Implementable 2025-2026 and beyond.

For 2024-2025 please refer to the historic Academic Integrity for Examinations and Assessments Policy.

Version:  2.0
Review date:  June 2025
Policy Owner: Deputy President and Registrar
Approved by: Academic Council 6 June 2025 
Next review: Within 3 years subject to national and/or EU developments

1. Purpose of the Policy

1.1 Academic Integrity is fundamental to the entire mission of the University in learning, teaching, research, public engagement, and public trust. Academic Integrity is a core part of UCC’s values of integrity, respect, and accountability as set out in our strategic plan. Academic Integrity is defined as: “Compliance with ethical and professional principles, standards, practices and a consistent system of values, that serves as guidance for making decisions and taking actions in education, research, and scholarship.”¹ An essential aspect of academic integrity is assessment integrity. Conversely, academic misconduct occurs when a student has behaved in a way that undermines the integrity of the assessment. UCC is a member of the National Academic Integrity Network (NAIN). This policy sets out UCC’s definition of academic integrity regarding examinations and assessments; details forms of academic misconduct; signposts the supports available to staff and students; outlines the procedures for investigating alleged cases of academic misconduct in examinations and assessments; and explains sanctions for academic misconduct and the register for recording those sanctions.

2. Scope

2.1    This policy applies to all work presented or submitted by registered students for examination, assessment, or credit in taught programmes. It does not apply to allegations of academic misconduct in Research Theses (Doctorates and Masters by Research), which are handled by the UCC Code of Research Conduct. Where there is doubt as to which policy applies, the Deputy President and Registrar or their nominee shall make a binding determination in that regard.

3. Definitions

3.    Definitions
UCC has adopted elements of the definitions of the National Academic Integrity Network (NAIN) as follows: 

3.1    Academic Integrity – As described in Section 1. Purpose of the Policy:  Compliance with ethical and professional principles, standards, practices and a consistent system of values, that serves as guidance for making decisions and taking actions in education, research, and scholarship.
3.2    Academic Misconduct – Any behaviour(s), action(s), or attempted action(s), intentional or inadvertent, that undermines or contravenes academic integrity and may result in an unfair advantage or disadvantage for a student or students. This also includes any behaviour(s) that transgresses ethical standards held in common between other individuals and/or groups in institutions of education, research, or scholarship.
3.3    Determination of Academic Misconduct – The result of an investigation into suspected academic misconduct whereby the level of academic misconduct and the resulting sanction are decided upon.
3.4    Academic Misconduct Register – A centralised record of academic misconduct that is managed by the Student Records and Examinations Office. When students are found to have engaged in any level of poor academic practice or academic misconduct as part of the processes outlined in this Policy, a record detailing the case, including the student’s details, the determination, and the sanction, are entered on the Academic Misconduct Register. This record will be held for the purpose of cumulation for the duration of the student’s programme of study. 

3.5    Forms of Academic Misconduct include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Poor Academic Practice – Actions that include, but are not limited to, poor academic writing skills (e.g., poor referencing or passing off someone else’s idea as your own), or small errors made through carelessness or misunderstanding.
• Cheating – Actions that attempt to get advantage by means that undermine values of integrity.
• Contract Cheating / Essay Mills – A form of academic misconduct where a person uses an undeclared and/or unauthorised third party, online or directly, to assist them in dishonestly producing work for academic credit or progression, whether or not payment or other favour is involved.
• Cumulation effect – Where continued poor academic practice and repeated minor instances of academic misconduct are treated as a case of major academic misconduct.
• Fabrication/Falsification – Making up data, experiments, or other significant information in proposing, conducting, or reporting research. This includes the fabrication or falsification of official University documents regarding credit and/or academic achievement.
• Impersonation – Undertaking in whole or in part any work required as part of a programme in the place of an enrolled learner, without permission from the provider.
• Unethical Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) – Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) refers to a subset of artificial intelligence (AI) that uses algorithms and models trained on massive datasets to generate new text, audio, video, code, and more. Academic integrity is breached if students submit the products of GenAI as their own work without acknowledgement and without authorisation to use GenAI in fulfilling the task.
• Plagiarism - Presenting work or ideas taken from other sources without proper acknowledgement, whether done deliberately, carelessly, or inadvertently.
• Other acts that dishonestly use information to gain academic credit.

