Expert Trainers Academy Policies
Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Tools Policy
This policy aims to:
- Ensure responsible and ethical use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools within the institute’s
- academic and administrative processes.
- Align with awarding bodies’ regulations and uphold international standards of academic integrity and quality assurance.
- Provide clarity on acceptable and prohibited uses of AI for learners, faculty, and staff.
This policy applies to:
- All learners (students, trainees, and research scholars) across all courses and programs at Expert Trainers Academy.
- All staff, including academic, administrative, technical, and training personnel.
- All AI tools, including but not limited to generative text/image software (e.g., ChatGPT, Bing Chat, Midjourney), automated assessment platforms, virtual assistants, and data analytics tools.
- AI Tools
Any software or system that uses machine learning, natural language processing, deep learning, or similar technologies to perform tasks that typically require human intelligence. Examples include chatbots, image generators, language translators, and intelligent tutoring systems. - Academic Integrity
Upholding honesty, trust, fairness, respect, and responsibility in all academic work, as defined by international standards and UK awarding bodies. - Plagiarism
Presenting someone else’s work—ideas, words, images, code, or data—as one’s own without appropriate acknowledgment. This includes uncredited AI-generated content. - Data Protection
Compliance with relevant data privacy regulations ensuring personal data is handled lawfully, fairly, and securely.
Expert Trainers Academy recognises the potential benefits of AI tools in enhancing learning, research, and administrative efficiency. However, all stakeholders must use AI tools responsibly and ethically, ensuring compliance with academic standards, data privacy legislation, and the regulations set by awarding bodies and international best practices.
- Learners
- Use AI tools ethically: Any content generated or assisted by AI must be properly acknowledged.
- Maintain academic integrity: Do not use AI tools to gain an unfair advantage in assessments, assignments, or examinations.
- Protect personal data: Adhere to data protection guidelines when inputting personal or sensitive information into AI tools.
- Academic Staff and Researchers
- Educate learners: Provide guidance on the acceptable and ethical use of AI, including citation practices and regulatory requirements.
- Design assessments responsibly: Develop assessment tasks that minimize opportunities for unethical AI usage, and communicate AI-related expectations to learners.
- Monitor compliance: Use plagiarism detection tools and other measures to identify potential misuse of AI. For AI detection Expert Trainers Academy uses Quillbot AI checker
- Administrative and Support Staff
- Implement data protection: Ensure that any AI tools used for administrative processes comply with privacy and security regulations.
- Support policy enforcement: Assist in investigations and provide administrative support when policy breaches are reported.
- Policy Committee or Senior Management
- Oversight: Monitor the effectiveness of this policy and update it in line with new AI developments and regulatory changes.
- Enforcement: Review reported cases of AI misuse and decide on appropriate actions or sanctions.
- Learning and Research
- Drafting and Brainstorming: Using AI tools for idea generation, preliminary research, or draft outlines is permissible if properly cited.
- Administrative Processes
- Automated Workflows: AI-driven tools may be used to streamline admissions, scheduling, and other administrative tasks, subject to data protection laws and institute approval.
- Communication Support: Chatbots and AI assistants may be deployed for handling routine inquiries, provided they are transparent about AI involvement and maintain data confidentiality.
- Cheating and Unauthorised Assistance
- Examinations: Using AI tools during in-person or online examinations without explicit approval is strictly prohibited.
- Complete Assignment Generation: Submitting AI-generated content as if it were the learner’s original work, without acknowledgment or authorization, is considered academic misconduct.
- Contract Cheating: Employing third-party AI services or platforms (paid or unpaid) to produce entire assignments or projects constitutes a severe violation of academic integrity.
- Misrepresentation and Plagiarism
- Uncited AI-Generated Content: Any text, images, code, or data generated by AI must be clearly cited. Presenting AI-generated material without proper attribution is considered plagiarism.
- Fabrication or Falsification: Using AI tools to fabricate data, results, or references is strictly forbidden.
