Jisc and the Higher Education Academy set up new Academic Integrity Service

The responsibilities of the former Jisc Plagiarism Advisory Service (JiscPAS) are to be shared between the Higher Education Academy/Jisc Academic Integrity Service and the Jisc Internet Plagiarism Advisory Service (Jisc-iPAS).

JiscPAS’s success since 2001 has led to an ever-widening remit embracing issues beyond its original scope. Such issues, it was felt, would be better served through integration with the work of the Academy’s Subject Centres. Focusing on pedagogy not related to technology, the new Academic Integrity Service will be headed up by Dr Fiona Duggan and located at the Academy’s Subject Centre for Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary Medicine (MEDEV) based at the University of Newcastle.

The new, evidence-based service will support institutions and staff by providing access to leading research and evaluation of best practice on the complex issue of academic integrity. The service will work with the Academy’s Subject Centres to promote and disseminate advice and guidance to practitioners. The work of Dr Duggan will underpin the Higher Educ"These developments build on the Academy’s strong links with practitioners and Jisc’s commitment to innovation." ation Academy’s Assessment Theme for 2007/2008. This theme involves all of the Academy’s Subject Centres.

The findings of the Academic Misconduct Benchmarking Research (AMBeR) project, which aims to benchmark current policy and practice in UK higher education with regard to the range and spread of penalties applied to student plagiarism will be the first of many projects providing a robust evidence base to support the revision and review of institutional policies and procedures.

With the exception of the work transferring to the new service, the original remit of Jisc-PAS, including all services for FE and awarding bodies, will continue within the Jisc Internet Plagiarism Advisory Service (Jisc-iPAS).

The Jisc Internet Plagiarism Advisory Service will have a technology focus drawing its advice from pedagogic best practice, research evidence and case studies gathered from the community. The two services will work closely together on areas of common interest in order to promote a holistic approach to plagiarism prevention and detection.

Norman Wiseman, Jisc Head of Services and Outreach, said: “These developments build on the groundbreaking work undertaken by JiscPAS since 2001. But they also represent an example of partnership at its best, bringing together the Academy’s strong links with practitioners and its focus on pedagogy with Jisc’s commitment to innovation and excellence in the use of ICT. Most importantly, the sector as a whole will benefit from changes which reflect wider developments in a subject of immense importance to the sector.”  

David Sadler, Director (Networks) at the Higher Education Academy said: “I am delighted to see the development of this new advisory service. It will be an important element in how Jisc and the Higher Education Academy respond to current concerns in the UK Higher Education sector about issues of academic integrity. The integration of the Academic Integrity Service into the core theme of assessment in 2007/2008 is a demonstration of the important pedagogic implications of this issue.”

For further information on the Plagiarism Advisory Service

Or visit the Academy / Jisc Academic Integrity Service