Types of Plagiarism include but are not limited to:

• Collusion – A joint effort of work is presented by an individual without due recognition of the input of others. Collusion also applies to both parties when an individual student provides their work to another student and allows them to present it as their own.
• Self-plagiarism – The use of one’s own previous submitted/presented work in another context without appropriate citation.
• Verbatim plagiarism – Word-for-word copy of work from another source without providing acknowledgement.

4. Roles and Responsibilities

4.1    University

4.1.1    The University is responsible for establishing and updating the policy and standards for academic integrity with reference to national and international standards.

4.2    Students

4.2.1    Students are obliged to uphold academic integrity and adhere to this Policy; they are responsible for familiarising themselves with the concepts and practices of academic integrity, together with the Student Charter and Code of Honour.

4.2.2    Students are responsible for ensuring that all submitted work meets the University standards for academic integrity and for avoiding academic misconduct in all its forms including but not limited to the examples listed above: cheating, plagiarism, contract cheating, impersonation, and the unethical use of Gen(AI).

4.2.3    Students are responsible for completing academic integrity training or any other skills development when requested to do so and within the specified timeframe. 

4.2.4    Students are responsible for checking their emails regularly. Students will be notified of any suspected academic misconduct or any matter dealt with under this Policy via their UCC email address. 

4.3    Schools and Academic Staff

4.3.1    Schools are responsible for informing students about the UCC policy on Academic Integrity for Examinations and Assessments, directing them to University materials and supports, and providing advice when requested.

4.3.2    At the start of each academic session, Programme Directors and Module Coordinators are responsible for ensuring that students are made aware of the academic integrity rules and requirements for all examinations and assessments.

4.3.3    Academic staff are responsible for designing suitable assessments that support academic integrity and, where necessary, engaging with CIRTL and other University resources on assessment design.

4.3.4    Academic staff are responsible for checking submitted work, highlighting suspected cases of academic misconduct, and participating, as required, in any investigation. Academic staff are also responsible for notifying students of any additional academic integrity requirements related to the discipline or course of study.

4.3.5    Heads of Schools or their nominee(s) are responsible for initiating and conducting investigations into suspected cases of academic misconduct and for determinations on suspected cases of academic misconduct, where relevant to this Policy.

4.3.6    Schools are responsible for nominating a dedicated member(s) of staff to be responsible for academic integrity, leading investigations into academic misconduct and reporting determinations of academic misconduct to the Student Records and Examinations Office. After the level of academic misconduct has been determined and a sanction has been decided upon, this person will liaise with the Student Records and Examinations Office to determine if a student has a previous record on the Academic Misconduct Register. In the absence of this individual, the Head of School will be responsible for matters related to academic integrity under this Policy.

4.3.7    Where a determination of poor academic practice or academic misconduct is made, the School’s nominated person(s) is responsible for notifying the Student Records and Examinations Office of the determination for inclusion on the Academic Misconduct Register.

4.4    Deputy President and Registrar’s Offices

4.4.1    The Records and Examinations Officer or their nominee is responsible for investigating suspected cases of academic misconduct referred to them by Heads of Schools or their nominee.

4.4.2    The Records and Examinations Officer or their nominee will keep appropriate records in the Academic Misconduct Register, in accordance with the UCC Records and Retention Schedules and the Data Protection Notice relevant to this Policy.

4.4.3    The Deputy President and Registrar or their nominee and the Chairperson of the Student Discipline Committee or their nominee are responsible for investigating suspected cases of academic misconduct referred to them by the Records and Examinations Officer or their nominee at the appropriate stage within this Policy.

4.4.4    The Office of the Deputy President and Registrar is responsible for notifying the Records and Examination Officer or their nominee of the outcome of an Appeal at Level 2 or 3 or of referral of an appeal to the Appeals Committee under the Student Rules. Such a notification will detail whether the appeal was upheld or not and whether the Academic Misconduct Register needs to be revised to reflect the outcome. The Head of School or College should also be advised of the outcome of the appeal, as appropriate.

5. Best Practice

5.1    Staff and students are required to familiarise themselves with this Policy and with the supports for best practice in academic work, which are available from the Skills Centre and the Library.

5.2    In all presented and/or submitted work, acknowledgement of the influence of all sources quoted directly and/or paraphrased (not quoted directly) must be made at the appropriate point throughout the work. The discipline-specific citation, referencing, credit, and/or acknowledgement requirements must be applied in all submitted work. 

