Academic Support Academic Integrity
Academic integrity is upholding honesty, fairness, and ethical standards in all academic work.
At Langara College, we recognize that Academic integrity is essential to all learning and is built on the six fundamental values from the International Center for Academic Integrity (ICAI): fairness, honesty, trust, respect, responsibility, and courage. It means committing to avoid dishonesty, falsification, misrepresentation, or deception in academic work.
Academic integrity is a responsibility of every student. This means, it is important for you to understand what it is and how to uphold it during your studies. The Academic Integrity Policy (F1004) defines academic standards, outlines what a breach is, and describes the investigation and appeal process. Students are encouraged to review the policy and reach out to the Office of Student Support, Rights and Responsibilities if they have any questions.
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The Importance of Academic Integrity
Throughout your time at Langara, you will operate within a broader system that encompasses others you encounter on campus and relationships you form outside of the academic environment. This includes relationships with friends, family, instructors, other professionals, as well as current and future employers. Your reputation with these individuals and the degree of respect they hold for you are based on whether they perceive you as honest, fair, and trustworthy.
Friends, family, and others want to know they can trust and rely on you. They want to know that you will treat them fairly and with respect, and that they will not be taken advantage of or used. Employers prefer to hire individuals who have graduated from a reputable institution whose credentials they can trust. They seek employees who demonstrate integrity and can bring value to a business, thereby enhancing its reputation.
Society values honest, responsible, and courageous individuals who balance their own needs and interests with those of other people
Learning and the acquisition of meaningful knowledge can be applied later in life and in future careers. During your academic journey at Langara, you must demonstrate that, as an individual, you have acquired the necessary learning and knowledge. To demonstrate knowledge, you must do your own work.
The reputation of our institution rests upon academic excellence, and that excellence gives value to the credential you earn upon graduation.
"Academic Integrity is super important, not only because it reflects good academic work, but also because it’s a reflection of me as an individual." – Tyler W
The Student’s Responsibility
The College places a high value on academic honesty. It is expected and required in all settings, whether on campus or at an off-site location such as a practicum, a co-op site, during online courses, or when undertaking academic work from home. Students are expected to demonstrate academic integrity in all academic work. It is your responsibility to know and follow the rules and expectations around academic integrity, and this site will help you understand your obligations, introduce the policies and processes around academic integrity, and provide some tips and advice to make sure that you are acting with integrity.
"Academic integrity is what makes people believe diplomas, certificates, and degrees mean something. If someone can cheat their way through college, they're not only fooling themselves, but also diminishing the value of their colleagues' hard work." – Gabriel M
Cultural Differences
Upon arrival at Langara College, some students may need to adjust to many new and different things: a different language, a different culture, and a different climate. You may be missing family and home while trying to make new friends and adjust to a new educational environment. It may be unlike anything you have experienced before.
In many places, education systems are based on a model where professors or teachers are considered experts and are the only ones qualified to pass on this knowledge. Students are expected to learn by listening, writing, repeating, and memorizing exactly what the professor shares with them. It is the professor who passes on information, ideas, and solutions to problems to their students.
At Langara College, students are expected to be active participants in the educational process. This means that you will be expected to engage in debate, analyze, think critically, ask questions, and take an active role in your own academic growth. When some international students arrive at Langara, they may initially experience difficulty adapting to this model, which includes unfamiliar learning activities such as participating in classroom discussions, conducting independent research, and writing critical papers. This can be challenging and a little scary if you have never done it before.
There are many resources available to help with research, writing, and citation issues. Explore the academic integrity resources available to help you.
