What are the potential outcomes of a Formal Discussion or an Academic Misconduct Panel hearing?

The potential outcomes of a Formal Discussion or an Academic Misconduct Panel hearing are:

• That academic misconduct has not occurred, or the work does not include material that is the product of academic misconduct
  • No further action is taken. Marking of the work in question is resumed and processed in the normal way.
• That the work includes material that is more likely than not to be the product of poor academic practice rather than academic misconduct
  • Marking of the work in question is resumed and processed in the normal way, however, marks will not normally be attributed to any sections of the work that has been produced by third parties (unless the assessment is group work). There will also be recommendations for you to follow.
  • The finding of poor academic practice will be recorded. If you are found to have demonstrated poor academic practice more than once, you will be instructed to meet with your personal tutor or supervisor who will decide how to improve your academic practice.
• That it is more likely than not that academic misconduct has occurred or that the work includes material that is the product of academic misconduct and there is no evidence of Special Circumstances
  • A penalty will be issued. For programmes that are accredited by a Professional, Statutory or Regulatory Body (PSRB) the relevant Student and Academic Administration team staff are notified for consideration, if necessary, under the Fitness to Practise process
•  That it is more likely than not that academic misconduct has occurred or that the work includes material that is the product of academic misconduct and there is evidence of Special Circumstances
  • The relevant Board of Examiners will be instructed to void the assessment and to allow a new attempt as if for the first time (or second time if the voided attempt was a resit). You would also be referred to the Support to Study process, if necessary.

 For Formal Discussions, the following additional outcomes could also be applied:

• That the academic misconduct is deemed to be particularly complex, of the highest severity or is a third offence or that the case for Special Circumstances to be applied is particularly complex
  • The case will be referred for consideration by an Academic Misconduct Panel. An Academic Misconduct Panel has the authority to terminate your registration.
•  There may be instances following the Formal Discussion when the AIO(s) determine that the matter may be more appropriately or additionally dealt with as non-academic misconduct or through the Fitness to Practise process. If so, the matter will be referred to the relevant Authorised Person.

You have the right to appeal the outcome of a Formal Discussion or Academic Misconduct Panel hearing provided you do so within 10 University working days of the date you were notified of the outcome.

For more information on the academic misconduct process, visit our academic misconduct page.