Academic Integrity Policies in Hispanic South American Higher Education: Status and Recommendations

Abstract

The scenario surrounding higher education institutions is being reshaped by rapid technological advances, the emergence of transactional perspectives on learning, the commodification of education, new artificial intelligence developments, and the effects of COVID-19. At this juncture, identifying how existing mechanisms intended to uphold academic integrity can respond to emerging challenges and threats is vital for ensuring institutional integrity; finding alternatives that best accommodate the needs and characteristics of specific educational communities is important. Attending to calls for region-specific perspectives on academic integrity, this chapter explores the current status of policies addressing academic misconduct or academic integrity in ten leading Hispanic South American universities from Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Peru, and Uruguay. This policy analysis offers a perspective on academic integrity understanding in the region through the lens of the five core elements of exemplary academic integrity policy: access, approach, responsibility, detail, and support. Building on the results of similar policy analysis from other studies, this chapter presents an initial exploration of 12 academic integrity policy recommendations for Hispanic South American universities; these recommendations are also informed by current trends in the academic integrity field. The chapter closes with some insights for scholars, university authorities, policymakers, and policy analysis enthusiasts to consider when working on academic integrity policy in the region.