5.3    Each School may have additional academic integrity requirements that identify any citation norms, as well as cultural, technical, or other issues that may arise within a particular discipline. Each School shall inform students of these additional requirements (if any) along with the overall University policy and direct students to UCC supports for academic integrity. 

5.4    GenAI is a fast-moving area. Academic integrity is breached if students submit the products of GenAI as their own work without acknowledgement and without authorisation to use GenAI in fulfilling the task. The University will provide guidance on the ethical use of GenAI through CIRTL, the Skills Centre, and/or the Library. Students must familiarise themselves with this guidance, which may change and update during the course of the academic year and their programme.

5.5    Prior to submitting any piece of work, each student should agree to a statement that confirms that they are aware of their obligations regarding academic integrity and plagiarism under this Policy and confirms that they have not engaged in academic misconduct.

6. Suspected Academic Misconduct

6.1    Except for allegations of academic misconduct in Research Theses, all essays, dissertations, projects, portfolios, presentations, or other forms of academic submission in a taught degree, including all forms of research results presented for evaluation, may be checked for academic misconduct. 

6.2    Where a University electronic system, supervisor, internal or external examiner, invigilator, or other person suspects academic misconduct arising from an invigilated or non-invigilated examination or assessment, then the marker or academic staff member concerned will consider whether the issue needs to be raised with their Head of School or their nominee in the first instance. 

6.3    The use of GenAI detection software for the detection or investigation of alleged academic misconduct is not sanctioned by the University.

6.4    In some cases, it may be sufficient for School staff to engage with the student and remind them of the necessity of good academic practice and academic integrity supports.

6.5    If a student who is suspected of academic misconduct obtained their work from a classmate (either through copying or collusion) or somebody else in the University, then that person may also be subject to investigation for academic misconduct.

7. Classification and Cumulation

7.1    In the detection and investigation of alleged academic misconduct, levels of severity may be judged and classified by the Head of School or their nominee as follows:

1. Level 1: Poor Academic Practice
2. Level 2: Minor Academic Misconduct
3. Level 3: Major Academic Misconduct

7.2    Instances of both Level 1: Poor Academic Practice and Level 2: Minor Academic Misconduct are handled on a local level and reported to the Student Records and Examinations Office for inclusion on the Academic Misconduct Register. Instances of Level 3: Major Academic Misconduct are referred to the Records and Examinations Officer or their nominee for further investigation.

7.3    The cumulation effect of poor academic practice and academic misconduct by students may also be considered. 

7.4    After the level of academic misconduct has been determined and a sanction has been decided on, the Head of School or their nominee may contact the Student Records and Examinations Office to determine whether a student already appears on the Academic Misconduct Register and whether cumulation should be considered.

7.5    If the student has a previous record on the Academic Misconduct Register, the case will be treated as follows:

1. Level 1: Poor Academic Practice will be treated as Level 2: Minor Academic Misconduct.
2. Level 2: Minor Academic Misconduct will be treated as Level 3: Major Academic Misconduct.
3. Level 3: Major Academic Misconduct will be dealt with under Section 10 of this policy.

7.6    Multiple cases of poor academic practice or academic misconduct that meet all the following criteria will not result in escalation in the level of academic misconduct:

1. occur in the same academic year
2. occur before the student has completed the academic integrity training (or prior to the deadline to complete that training)
3. are classified as Level 1: Poor Academic Practice and Level 2: Minor Academic Misconduct
4. where the student has no previous record on the Academic Misconduct Register 

8. Escalation within this Policy

8.1    In cases where an alleged instance of academic misconduct is determined to be of a serious nature, or when the actions in question significantly undermine the integrity of the academic environment, the matter may be referred for investigation at an advanced stage of this Policy. Instances that may warrant such escalation include, but are not limited to:

1. Repeat Offences: When a student or individual is found to have committed multiple violations of academic misconduct over time, indicating a pattern of misconduct, as described in this Policy.
2. Severity of the Alleged Breach: When the nature of the alleged misconduct is of significant severity, such as large-scale plagiarism, falsification of academic records, or cheating on a high-stakes assessment, which may compromise the integrity of the educational institution.
3. Failure to Cooperate: If the student fails to cooperate with the initial investigation process or provides misleading, false, or incomplete information.
4. Impact on the Academic Community: When the alleged misconduct has a substantial adverse effect on the academic community, such as undermining public trust in academic credentials or creating unfair advantages.
5. Criminal or Legal Implications: When the alleged misconduct involves actions that also violate legislation or may result in criminal charges.

