Cheating in examinations and other examination assignments – formally referred to as deceptive conduct in an examination – is a recurring problem at the country’s universities and colleges. There has also been a significant increase in cheating during the pandemic. At Uppsala University, 288 students were reported for suspected cheating in 2020 – compared to 91 students in 2019 and 69 students in 2018.

Internal Audit at Uppsala University has audited the process for handling suspected cheating in examinations, and in its report found that enforcement is not uniform within the University and that it, in some respects, deviates from the university-wide procedures and guidelines.  The report, only in swedish.
In several cases, departments also lack practical support and guidance in their efforts to prevent and handle cases of suspected cheating. 

The audit was carried out through document studies and interviews with heads of department and/or directors of studies (when delegated) at seven of the University’s departments.

 “Clear rules and procedures are a prerequisite for these matters to be handled uniformly and for students to be treated equally, regardless of which department they are studying at,” says Chief Internal Auditor Sven Jungerhem.

"The lack of university-wide information material aimed at students has led to departments developing their own material individually, but this is an inefficient way to use resources. Our audit also reveals a lack of follow-up for learning purposes, and a lack of forums for sharing experiences as a means of developing common approaches.” 

The University Board decision
 

There is thus a need for improvement, and the Internal Audit’s recommendation is now the subject of a University Board decision to:

  • Inventory the departments’ needs for information and university-wide material, to be made available to the departments. 
  • Provide departments with internal training and practical guidance, including on the handling, investigation and assessment of well-founded suspicions of attempted cheating. 
  • Establish forums for follow-up and exchange of experiences.
  • Clarify and update the governance and supporting documents in this area.

 

During the ongoing pandemic, both teachers and students perceived a certain lack of clarity about what is permitted during remote examinations. The University therefore urgently drew up new governance documents, both guidelines that are governing and highlight responsibilities and obligations for remote written examinations as well as a guide that provides practical advice and guidance in the work.

The guidelines clarify what the department/course management and the responsible teacher must ensure before and during the examination. This material is also published on the staff portal and is available to everyone. The documents were adopted on 15 December 2020 (effective from Spring Semester 2021) and have therefore not been included in this audit, other than being described in the section on governance documents. 

The development of a new web platform at Uppsala University has also begun, with unified student web access the first aspect to be launched. This will improve the possibility of providing relevant and clear student communication.

What is deceptive conduct in an examination?

Simply put, deceptive conduct in an examination is the formal term for cheating and plagiarism. Deceptive conduct in an examination is a disciplinary offence. In accordance with the Higher Education Ordinance, disciplinary action may be taken against students who attempt to deceive in an examination by using unauthorised aids or by other means.

Disciplinary measures may only be taken by the University’s Disciplinary Board and the Vice-Chancellor. The disciplinary measures are warning and suspension. Warning can be decided by the Vice-Chancellor or the Disciplinary Board, while suspension is decided by the Disciplinary Board. 

There are various ways in which deceptive conduct in an examination can occur, such as unauthorised aids, unauthorised cooperation or plagiarism. Examples of deceptive conduct may include the use of unauthorised aids like cheat sheets, notes in books or mobile phones in an on-campus examination. 

Unauthorised cooperation may include students working together during a take-home examination or another individual examination assignment. 

Plagiarism means copying or transcribing someone else’s text without acknowledging the source or indicating that it is a quotation. 
According to the Higher Education Ordinance, an attempt at cheating on the part of the student may be sufficient for disciplinary action to be taken.