Understanding Academic Integrity – Interactive Courses
The Understanding Academic Integrity interactive courses were developed by TUS and SETU as part of My Digital Backpack, which was created under the N-TUTORR programme and funded by the European Union under the NextGenerationEU initiative, as part of Ireland’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP). Below is information on the student and staff courses available on Moodle.
Student Course: Understanding Academic Integrity
Available on Moodle, this short, practical course covers the essentials of academic integrity and will help students develop the knowledge and skills to study with confidence and integrity throughout their university journey.
In just a few sessions, you’ll learn how to:
- Credit sources correctly when using others’ work
- Stay on top of deadlines and manage time effectively
- Collaborate fairly and ethically
- Find and evaluate reliable information
- Use AI tools responsibly in your studies
The course consists of five bite-sized sessions (20–25 minutes each) that you can complete at your own pace. Each session is available as an interactive presentation or downloadable audio and PDF, allowing you to learn in the format that suits you best.
Course Sessions
1. The Importance of Academic Integrity
Explore the principles of academic integrity, why it matters and the consequences of academic misconduct
2. Learning Strategies for Academic Integrity
Discover practical study strategies to help you maintain academic integrity throughout your studies.
3. Citing and Referencing with Academic Integrity
Learn how to correctly acknowledge sources and use others’ work appropriately.
4. Information Literacy and Academic Integrity
Develop skills to find, critically evaluate and use information effectively and ethically.
5. Generative AI and Academic Integrity
Learn how to use AI tools responsibly, understand their limitations and cite AI-generated content correctly.
Earn a Digital Badge
Each module concludes with a short 10-question quiz. Score 80% or higher in all five quizzes, and you’ll earn a digital badge that you can add to your CV, portfolio or online profile.
To access the course, please click on the link below for your campus.
Staff Course: Understanding Academic Integrity
Available on Moodle, this practical course is designed to help staff strengthen their understanding of academic integrity and develop strategies to promote it across the student learning experience.
Whether you are new to academic integrity or looking to refresh and deepen your understanding, this course provides practical guidance and resources to help you promote integrity, honesty, fairness and ethical scholarship in higher education.
You’ll learn how to:
- Foster a culture of academic integrity among students
- Design assessments that support authentic learning
- Recognise and respond to academic integrity breaches
- Navigate the opportunities and challenges of generative AI
- Understand the policies and procedures that underpin academic integrity
The course consists of five self-paced sessions, each with an interactive presentation and an accompanying workbook. It is also available as a downloadable audio or PDF file, allowing you to engage with the content in the format that suits you best.
Course Sessions
1. Defining Academic Integrity
Explore the principles of academic integrity and the shared responsibility for fostering a culture of honesty and ethical scholarship in higher education.
2. Supporting Academic Integrity
Learn practical strategies to promote academic integrity in your teaching, assessment design and student support.
3. Dealing with Academic Integrity Breaches
Develop confidence in identifying, addressing, and responding appropriately to potential breaches of academic integrity.
4. Generative AI and Academic Integrity
Examine the opportunities and challenges presented by generative AI and how to guide students in its responsible use.
5. University Policy and Academic Integrity
Understand the policies, procedures, and institutional frameworks that support academic integrity across the university.
To access the course, please click on the link below for your campus
Academic Integrity Week
Academic Integrity Week is a vital initiative that promotes ethical learning practices and fosters a culture of honesty and respect within educational institutions. The week focuses on raising awareness about academic integrity, addressing issues like plagiarism and cheating, and providing resources to help students and staff uphold ethical standards in their academic work. A variety of events are planned for our students and staff.
This year’s Academic Integrity Week will take place from October 12th to 16th.
Staff and student progammes for 2026 will be available soon.