8.2    When such instances arise, the referral to a more advanced stage of the Policy will trigger a more formal investigation, with potential consequences that may include suspension, expulsion, or other disciplinary actions as deemed appropriate by the relevant University policies.

9. nvestigating Alleged Poor Academic Practice and Academic Misconduct 

9.1     If academic misconduct is suspected, the Head of School or their nominee will inform the student in writing (via their UCC email address) of the allegation. They must provide the student with detailed reasons for the allegation, as well as a copy of any work that is the basis of the allegation.

9.2    The student must be provided with an opportunity to address the allegation in writing (Personal Statement) within a specified timeframe. The student may be invited to a meeting to discuss the matter, where they may bring another person to provide support. The student must be advised that if they do not provide a Personal Statement or attend the meeting, the matter will be determined in their absence. In this case, the available evidence/information will be considered to determine on the balance of probabilities whether the allegation is substantiated. The student must be advised about sources of support, such as those provided by Student Support services and by the Student’s Union.

9.3    The Head of School or their nominee will consider the allegation, the student’s Personal Statement (if provided), and any other relevant information available (which will also be provided to the student), and make one of the following determinations:

1. A breach of this Policy has not occurred: The matter will end there with no sanction applied. The assessment component grade will stand, and no details related to the case will appear on the Academic Misconduct Register.
2. A breach of this Policy has or may have occurred at any Level (1, 2, or 3): Follow the appropriate steps in this section.

9.4    If a breach of this Policy has occurred at Level 1 or Level 2, the Head of School or their nominee should consult with the Student Records and Examinations Office to determine if the student has a previous record on the Academic Misconduct Register. This consultation may only occur after a determination is made, so that the appropriate sanction can be imposed. 

9.5    Level 1: Poor Academic Practice

9.5.1    The Head of School or their nominee may decide that the allegation is a minor instance of poor academic practice.  

9.5.2    The work is marked as normal on its merits and without punitive marking. There is no right of appeal apart from the usual exam appeals process. 

9.5.3    The Head of School or their nominee must notify the Student Records and Examinations Office of the instance of poor academic practice, where a record will be kept in the Academic Misconduct Register for potential cumulation effects for the duration of the student’s programme of study.

9.5.4    Students who have engaged in Level 1: Poor Academic Practice must complete academic integrity training and notify the Student Records and Examinations Office of completion. Students must complete this training within one month of receiving instructions from the Student Records and Examinations Office. If they do not complete the training, their case will be referred to the Records and Examinations Officer or their nominee and the Head of the Relevant College or their nominee in the first instance.

9.6    Level 2: Alleged Minor Academic Misconduct 

9.6.1    The Head of School or their nominee will determine the appropriate sanction, which will not exceed assigning a mark of zero in the piece of work to which the matter relates. This provision relates to the mark allocated to the full piece of work concerned and not the section or part deemed to have been in breach of this policy. No sanction from a Head of School or their nominee may be extended beyond the result for the piece of work concerned. Where a sanction results in a FAIL judgement for the module, capping at the pass mark will be applied to marks achieved at the Supplemental Examination. Note that where reasonably practicable, students will be able to re-submit the corrected piece of work, with marks capped at the pass mark.

9.6.2    Students must accept the sanction in writing within 10 business days of receiving the determination. If a student does not respond within 10 business days, then it will be assumed that they accept the determination and do not wish to appeal it.

9.6.3    Students who wish to appeal the determination should inform the Head of School or their nominee in writing within 10 business days of receiving the determination. In this case, students should be informed that the matter will be escalated to the Records and Examinations Officer or their nominee and that the procedures in Section 10 will be invoked. This does not impact on the University Appeals process that is outlined in Section 12: Appeals.

9.6.4    The Head of School or their nominee must notify the Student Records and Examinations Office of the instance of Level 2: Minor Academic Misconduct, where a record will be kept on the Academic Misconduct Register for potential cumulation effects for the duration of the student’s programme of study.

9.6.5    Students who have engaged in Level 2: Minor Academic Misconduct must complete academic integrity training and notify the Student Records and Examinations Office of completion. Students must complete this training within one month of receiving instructions from the Student Records and Examinations Office. If they do not complete the training, their case will be referred to the Records and Examinations Officer or their nominee and the Head of the Relevant College or their nominee in the first instance.

