Affairs Office and the Registry of the penalty imposed on the student.  A record shall be kept in the relevant student’s file with details such as the consideration on whether to grant any scholarships, awards and/or priority to the student.
  2. When passing down a penalty on the student who violates academic integrity, depending on the nature of the case and the circumstances of the student, the parent or guardian of the student may be notified.
  3. Considering the specific circumstances of the case, particularly where the misconduct was of a criminal or severe nature, the procedure and the imposition of the penalties are without prejudice to the University’s obligation to lawfully provide any information to the judicial authorities of the Macao Special Administrative Region.

Article 7
(Confidentiality)

  1. For all cases of violations of academic integrity that have not been reviewed and decided, the academic unit and relevant academic support services departments shall keep them confidential.
  2. Those who have acquired knowledge of any violation of academic integrity case because of their positions or participation in the process are obliged to keep that knowledge confidential. However, this does not affect the application of the relevant regulations on notification to the departments of the University or to the judicial authorities.

Article 8
(Questions and Omissions)

Any questions and omissions arising out of the application of these Regulations shall be resolved by the Senate.

 

 

This English version is a translation of the original regulations in Chinese. Should there be any discrepancies between the two versions, the Chinese version shall prevail.

 

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