Master Program / Code of Conduct

Students at this leading institution of higher education are expected to behave with a certain degree of decorum and etiquette. As members of the OSCE Academy community, students are strongly encouraged to take an active part in observing the Code of Conduct in the following areas so as to uphold the good name of the Academy, the OSCE and henceforth the quality of education, training and research:

 

- All students have the right to take part in the academic process on an equal basis regardless of sex, race, citizenship, language, culture, religion, disability, sexual orientation or other personal status.

- All students have the right to freely express their opinions provided this does not infringe on the rights of others. 

- All students have equal rights of access to IT and library facilities unless these have been suspended due to violations indicated below.

- If students feel they have been unfairly treated by staff members, lecturers or other students they have a right to seek redress initially through the Student Council or directly through the Academy Management.

 

Students should:

- be honest in their activities at the Academy.

- show respect to staff members, lecturers and other students.

- accept responsibility for their actions and the consequences of these.

- attend all courses they are subscribed to.

- arrive punctually for classes and not leave early without the lecturer’s permission.

- meet the deadlines for all tasks and assignments.

- actively prepare for and contribute to class activities, while giving others equal opportunities to contribute.

- be considerate to the needs and rights of others in use of the library, computer room, canteen and social room.

As members of the Academy community, students are encouraged to set an exemplary standard with regard to their conduct.  The Academy will take disciplinary action against any student who is guilty of physical abuse, drunkenness, lewd conduct, or participation in disturbances of the peace of the Academy, or who threatens the safety and security of any member(s) of the Academy community.   Students are advised to seek to resolve all conflicts using peaceful means.

Students should be fully aware that any kind of unwelcome verbal, written or physical misconduct of a sexual nature will not be tolerated.  This includes, but is not limited to, undesired bodily contact, name-calling, lewd jokes, display of pornography and making offensive gestures or suggestions.  Students caught breaching this rule may receive penalties ranging from warning letters to fines and possibly suspension of privileges for up to one semester.

 

All acts of vandalism, mutilation of books and theft of library books, personal property of staff members, lecturers or other students or other items will be dealt with by the Academy Management, and in more serious cases by the Advisory Board. A student found guilty by the Board is liable to expulsion from the Academy, and legal action may be sought.

The Academy building is generally smoke-free. Fire detectors are installed in each room and a false fire alarm causes unnecessary organizational and financial costs. Therefore, smoking is only allowed in the following areas:

 

- The social room,

- The canteen

- The academy yard and in front of the main entrance of the building, where ashtrays are installed.

 

Breaches of this rule will render students liable for disciplinary action. Penalties range from warning letters to fines, and possibly suspension of privileges for up to one semester.

 

Students are not allowed to attend classes under the influence of alcohol.  Students caught breaching this rule will receive penalties ranging from warning letters to fines and possibly suspension of privileges for up to one semester.

 

Students should not manufacture, use, sell or distribute illegal drugs on the premises of the Academy. Students caught breaching these rules will receive penalties ranging from warning letters to fines and possibly suspension of privileges for up to one semester.  Legal action may be sought.

 

Gambling is prohibited on the premises of the Academy.  Students caught breaching this rule will receive penalties ranging from warning letters to fines and possibly suspension of privileges for up to one semester.

 

Students are advised to exercise tact, discretion and sound judgment in the use of mobile phones and pagers, particularly during lectures, seminars and workshops. Common courtesy and mutual respect dictate that it is polite to switch all mobile phones and pagers to silent mode when in the library and computer room. Mobile phones should be switched off during examinations and classes.

Academy students and authorised users are reminded to use the computers appropriately. Serious misuse of computers will lead to the suspension of computer accounts and perpetrators will be denied network access. Depending on the severity of the case, further disciplinary action ranging through fines, exclusion from examinations, and expulsion from the Academy to legal action will be taken. Users are also reminded that unauthorised access to or interception of computer programs or data can amount to serious criminal offences under OSCE rules and regulations, as well as under Kyrgyzstani law. For further details regarding acceptable use of computer facilities please read the Computer Room Usage Guidelines. The guidelines can be found in the computer room and will be announced by staff.

 

Students are urged to play an active part in keeping the campus and public places clean.  Co-operation and understanding in disposing of waste materials in waste bins or other appropriate manners is expected.