- Breach of Data Protection
- Exposing Confidential Information: Inputting personal, confidential, or sensitive data into AI tools that do not comply with relevant privacy regulations is prohibited.
- Unauthorized Sharing: Providing other individuals’ personal data to AI systems without consent is not allowed.
- Alignment with Assessment Standards
- All assessments must meet the standards specified by awarding body regarding authenticity, reliability, and validity.
- Internal and external verification processes must ensure that the work submitted by learners is genuinely their own.
- Quality Assurance
- Expert Trainers Academy will align its internal quality assurance processes with relevant regulatory frameworks to monitor AI usage and maintain academic integrity.
- Documentation of AI usage, citations, and any resulting disciplinary actions will be made available to external verifiers or moderators as required.
- Software and Tools
- Expert Trainers Academy uses Quillbot AI-detection software to identify potentially AI-generated or plagiarised content.
- Periodic Reviews
- Random checks on assessments may be conducted to detect possible misuse.
- Any suspicious cases will be escalated to the designated committee for further investigation.
- Investigation Procedure
- Upon receiving a report of alleged AI misuse, the institute will conduct a preliminary review to gather evidence (e.g., software detection results, assignment drafts).
- If sufficient grounds exist, a formal hearing will be convened. The accused party will have the opportunity to present their perspective and evidence.
- Sanctions
Depending on the severity of the breach, sanctions may include but are not limited to:- Formal warning and record of misconduct.
- Requirement to resubmit work or repeat the assessment.
- Grade penalty or module failure.
- Suspension or expulsion for severe or repeated offenses.
- For staff, disciplinary measures may include formal warnings, suspension, or termination of employment.
- Appeals
- Learners and staff have the right to appeal the outcome of an investigation within a stipulated period (e.g., 10 working days).
- An independent appeals panel, not involved in the initial investigation, will review the case.
- The appeal decision is final, subject to any external regulatory oversight.
If AI-generated content is detected for the first time, students will be given one week to revise and resubmit their work. If detected a second time, they will be granted 30 days to correct and resubmit their assignments.
- This policy is reviewed annually or as required to keep pace with evolving AI technologies and changes in regulations set by awarding bodies or international standards.
- Feedback from learners, staff, and guidelines change from awarding bodies will determine policy revisions.
- Policy Access: This policy will be made available to all learners and staff via the institute’s website and learning management system.
- Ongoing Guidance: Continuous support will be provided, including FAQs, guidelines for AI citations, and updates on new AI-related developments or regulatory changes.
This Use of AI Tools Policy is approved by the Managing Director and is effective as of [Date]. All members of the institute community are expected to comply with this policy. Any violations will be handled according to the procedures outlined herein.
Malpractice & Plagiarism Policy
The purpose of this policy is to:
- Maintain the academic integrity of all learners of Expert Trainers Academy and uphold excellence within the institution.
- Define malpractice and plagiarism, and outline the procedures to handle such cases.
- Ensure that staff of Expert Trainers Academy and learners understand their responsibilities in upholding academic honesty.
- Provide clear guidelines on the consequences of malpractice and plagiarism for both learners and staff.
This policy applies to:
- All learners of Expert Trainers Academy (students, trainees, and research scholars) enrolled in courses or programs offered by the institute.
- All staff of Expert Trainers Academy, including trainers, academic support, and administrative personnel involved in teaching, assessment, or research supervision.
- All types of academic work, including but not limited to coursework, examinations, assignment and projects.
3.1 Malpractice
Malpractice refers to any activity or conduct that gives an unfair advantage or compromises the integrity of the academic process. Examples include but are not limited to:
- Unauthorized collaboration or collusion.
- Use of unauthorized materials or devices during assessments.
- Fabrication or falsification of data, research findings, or credentials.
- Improper assistance to or from another person in completing assignments or examinations.
3.2 Plagiarism
Plagiarism is presenting another person’s work—ideas, words, data, research, or images—without appropriate acknowledgment. It includes, but is not limited to:
- Direct copying of text, diagrams, images, or data from any source without proper citation.
