Policies
Academic integrity
This policy states what honest academic work means at eLadder University, what breaches it, and what happens when a breach is found.
Draft in progress
We are finalising this policy.
Read it and tell us what to sharpen. Where a figure is still being set, we name the decision rather than publish a number we would have to change.
Why this matters here in particular
eLadder is taught entirely online. Every assessment is submitted remotely, which means the integrity of a qualification rests on what students choose to do when nobody is watching. A degree from an institution that does not enforce this is worth less to every student who earned it honestly.
What counts as a breach
- Plagiarism: presenting another person's words, ideas, data or code as your own, whether copied deliberately or through careless citation.
- Collusion: working with others on an assessment that was set as individual work.
- Contract cheating: obtaining work from another person or service, paid or unpaid, and submitting it as your own.
- Undeclared use of generative artificial intelligence where an assessment does not permit it, or beyond the extent it permits.
- Falsification: inventing or altering data, sources, results or supporting documents.
- Impersonation: allowing another person to sit an assessment or complete work in your name, or doing so for another student.
- Re-use of your own previously submitted work without declaring it.
Artificial intelligence
Generative AI tools are part of professional practice and this policy does not ban them. Each assessment states what use is permitted, and the responsibility for knowing that sits with the student.
Where use is permitted, it must be declared: which tool, for what part of the work. Undeclared use is treated as a breach whether or not the use itself would have been allowed. Submitted work must remain your own reasoning, and you remain responsible for every claim in it, including anything a tool produced.
How a suspected breach is handled
A suspected breach is raised with the student in writing, describing what was found and in which piece of work. The student is given the opportunity to respond before any finding is made.
Findings are made on the balance of evidence by a member of academic staff not involved in raising the concern. The outcome, the reasoning and the right of appeal are given to the student in writing.
Outcomes
Outcomes are proportionate to the seriousness of the breach and to whether it is a first occurrence. They range from a formal warning and resubmission, through a mark of zero for the assessment or the course, to suspension or dismissal from the university.
A first, minor, apparently careless breach is normally treated as a teaching matter. Contract cheating and impersonation are treated as the most serious category at first occurrence.
Being finalised in this section
- Whether a record of a first minor breach is retained on the student file, and for how long
Appeal
A student may appeal a finding or an outcome. Appeals are heard by someone not involved in the original decision, and the grounds, the deadline and the route are set out in the grievance policy.