9.7     Level 3: Alleged Major Academic Misconduct

9.7.1    If Level 3: Major Academic Misconduct is suspected, the Head of School or their nominee will immediately report the case to the Student Records and Examinations Office, and the procedures in Section 10 will be invoked.

10. Alleged Major Academic Misconduct Procedures 

10.1    Where a report is made to the Student Records and Examinations Office, the student will be contacted in writing (via their UCC email address) by the Records and Examinations Officer or their nominee at the earliest possible time (subject always to consideration by the Records and Examinations Officer or their nominee of the examination period). The student will be provided with copies of the relevant documents and invited to submit a written statement of events (Personal Statement) within a stipulated timeframe. The Records and Examinations Officer or their nominee may also request, where appropriate, additional input from the Head of the relevant School and/or the Module Coordinator, which will also be shared with the student, if provided.

10.2    The case will be considered by the Examination and Records Officer or their nominee and the Head of the Relevant College or their nominee. The student will be invited by the Examination and Records Officer or their nominee to a meeting to discuss the matter. A student may bring another person to this meeting to provide support.

10.3    If a student attends the meeting, a determination will be made based on all the information provided to the Records and Examinations Officer or their nominee and the Head of the Relevant College or their nominee, as well as any additional information provided by the student at the meeting. If the student cannot attend the meeting or does not engage with the process, a determination will be made in their absence. In this case, the available evidence/information will be considered to determine on the balance of probabilities whether the allegation is substantiated.

10.4    The Records and Examinations Officer or their nominee and the Head of College or their nominee can make one of the following determinations:

1. A breach of this Policy has not occurred: The matter will end there with no sanction applied. The assessment component grade will stand, and no details related to the case will appear on the Academic Misconduct Register.
2. A breach of this Policy has or may have occurred at any Level (1, 2, or 3): Follow the steps in this section.

10.5    If a breach of this Policy has occurred, the Records and Examinations Officer or their nominee will determine if the student has a previous record on the Academic Misconduct Register. This consultation may only occur after a determination is made, so that the appropriate sanction can be imposed. 

10.6    One of the following actions may then be taken:

1. Mark the examination/assessment concerned for academic content with an appropriate reduction in marks, if applicable.
2. Assign a mark of zero for the examination/assessment concerned.
3. Refer the alleged instance, without any decision, but citing their reason(s) for being unable to make a determination or to consider the alleged instance, to the Deputy President and Registrar or their nominee and Chairperson of the Student Discipline Committee or their nominee for investigation and determination. Note that in some contexts, a first instance may require direct referral.

10.7    The Records and Examinations Officer or their nominee will inform the student and the Head of School and other relevant parties of the determination and sanction. Where a sanction results in a FAIL judgement for the module, capping at the pass mark will be applied to marks achieved at the Supplemental Examination.

10.8    The Records and Examinations Officer or their nominee will record the determination and sanction on the Academic Misconduct Register, where a record will be kept for potential cumulation effects for the duration of the student’s programme of study.

10.9    Students who have engaged in any level of poor academic practice or academic misconduct must complete academic integrity training and notify the Student Records and Examinations Office of completion. Students must complete this training within one month of receiving instructions from the Student Records and Examinations Office. If they do not complete the training, their case will be referred to the Records and Examinations Officer or their nominee and Head of the Relevant College or their nominee in the first instance.

10.10    Referral to the Deputy President and Registrar or nominee and Chairperson of the Student Discipline Committee or nominee

10.10.1    If the case is referred to the Deputy President and Registrar or their nominee and the Chairperson of the Student Discipline Committee or their nominee, a meeting will be convened to consider the relevant information. 

10.10.2    The student will be invited to submit an explanation in writing (Supplemental Personal Statement) for consideration or to attend a meeting in person to make a verbal presentation setting out their position/response at the sole discretion of the Deputy President and Registrar or their nominee and the Chairperson of the Student Discipline Committee or their nominee. If a meeting takes place, the student may bring another person to provide support. 

10.10.3    If a student does not respond within 10 business days to the request for a Supplemental Personal Statement or a request to attend the meeting, then the determination will be arrived at without the student’s involvement. In this case, the available evidence/information will be considered to determine on the balance of probabilities whether the allegation is substantiated.

