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Academic integrity

As a student of the University, you are responsible for taking part in your education in an honest and authentic manner.    

Academic integrity

The University’s Academic Board approved a new Academic Integrity Policy 2022 (pdf, 376KB) and Academic Integrity Procedures 2022 (pdf, 320KB) in November 2022.  You can now access an overview of the main changes to the policy and procedures in 2023. These changes include new requirements about the use of writing assistance tools and artificial intelligence.

There is no change to the requirement that you will need to complete the Academic Honesty Education Module (AHEM) if you are a new student commencing study in a new course. Further information about the AHEM as well as workshop, services and resources is provided below.

Academic integrity is a core value of the University of Sydney, in both education and research.

By joining the University community, you have agreed to uphold this value and to proactively contribute to the University’s culture of academic integrity, by acting honestly and ethically in all your dealings and relationships with other members of the University community.

Acting with academic integrity means doing the 'right thing' even when things seem difficult and taking a shortcut to academic success seems easier.

We expect you to be familiar with the policies and codes covering academic honesty and conduct at the University.

You need to follow these codes and policies during your time at the University. We do not tolerate any form of breach of academic integrity.

Academic honesty and working with other students

When you act with academic integrity, you are also acting with academic honesty. At university, behaving with academic honesty means doing your own work even if you find the work challenging. This means that you do not try to benefit academically by misleading or being unfair to others.

Academic honesty in group work

An important part of your studies will involve working constructively with other students to address common learning problems and goals. It is essential that you always behave with academic honesty when you are participating in group work.

This means that you need to contribute your own original work to the group and that you properly acknowledge the work of other people in your work. If you don’t, you put everyone in a group at risk of being accused of academic dishonesty.

Acting with academic honesty in group work also means that you have to commit fully to participating in group discussions and meeting agreed deadlines. It is unfair to leave your group members feeling like they need to complete work you were supposed to complete. It is even more unfair (and dishonest) to accept marks for group work if you have let others do your work for you.

Academic honesty and legitimate cooperation

When you work with other students outside of the classroom and formal group work settings, it is important that you understand what we refer to as 'legitimate cooperation'.

We usually think of cooperation between students as legitimate (or appropriate) if it involves discussing general themes, ideas and concepts being taught in a unit of study. It is also legitimate to discuss assignment instructions and marking criteria. You can do this with just one of your friends or you might want to consider setting up a small study group that meets regularly.

The key thing about cooperation that is legitimate, is that it is done in a way that is open and transparent. This means that you should feel comfortable telling other people about it. If you are not willing to tell other people about it, then you are probably not cooperating in a way that is academically honest.

Promoting academic integrity

You have access to a range of resources and services to help you meet the academic standards required to complete your course.

Academic honesty education module

You need to complete the Academic Honesty Education Module (AHEM) if you are a new student commencing study in a new course.

If you are a current student who commenced study before 2016, you will also need to complete the module if you:

  • enrol in or transfer to a new degree
  • commence an appended honours program
  • are in a combined degree program and have progressed to the second degree (your degree code has changed).

Some faculties or schools may also require you to complete the AHEM if you are a continuing student.

Once you complete the module, in most cases you will not need to complete it again for a period of 10 years, even if you change courses.

The module will help you understand the University’s commitment to academic honesty. It takes about 20 to 30 minutes to complete and consists of information about academic honesty and interactive questions to check your understanding.

The module needs to be completed by 31 March for Semester 1 and 31 August for Semester 2. If you do not complete the module by the deadline, your academic record may be suppressed.

Accessing the module

The AHEM is available in Canvas, our online learning space. If you have any problems accessing or completing the module, contact the Office of Educational Integrity at educational.integrity@sydney.edu.au

You will be automatically enrolled in the AHEM.

Access the module in Canvas.

When you log in to Canvas the module will also be visible on your dashboard.

If you are required to complete the AHEM as a continuing student, this will be stated on your unit of study outline.

You can complete or revisit the module voluntarily at any time during your studies by enrolling yourself in the module.

Once enrolled, the module will be visible on your Canvas dashboard.

Workshops, services and resources

There is a wide range of workshops and online resources to improve your understanding of academic and professional writing, and to help you develop your skills in this area.

Last updated: 25 January 2024

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