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Academic Integrity Policy

Effective Date:  8 January 2026

Last Updated: 23 June 2026

Academic Integrity Policy

The CPD Centre is committed to promoting honesty, fairness, trust, responsibility, respect, and accountability in all learning, assessment, certification, and professional development activities.

Academic integrity is fundamental to maintaining the credibility, quality, and value of The CPD Centre's programmes, assessments, certifications, and professional qualifications.

All participants, learners, facilitators, trainers, assessors, consultants, and staff are expected to uphold the highest standards of academic and professional conduct.

1. Purpose

The purpose of this Policy is to:

  • Promote ethical learning practices.

  • Protect the integrity of assessments and certifications.

  • Ensure fairness and consistency.

  • Maintain confidence in The CPD Centre's programmes.

  • Prevent academic misconduct.

  • Support professional and lifelong learning.

2. Scope

This Policy applies to:

  • Face-to-face programmes

  • Online programmes

  • Blended learning programmes

  • Workshops

  • Seminars

  • Conferences with assessment components

  • eLearning courses

  • Assignments

  • Projects

  • Examinations

  • Practical assessments

  • Research activities

  • Certification programmes

The Policy applies to all participants, learners, facilitators, trainers, assessors, and staff.

3. Principles of Academic Integrity

The CPD Centre promotes:

Honesty

Presenting work truthfully and accurately.

Fairness

Ensuring equal opportunities for all learners.

Responsibility

Taking ownership of one's learning and assessment activities.

Respect

Respecting the intellectual contributions of others.

Accountability

Accepting responsibility for actions and decisions.

Trust

Maintaining confidence in learning and certification processes.

4. Expected Learner Conduct

Participants are expected to:

  • Complete assessments honestly.

  • Submit original work.

  • Properly acknowledge sources.

  • Follow assessment instructions.

  • Respect examination rules.

  • Protect the integrity of learning activities.

  • Avoid any form of academic misconduct.

5. Academic Misconduct

Academic misconduct includes any action that compromises the integrity of learning, assessment, or certification processes.

Examples include, but are not limited to:

Plagiarism

Presenting another person's words, ideas, research, data, or work as one's own without proper acknowledgement.

Examples include:

  • Copying from books, articles, reports, or websites.

  • Submitting another person's work.

  • Reusing previously submitted work without permission.

  • Inadequate referencing.

Cheating

Obtaining or attempting to obtain an unfair advantage.

Examples include:

  • Copying during examinations.

  • Using unauthorized materials.

  • Sharing assessment answers.

  • Accessing examination content improperly.

Collusion

Unauthorized collaboration between participants in completing assessments intended to be completed individually.

Fabrication

Inventing, falsifying, or manipulating information.

Examples include:

  • Falsifying data.

  • Altering assessment results.

  • Creating fictitious references.

  • Misrepresenting professional experience.

Impersonation

Allowing another person to complete work, assessments, examinations, or learning activities on one's behalf.

Contract Cheating

Submitting work completed by another individual or organization.

This includes:

  • Purchasing assignments.

  • Hiring third parties to complete assessments.

  • Using unauthorized ghostwriters.

6. Responsible Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

The CPD Centre recognizes that Artificial Intelligence tools may support learning when used responsibly.

Participants may use AI tools only where expressly permitted.

Learners remain fully responsible for:

  • The accuracy of submitted work.

  • The originality of submissions.

  • Proper disclosure where required.

  • Compliance with assessment instructions.

The following may constitute academic misconduct:

  • Submitting AI-generated work as entirely one's own.

  • Using AI where specifically prohibited.

  • Using AI to complete assessments without authorization.

  • Misrepresenting AI-generated content as original work.

Programme-specific guidelines may impose additional requirements.

7. Assessment Integrity

The CPD Centre shall implement reasonable measures to ensure assessment integrity, including:

  • Assessment verification procedures.

  • Identity verification where necessary.

  • Examination controls.

  • Assessment moderation.

  • Secure online assessment systems.

  • Learning analytics and monitoring tools.

8. Online Learning Integrity

For online and blended programmes, participants must:

  • Maintain secure login credentials.

  • Not share accounts.

  • Complete activities personally.

  • Follow online assessment requirements.

  • Participate honestly in discussions and assessments.

Account sharing is strictly prohibited.

9. Reporting Suspected Misconduct

Any participant, facilitator, assessor, employee, or stakeholder may report suspected academic misconduct.

Reports should include:

  • Details of the allegation.

  • Supporting evidence where available.

  • Relevant dates and circumstances.

Reports will be treated confidentially and investigated fairly.

10. Investigation Process

Where misconduct is suspected:

  1. The allegation will be reviewed.

  2. Relevant evidence will be gathered.

  3. The participant will be given an opportunity to respond.

  4. A decision will be made based on available evidence.

  5. The outcome will be communicated in writing.

11. Sanctions

Where academic misconduct is confirmed, The CPD Centre may impose one or more of the following:

  • Formal warning.

  • Requirement to resubmit work.

  • Assessment failure.

  • Examination failure.

  • Programme failure.

  • Suspension from a programme.

  • Termination of enrolment.

  • Withdrawal of certification.

  • Permanent exclusion from future programmes.

  • Reporting to sponsoring organizations where appropriate.

The sanction applied will depend on the nature and severity of the misconduct.

12. Appeals

Participants may appeal decisions relating to academic misconduct in accordance with The CPD Centre Complaints & Appeals Policy.

Appeals must be submitted in writing within fourteen (14) calendar days of notification of the decision.

13. Responsibilities of Facilitators and Assessors

Facilitators, trainers, and assessors shall:

  • Promote academic integrity.

  • Design fair assessments.

  • Provide clear assessment instructions.

  • Identify and report suspected misconduct.

  • Maintain confidentiality.

  • Apply policies consistently.

14. Continuous Improvement

The CPD Centre shall regularly review assessment practices, learning technologies, and integrity controls to ensure continued effectiveness and alignment with emerging best practices.

15. Contact Us

For questions regarding this Academic Integrity Policy, please contact:

The CPD Centre

Plot 135 Unit 10B

International Finance Park

Gaborone, Botswana

Telephone: (+267) 396 0934

Mobile/WhatsApp: (+267) 71 256 530

Email: training@thecpdcentre.co.bw

Website: www.thecpdcentre.co.bw

The CPD Centre

Building Capacity. Advancing Excellence. Transforming Performance.

"Integrity in Learning. Credibility in Certification. Excellence in Practice."