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  5. Section 6. Procedures Governing Student Academic Integrity

Section 6

Procedures Governing Academic Integrity of Students and Graduates

HKBU adopts a zero-tolerance policy for academic dishonesty. Any student who commits an act of academic dishonesty will have violated academic integrity and will, therefore, be subject to academic disciplinary actions.

 

Examples of Academic dishonesty can be found in Section 1 of the Guidelines for Students on Academic Integrity.

 

Click here for the procedures in handling alleged academic misconduct.

 

If academic dishonesty is suspected in respect of course-based assessment:

  1. the faculty member concerned should report to the Head of Department/Programme Director.
  2. the Department/Programme shall investigate the case with the student concerned.
  3. if the charge is established, an ‘F’ grade may be assigned to the course.

    Note: Any student found to have conducted academic dishonesty can be excluded from participating in the end-of-semester Course Feedback Questionnaire (CFQ) for the course concerned.  The Department/Programme should inform the Academic Registry/School of Continuing Education, in writing, of this request at least one week before the commencement of the CFQ exercise.
  4. the Department/Programme will report the case, in writing, to the Academic Registrar (for undergraduate and taught postgraduate programmes) or Dean of Graduate School (for research postgraduate students taking coursework) via the Dean of Faculty/School.

    Note: For sub-degree programmes, the Programme Director will report the case, in writing, to the Dean of School of Continuing Education directly, with copy sent to the Head of Registry of the School for necessary action. For Higher Diploma In Creative Film Production, cases should be reported to the Dean of School of Continuing Education via the Dean of School of Creative Arts.
  5. the Academic Registry/ Graduate School/ School of Continuing Education will inform the student, in writing, of the decision of the Department/ Programme.
  6. the Academic Registrar/Dean of School of Continuing Education will inform the Quality Assurance Committee (QAC), while the Dean of Graduate School will inform the QAC via Research Postgraduate Studies Committee (RPSC) and Research Committee (RC).

    Note: The number of academic dishonesty cases and the sanctions imposed arising from sub-degree programmes bearing HKBU awards (i.e. associate degrees and higher diplomas) are required to be reported to the QAC via the Quality Assurance Sub-Committee on Sub-Degree Programmes (QASC) (QF Level 4) annually.
  7. the QAC will report the number of cases and the sanctions imposed  to the Senate annually.

 

For more serious or repeated cases:

 

  1. the Department/Programme should follow the procedures 1 - 4 above.
  2. the Academic Registry/ Graduate School/ School of Continuing Education should refer the case to the Student Disciplinary Panel (SDP) as appointed by the Student Affairs Committee (SAC) for deliberation and more stringent disciplinary action would be taken as appropriate,  after an appeal against the decision on academic dishonesty, if any, has been dealt with.
  3. the Director of Student Affairs will notify the Academic Registrar/Dean of Graduate School/Dean of Continuing Education, in writing, of the action meted out.
  4. the Academic Registrar/Dean of Continuing Education will inform the QAC while the Dean of Graduate School will inform the QAC via RPSC and RC. 

    Note: The number of academic dishonesty cases and the sanctions imposed arising from sub-degree programmes bearing HKBU awards (i.e. associate degrees and higher diplomas) are required to be reported to the QAC via the Quality Assurance Sub-Committee on Sub-Degree Programmes (QASC) (QF Level 4) annually.    
  5. the QAC will report the number of cases and the sanctions to the Senate annually.

 

Appeal

Appeal against the decision on academic dishonesty made by Department/Programme
 

The student may submit an appeal to the Department/Programme and the procedures for Appeals Regarding Academic Matters (please refer to the University Student Handbook for the relevant procedures) will be followed.  Further appeal actions should be directed to the Academic Registrar/Dean of Graduate School.  If the Academic Registrar/Dean of Graduate School considers that there are grounds for the appeal, an Appeal Panel will be convened to review the case.  The decision of the appeal panel shall be final.
 

Note: Sub-degree students should follow the appeal regulations and procedures governing Sub-degree programmes.

 

Appeal against the sanctions imposed by the Panel on Student Disciplinary Cases
 

The student should follow the Student Disciplinary Procedures  and submit an appeal in writing to the Chairperson of the SAC, who may decide to dismiss the appeal or set up a Student Disciplinary Appeal Panel (SDAP) for hearing and decision.  The decision of the SDAP, except for suspension and dismissal, shall be final.

If academic dishonest is found in the process of qualifying examination, candidature examination, or in the submission of a research prospectus/thesis/dissertation:

  1. the Exam Panel or Board of Examiners will levy a sanction as they deem appropriate, such as to fail the exam or terminate the candidacy of the student concerned. The Panel may allow a re-submission or work.  While the Panel or Board shall convey the decision to the students, the Graduate School/ Academic Registry shall formally inform the student in writing.
  2. the Chair of the  Exam Panel or Board of Examiners will report the case, in writing, to the Dean of Graduate School (for research postgraduate studies) or the Academic Registrar (for professional doctoral studies via the Dean of Faculty/School. More serious or repeated cases should be referred to the SDP.
  3. the Academic Registrar will inform the QAC while the Dean of Graduate School will inform the QAC via RPSC and RC.
  4. the QAC will report the number of cases and the sanctions imposed to the Senate annually.

 

Appeal

Appeal against the decision on academic dishonesty made by Exam Panel or Board of Examiners

 

The appeal should be directed to the Dean of Graduate School (for research postgraduate studies) or the Academic Registrar (for professional doctoral studies).  If the Dean of Graduate School or the Academic Registrar considers that there are grounds for the appeal, an appeal panel will be convened to review the case.  The decision of the appeal panel shall be final.

 

Appeal against the sanctions imposed by the Student Disciplinary Panel

 

The student should follow the Student Disciplinary Procedures and submit an appeal in writing to the Chairperson of the SAC, who may decide to dismiss the appeal or set up a Student Disciplinary Appeal Panel (SDAP) for hearing and decision.  The decision of the SDAP, except for suspension and dismissal, shall be final.

 

 

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