A sector alert from TEQSA has been released in response to promotional emails and social media campaigns offering students $10,000 if they upload course materials and assignments to academic file sharing websites.
TEQSA is concerned that these websites may facilitate the operation of commercial academic cheating services.
Under Australia’s anti-cheating laws, the promotion or sale of academic cheating services is illegal and subject to penalties of up to two years’ imprisonment and fines of up to $110,000.
Institutions can take practical actions including:
- ensuring that institutional policies are regularly reviewed and upheld
- communicating relevant policies regarding academic integrity to all students during induction and regularly throughout their studies
- informing students about the risks posed via study platforms that may promote or sell commercial cheating services. TEQSA has published advice for students that may form part of your communication to students
- reminding students and staff about the importance of academic integrity and the risk posed by illegal cheating services
- monitoring file-sharing sites and taking action, where possible, to remove institutional content from these sites.
Click here to read more on the TEQSA website.