Safeguarding academic and research integrity is becoming increasingly important. Traditional concerns such as plagiarism and data fabrication persist, while newer challenges, such as artificial intelligence (AI) generated content and deepfakes, demand attention.
Appropriate policy frameworks and training enable students and researchers to adhere to ethical principles, honesty and accuracy in their work. The Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency’s (TEQSA) current consultation to develop a Guidance Note on Academic and Research Integrity provides an opportunity to promote best practices to maintain the credibility and trustworthiness of educational institutions and research findings. ATSE makes the following recommendations for inclusion in TEQSA’s Guidance Note on Academic and Research Integrity:
Recommendation 1: Provide guidance on open science principles to improve research integrity.
Recommendation 2: Highlight the importance of guidelines and research training for integrity in interdisciplinary research.
Recommendation 3: Provide universities with guidance on research integrity for citizen science.
Recommendation 4: Recommend universities collaborate with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and other Indigenous leaders in developing protocols for research involving Traditional Knowledge, ensuring respectful and proper partnership, acknowledgment and recognition.
Recommendation 5: Provide guidance for higher education providers to respond to the misuse of generative AI for research and coursework.
Recommendation 6: Encourage higher education institutions to proactively manage risks around cybersecurity, including as it pertains to academic integrity.