TAM Report | Montenegro - Plagiarism

GENERAL INFORMATION

TAM title: Plagiarism in Higher Education - awareness, threats and consequences

Type of Event: Seminar

Modality: Presential

Location: University of Donja Gorica, Podgorica, Montenegro

Country: Montenegro

Dates: 26-27 February 2024

Expert: Mohammad Khalil, Dr. (Senior Researcher), University of Bergen, Norway

Participants: Over 70 participants from higher education: students, faculty staff, senior management from the university of Donja Gorica, HERE team, international experts, the director of higher education from the Ministry of Higher Education of Montenegro.

THEMES COVERED

• Plagiarism: its complexity, types and practice examples
• Detecting and avoiding plagiarism in the era of technological developments
• EU policies on plagiarism and academic integrity
• Institutional and national policies on plagiarism
• Plagiarism as a challenge for quality assurance in higher education

KEY OUTCOMES 

During the workshop participants:

• Engaged in constructive discussion on the best practices for dealing with and preventing plagiarism.
• Increased their awareness of plagiarism in academia and gained knowledge on how plagiarism is detected in higher education.
• Expressed their suggestions of penalties and sanctions when plagiarism is detected.

OVERVIEW 

The seminar offered an in-depth exploration of plagiarism as a multifaceted issue, analysing its forms, causes, and implications for academic integrity and quality assurance in higher education. Through expert presentations and discussions, participants examined how plagiarism intersects with technological change, education fraud, and the need for robust institutional and national responses. The event highlighted European policies and Montenegro’s progress, including the role of the Ethics Committee and proposed legislative updates to strengthen integrity in education.

Sessions covered plagiarism detection, legal frameworks, and institutional practices, alongside a panel led by HERE members and student representatives offering complementary perspectives. The seminar underscored the importance of fostering a culture of integrity from early education and reaffirmed the key role of the national quality assurance agency in safeguarding trust and standards.

Overall, it enhanced awareness, policy dialogue, and institutional reflection on academic integrity, reinforcing the need for collective action to combat plagiarism and uphold the credibility of Montenegro’s higher education system.

THE FOLLOW UP ACTIVITY

• Title of the activity: Round table: Sharing lessons learned about academic integrity challenges in Montenegro

• Dates: 25th of November 2024 at the University of Donja Gorica

• Audience: 24 participants

Description: The follow-up activity was organized to share insights on plagiarism and academic integrity in higher education with university representatives and staff. Attended by various faculty members from the University of Donja Gorica, the event supported preparations for the upcoming reaccreditation process, particularly addressing Standard 11, which focuses on academic integrity and is a critical component of accreditation. The round table format allowed for interactive discussions, a knowledge-sharing quiz, and a review of existing university policies. Moderators facilitated sessions aimed at disseminating lessons learned, evaluating practices, and ensuring the sustainability of the TAM activity’s conclusions.

ENHANCING IMPACT: PROPOSED NEXT STEPS 

• Promote ethical behavior and research integrity at all levels by integrating ethics into institutional values, teaching practices, and mentorship. Regularly engage ethics committees to assess and guide institutional approaches.
• Provide ongoing education in academic writing, research integrity, and ethical conduct for students, faculty, and staff. Utilize workshops, webinars, and international exchange programs (e.g., Erasmus+) to strengthen awareness and skills.
• Develop and regularly update accessible guidelines, syllabi references, and tutorials on academic integrity. Create dedicated web pages, email addresses, and contact centers for reporting and addressing ethical issues.
• Integrate plagiarism detection tools, clearly inform stakeholders of their use, and apply results fairly. Provide guidance on the ethical and informed use of AI tools in academic work.
• Apply clear, equitable procedures for addressing misconduct with defined sanctions and incentives (e.g., "clean record" acknowledgments). Encourage anonymous reporting and enforce staff obligations to address violations.
• Establish policies outlining acceptable uses of generative AI (e.g., permitted, limited, or prohibited), and emphasize the irreplaceable role of mentors in guiding ethical academic behavior amidst technological shifts.

RESOURCES AND BACKGROUND MATERIAL 

• Khalil, M. (n.d.) Understanding the phenomenon of plagiarism: Its complexity, types and practice examples. [Online]. Available at: https://www.erasmusplus.ac.me/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Opening_Plagiarism-2.pdf
• Khalil, M. (n.d.) Detecting and avoiding plagiarism in the era of technological developments and AI. [Online]. Available at: https://www.erasmusplus.ac.me/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/AI_Plagiarism.pdf
• Khalil, M. (n.d.) EU policies on plagiarism and academic integrity. [Online]. Available at: https://www.erasmusplus.ac.me/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/EU_Plagiarism.pdf