- Paraphrasing or summarizing someone else’s ideas without proper attribution.
- Submitting someone else’s work as one’s own, including purchasing assignments or commissioning work from third parties.
Expert Trainers Academy is committed to maintaining the highest standards of academic integrity. Any act of malpractice or plagiarism is considered a serious offense and will be investigated and addressed promptly. The institute encourages learners and staff to cultivate an environment of honest scholarship, ethical research, and respect for intellectual property.
5.1 Learners of Expert Trainers Academy
- Familiarize themselves with the definitions of malpractice and plagiarism.
- Submit original work and ensure all sources are properly cited.
- Seek clarification from faculty or staff if uncertain about citation, paraphrasing, or other academic integrity requirements.
5.2 Academic Staff of Expert Trainers Academy (Faculty, Tutors, Researchers)
- Provide clear guidance on academic integrity and proper referencing methods.
- Incorporate plagiarism awareness and detection tools (e.g. Dupli Checker).
5.3 Administrative Staff
- Support the implementation of the policy by providing resources and tools (e.g., referencing guides, workshops).
- Ensure consistent handling and documentation of malpractice and plagiarism cases.
5.4 Policy Committee
- Oversee the policy’s implementation, review, and updates.
- Review reported cases of malpractice and plagiarism.
- Make final decisions on sanctions and outcomes.
- If plagiarism is detected for the first time, students will be given one week to revise and resubmit their work. If it is detected for the second time, they will be required to redo their assessment and resubmit it within 30 days.
6.1 Prevention
- Training and Workshops: Regular training sessions on academic integrity, referencing skills, and appropriate use of sources for learners and staff.
- Guidance Materials: Handbooks, guidelines, and online resources to educate learners on acceptable standards of academic practice and referencing styles.
- Use of Technology: Adoption of plagiarism detection software and secure online assessment platforms.
6.2 Detection
- Plagiarism Detection Software: All submissions (assignments, research papers) must be checked using approved software. As of now we are using Duplichecker web based tool for detection of plagiarism.
- Proctored Examinations: In-person and remote proctoring strategies to detect any unfair practices during examinations
6.3 Reporting a Violation
- Initial Report: Any suspected malpractice or plagiarism should be reported to the relevant Trainer and Administrative Staff.
- Preliminary Review: The receiving party conducts an initial review, which may include using detection tools or consulting relevant evidence.
6.4 Investigation
- Notification: The accused individual is informed of the allegation and provided with relevant details and any evidence.
- Review Panel: A designated panel (comprising trainers and administrative staff) conducts a thorough investigation.
- Evidence Gathering: Collection of all related documentation (original assignment, similarity reports, exam scripts, witness statements, etc.).
- Decision: The panel decides whether malpractice or plagiarism occurred, based on the evidence, and recommends an appropriate sanction.
Where malpractice or plagiarism is found to have occurred, possible sanctions may include but are not limited to:
- Formal Warning: For first or minor offenses.
- Reduction of Grade: Assignment grade reduction or failure in the assessment component.
- Resubmission of Work: Learner required to revise and resubmit the work with proper citations.
- Disciplinary Probation: Placement of the learner on academic or disciplinary probation.
- Suspension or Expulsion: For repeated or severe cases.
- Revocation of Awards: In extreme cases where academic credentials are obtained through dishonesty, the institute reserves the right to revoke the award.
For staff members, disciplinary actions may include warnings, suspension, reassignment, or termination of employment, depending on the severity of the violation.
- Learners and staff have the right to appeal decisions related to malpractice or plagiarism findings.
- Appeals must be submitted in writing within a specified timeframe (e.g., 10 working days from the date of the decision).
- Appeals are reviewed by Expert Trainers Academy management that was not involved in the initial investigation.
- The outcome of the appeal is final and binding, subject to any regulatory oversight that may apply.
This Malpractice & Plagiarism Policy is approved by the Expert Trainers Academy management and is effective as of [Date]. All learners and staff are required to comply with this policy, and any breach will be dealt with according to the procedures and sanctions outlined above.