10.10.4    The Deputy President and Registrar or their nominee and the Chairperson of the Student Discipline Committee or their nominee can make one of the following determinations:

1. That no breach of this Policy has occurred: The matter will end there with no sanction applied. In this instance, the no details related to the case will appear on the Academic Misconduct Register.
2. That a breach of the Policy has occurred at any Level (1, 2, or 3) and one or more of the following sanctions will be imposed: 
1.  Mark the examination/assessment concerned for academic content with an appropriate reduction in marks, if applicable .
2.  Assign a mark of zero for the examination/assessment concerned.
3.  Assign a mark of zero for the module in which the examination/assessment was a component part.
3. That the alleged breach of this Policy requires referral of the case to the Student Discipline Committee for consideration as a possible breach of the Student Rules.
4. That the alleged breach of this Policy requires referral for consideration as a possible breach of the Fitness to Practise Policy and/or the Fitness to Continue Study Policy.

10.10.5    This determination will be communicated to the student, Records and Examinations Officer, Head of School, and other relevant parties. Where a sanction results in a FAIL judgement for the module, capping at the pass mark will be applied to marks achieved at the Supplemental Examination.

10.10.6    The Records and Examinations Officer or their nominee will record the determination and sanction on the Academic Misconduct Register, where a record will be kept for potential cumulations effects for the duration of the student’s programme of study.

10.10.7    Students who have engaged in any level of poor academic practice or academic misconduct must complete academic integrity training and notify the Student Records and Examinations Office of completion. Students must complete this training within one month of receiving instructions from the Student Records and Examinations Office. If they do not complete the training, their case will be referred to the Deputy President and Registrar or their nominee and Chairperson of the Student Discipline Committee or their nominee.

10.10.8    Where the case is referred to them, the Student Discipline Committee will consider the matter in accordance with the Student Rules and, if deemed appropriate, may impose any sanction it sees fits in accordance with the Student Rules. If the Chairperson of the Student Discipline Committee or their nominee has been involved in the determination under this Policy, they will recuse themselves from dealing with the case in the Student Discipline Committee.

11. Conflicts of Interest

11.1    In the course of any investigations under this Policy, staff must be aware of any actual or potential conflict of interest in carrying out their duties. Refer to the Conflict of Interest Policy | University College Cork.

12. Appeals

12.1    Students have a right to appeal the determination and/or sanction for either minor or major academic misconduct (Level 2 or Level 3) at the conclusion of these processes. Appeals must be made in good faith and respect the ethos of academic integrity and the Student Charter and Code of Honour. The sole grounds for appeal are:

1. new information, which was not, for good reason, available to the original decision makers.
2. evidence of maladministration or mishandling of the investigation, which has impacted the outcome.
3. a disproportionate sanction was applied.

12.2    In relation to claims of a disproportionate sanction, it should be noted that sanctions relate to the level of academic misconduct (including cumulation effects) only, and hardship or other issues cannot be considered.

12.3    Appeals against the determination of either minor or major academic misconduct (Level 2 or Level 3) at the conclusion of these processes must be made within 10 business days of receiving the determination by writing with the grounds of appeal to the Academic Secretary. The appeal will be considered by the Deputy President and Registrar or their nominee and the Chairperson of the Student Discipline Committee or their nominee, who will determine the outcome at their sole discretion.

12.4    Where a student wishes to appeal a determination made following referral of the case to either the Deputy President and Registrar or their nominee and the Chairperson of the Student Discipline Committee or their nominee or following referral of the case to the Student Discipline Committee, they may use the Academic Council Appeal process outlined in the Student Rules.

12.5    If a student is successful in their appeal, their record on the Academic Misconduct Register will be removed in its entirety.

13. Record Keeping

13.1    Appropriate records will be kept by the Student Records and Examinations Office to aid the sanction (if any) to be imposed and to consider cumulation effects in accepted cases of academic misconduct. 

13.2    Schools are responsible for notifying the Student Records and Examinations Office of all sanctions of Level 1: Poor Academic Practice, Level 2: Minor Academic Misconduct, and Level 3: Major Academic Misconduct for inclusion on the Academic Misconduct Register.

13.3    The Office of the Deputy President and Registrar is responsible for notifying the Student Records and Examinations Office of any successful appeals, as outlined in Section 4: Roles and Responsibilities.

