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Assessment Offences and Academic Misconduct

Find out about the University’s process for dealing with suspected cases of academic misconduct and the possible penalties.

Academic Misconduct is any action which gains, attempts to gain, or assists others in gaining or attempting to gain unfair academic advantage. Academic Misconduct comes in various forms which include plagiarism, collusion, contract cheating, fabrication of data and possession of unauthorised materials during an examination. This also includes the usage of essay mills and support sites, which have been criminalised in the UK.

If it has been reported that you may have committed an assessment offence and/or academic misconduct, an independent person within your School will investigate the allegation made against you. In the first instance, Academic Misconduct offences will be dealt with in accordance with the procedure set out in this document (Appendix III, UPR AS14).

 If academic misconduct is suspected your work may be subject to an investigation.

After the investigation:

  • If there is no case to answer, in which case there will be no further action and no record will be kept on your Student File.

 

  • If there is a case to answer then the details will be submitted to the Board of Examiners which will take them into account in grading your work,

 

  • In the most serious cases, you may be called before a Student Academic Misconduct Panel which has the power to impose disciplinary sanctions. If you are called before a Student Academic Misconduct Panel then the Board of Examiners will not grade your work until it knows the outcome of that Panel and it will take the outcome of that Panel into account when grading your work.

You will be entitled to be accompanied at any investigatory meeting or panels that you are required to attend. There will be an appeal process in the event of sanctions being imposed.

 

Need more help?

For more general queries and advice, please contact the Student Cases Team, acosupport@herts.ac.uk.

 The Student’s Union Advice and Support Centre can also offer impartial guidance and support on academic issues.

Sometimes, students can experience difficult circumstances. If you need support, please contact the Student Wellbeing service here https://studentwellbeing.herts.ac.uk. 

 

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