Please click on the links below to view the 2025 staff and student programmes
Resources for Students
- Academic Writing Centre
- Library referencing guides – covers Harvard, APA and Vancouver
- Library – Write it Right – A guide to Harvard referencing style
- QQI Youtube video on essay mills #Myownwork
Resources for Staff
Podcast – The Use of GenAI in the Knowledge Creation Process
This podcast is part of a podcast series developed by CPID Staff involved in teaching on the taught programmes, supporting the PASS initiative, and engaging in educational research. This podcast is a recording of a Panel Discussion held at the Technological University of the Shannon during Academic Integrity Week 2025 on the topic of “The Use of GenAI in the Knowledge Creation Process”. The discussion is chaired by Dr Denise Mac Giolla Ri, Artificial Intelligence Champion with CPID. Denise is joined by
- Dr. Des Cawley, Head of the Department of Nursing and Healthcare, Faculty of Science and Health in the Technological University of the Shannon
- Dr. Maura Clancy, Dean of Faculty, Faculty of Applied Sciences and Technology in the Technological University of the Shannon
- Dr. Niall Murray, Senior Lecturer in Dept. of Computer & Software Engineering, Faculty of Engineering & Technology in the Technological University of the Shannon
- Ms. Frances O’Connell, Vice President for Education and Student Experience in the Technological University of the Shannon
This podcast was recorded in October 2025 and was funded by the National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, the Higher Education Authority, and the Centre for Pedagogical Innovation and Development Department within the Technological University of the Shannon.
Listen HereQQI Academic Integrity PDF Resources:
- Academic Integrity National Principles and Lexicon of Common Terms
- Academic Integrity Guidelines
- Generative Artificial Intelligence: Guidelines for Educators
- Framework for Academic Misconduct Investigation and Case Management
NAIN Webinars:
2023
- Stephanas Lim: UK universities’ policy responses to Artificial Intelligence related academic misconduct
- National Academic Integrity Week 2023: Opening Student Panel
- What more could HEIs do to help students avoid engaging in academic misconduct?
- Academic integrity from the second-language user’s perspective
- First impressions – first year student concerns around academic integrity and how to alleviate them
2022
2021
- Associate Professor Cath Ellis: Detecting and Investigating Contract Cheating Cases and Supporting Students through the Process
- Professor Phillip Dawson: The Remote Proctored Exams Dilemma
2020
- Dr Teddi Fishman: Academic Integrity and what we can learn from the pandemic
- Professor Michael Draper: Developments in Higher Education in relation to academic integrity
NAIN have number of podcasts offering Continuous Professional Development in academic integrity. The individual links are listed below, or you can subscribe to the series here at QQI (Quality and Qualifications Ireland)
- Lorna Dodd (UCD): The role of academic libraries and librarians in supporting academic integrity
- Richard Kjellgren (University of Stirling): Scoping study, Criminal Grades? Contract cheating and student exploitation in Higher Education
- Professor Michael Draper (Swansea University): Global threats to academic integrity
- Associate professor Sarah Eaton (University of Calgary): The importance of identifying and tackling ‘the wicked questions’ in a collaborative way
- Megan O’Connor (University Students of Ireland): How NAIN Communications Working Group explored new ways of thinking about, and promoted student awareness of academic integrity
- Kane Murdoch (University of New South Wales (UNSW), Australia): Academic integrity, contract cheating and the detection of academic misconduct.
Frequently Asked Questions
FAQs
Academic integrity is acting in an honest, moral and fair way to complete any academic tasks in an academic setting (QQI, 2020). It is at the heart of all activity in the institute, and depends on individuals approaching any academic task or research in an honest and moral way. This is guided by the TUS Academic Integrity and Plagiarism policy which applies to all learners at all levels in the institute who are undertaking any academic work contributing to an award, or credits.
Academic misconduct is any attempt to seek unfair advantage in relation to any academic activity.
Examples of this include:
- Copying parts of your assignment without acknowledging the source of the information, including copying work from another student.
- Not acknowledging direct quotes in your work, even if you have cited them.
- Paraphrasing without citing the source of the information.
- Incomplete or inaccurate citations in your work.
- Collusion – getting assistance from someone to complete work that should be your own.
- Collaborating – working with others to complete an assignment that is an individual assignment.
- Self-plagiarism – reusing your own work that you have previously submitted for an assessment.
- Buying assignments – this is also called contract cheating. This is dishonest and does not reflect your learning in any way. It can also have a serious impact on your future.
- Using AI to complete part or all of an assignment unless specifically permitted as part of the assessment. Any use of AI must be acknowledged correctly.
Contact Us
For more information, please contact Dr Mike Russell at Michael.Russell@tus.ie