13.4    The following details will be kept on the Academic Misconduct Register:

• Academic Year
• Student Name
• Student Number
• College
• School
• Programme (i.e., QUAL code)
• Module
• Academic Misconduct Type
• Level of Academic Misconduct
• Sanction
• Whether the student has accepted the sanction
• Supporting Documentation (e.g., email communications with the student and/or reports generated by the School, the student’s Personal Statement, the student’s acceptance of any sanction, the assessments or examinations in question, Turnitin Reports, etc.)

13.5    Records of a student’s completion of any academic integrity training will also be kept.

13.6    Records will be kept for the duration of the student’s programme and then deleted in accordance with the UCC Records and Retention Schedules: Records Retention Schedules | University College Cork.

13.7    Academic misconduct will not appear on the student’s transcript. 

14. Quality Control

14.1    The Student Records and Examinations Office will conduct an annual review of academic misconduct cases across the University. They will collate a random selection of approximately ten cases each of Level 1: Poor Academic Practice, Level 2: Minor Academic Misconduct, and Level 3: Major Academic Misconduct from the Academic Misconduct Register. Each case will be anonymised and a review of the cases will be conducted to ensure this Policy has been followed. Proof of completion of academic integrity training will also be checked.

14.2    An anonymised report will made to Academic Board at the end of each academic year, indicating the number, School, and type of cases that appear on the Academic Misconduct Register.

15. Other Legal and Ethical Issues

15.1    In some cases, particularly in the professional academic arena, plagiarism may also be a breach of copyright, which may expose the copier to civil and/or criminal proceedings if within the timeframe of the copyright.

15.2    Changes to Irish legislation in 2019 gave power to the QQI to bring prosecutions under Section 43A of the Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) (Amendment) Act with may result in fines of up to €100,000 and/or imprisonment for up to five years for those who facilitate a learner to cheat in any way.

15.3    The Scientific Council of the European Research Council have reminded those preparing proposals “that use of external help in preparing a proposal does not relieve the author from taking full and sole authorship responsibilities with regard to acknowledgements, plagiarism and the practice of good scientific and professional conduct”.

1.  NAIN (2021) Academic Integrity : National Principles and Lexicon of Common Terms drawing on ENAI Glossary
   for Academic Integrity – Academic Misconduct [Accessed 13th April 2021]

16. References and Resources

• Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI)
  • QQI (2021), Academic Integrity: National Principles and Lexicon of Common Terms, National Academic Integrity Network. 
  • QQI (2021), Academic Integrity Guidelines, National Academic Integrity Network. 
  • QQI (2023), Generative Artificial Intelligence: Guidelines for Educators, National Academic Integrity Network. 
  • QQI (2023), Framework for Academic Misconduct Investigation and Case Management, National Academic Integrity Network.
• ERC (2023), Current position of the ERC Scientific Council on Artificial Intelligence.
• Glossary For Academic Integrity– ENAI
• National Academic Integrity Network
• Global Academic Integrity Network
• UCC Student Rules
• UCC Code of Conduct
• Fitness to Practise Policy
• Fitness to Continue in Study
• Conflict of Interest
• UCC Skills Centre: Academic Integrity
• UCC (2023), Short Guide 9: Assessment in the Age of AI
• UCC Toolkit for the Ethical Use of GenAI
• Academic Integrity - UCC Library
• UCC Student Supports Available
• UCC Groupwork Guidelines

Table of Sanctions

Downloadable PDF of Table of Sanctions 

Level 1: Poor Academic Practice

Possible Penalties

• Marked appropriately for academic content without punitive reduction in marks 

Education and Support

• Refer Student to advice and support
• Student to complete the Academic Integrity Fundamentals Course in the first instance

or

• Student to meet with Academic Integrity Education Officer in the Skills Centre or nominee

Recording

Level 2: Minor Academic Misconduct

Possible Penalties

• Marked for academic content with an appropriate additional reduction in marks. The sanction will not exceed assigning a mark of zero in the piece of work to which the matter relates.

Note: Where reasonably practicable, students will be able to re-submit the corrected piece of work, capped at pass mark. 

Education and Support

• Refer Student to advice and support
• Student to complete the Academic Integrity Fundamentals Course in the first instance

or

• Student to meet with Academic Integrity Education Officer in the Skills Centre or nominee

Recording

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