 

Rooms 0 and 1 at the Academy are solely for the use of staff members. Students are forbidden from entering and using these rooms.

 

The social room is a room for students to freely socialize, read and complete their assignments.   It is the only room in the building where students are allowed to smoke, providing certain precautions are taken.  In particular students should:

-     not burn furniture with cigarette ash or spill anything on the furniture,

-     respect and take care of all equipment in the room,

The social room should not be a space for students to miss classes.  If the social room is abused, the privilege of its use may be withdrawn from certain students or the student body as a whole.

 

The Academy Library is a resource intended to be fully utilized by students.  Students should respect and take care of the resources (books, magazines, newsletters, educational CDs and so on). On borrowing, resources should be registered in the logbook kept by the librarian.  They should be returned by the date indicated by the librarian. Literature should be returned in its original condition. Any mutilation of the resources, such as making notes in marker, pen or pencil; tearing out pages; folding pages; or staining resources is not allowed.  Stealing information resources is strictly forbidden.  Breaching these rules will lead to proportionate penalties such as, but not limited to, monetary reimbursement, purchase of new literature, replacement by suitable alternative literature, or partial or full withdrawal of scholarship. Smoking, eating, drinking, talking or otherwise causing unnecessary disturbances are prohibited in order to create a good atmosphere for learning. In order to allow all students equal opportunities to use them, resources should be returned at least three days before any exam or test and cannot be reissued within that three-day period.

 

Students of the Academy are expected to be honest and forthright in their academic endeavours. To falsify the results of one's research, to steal the words or ideas of another, to cheat in an examination, to allow another person to commit, or assist another in committing an act of academic dishonesty, corrupt the process by which knowledge is advanced.

 

Students should not submit the same piece of work in more than one class.

 

Plagiarism
Plagiarism is the inclusion of someone else's words, ideas, or data as one's own work. When an individual submits work that includes the words, ideas, or data of others, the source of that information must be acknowledged through complete, accurate, and specific references and, if verbatim statements are included, through quotation marks or other accepted citation practices.  This includes electronic information and, in particular, internet resources.  By placing his/her name on a piece of work, the student certifies the originality of all parts of the work that are not otherwise identified by appropriate acknowledgment. Plagiarism would thus include representing as one's own any academic exercise prepared totally or in part by another. An individual will not be charged with plagiarism if there is an acknowledgment of indebtedness whenever one:

1)       quotes another person's actual words

2)       uses another person's ideas, opinions, or theories, even if they are completely paraphrased in one's own words

3)       borrows facts, statistics, or other illustrative materials, unless the information is common knowledge.

The Academy Management and lecturers reserve the right to verify the authenticity and originality of all pieces of work submitted.

Fabrication
Fabrication is the falsification of research or other findings. Examples:

1)       Citation of information not taken from the source indicated.

2)       Listing in a bibliography sources not actually consulted.

3)       Inventing data or other information for research or other academic projects.

Cheating
Cheating is an act or attempted act of deception through which an individual seeks to unustifiably show that he/she has mastered the subject matter in an academic project, or an attempt to gain an advantage for oneself or others, usually academic, by the use of illegitimate means. Examples include:

1)       Copying from another student's test paper.

2)       Allowing another student to copy from one's test paper.

3)       Using the course text, or other material such as a notebook, brought to class but unauthorised for use during a test.

4)       Collaborating during a test with another person by receiving or providing information without the permission of the instructor.

5)       Using or possessing specifically prepared materials during a test that are unauthorised. 

Academic Misconduct
Academic misconduct is the violation of Academy policies by tampering with grades or participating in the distribution of any part of a test before its administration. Examples include:

1)       Stealing, buying, or otherwise obtaining all or part of an unadministered test.

2)       Selling or giving away all or part of an unadministered test, including answers to an unadministered test.

3)       Bribing, or attempting to bribe, any other person to obtain an unadministered test or any information about the test.

4)       Buying, or otherwise acquiring, another's course paper and submitting it as one's own work, whether altered or not.

5)       Entering a building, office, or computer for the purpose of changing a grade in a grade book, on a test, or on any other work for which a grade is given.

6)       Changing, altering, or being an accessory to changing and/or altering a grade in a grade book, on a test, on a "Change of Grade" form, or any other official academic record which relates to grades.

7)       Entering a building, office, or computer for the purpose of obtaining an unadministered test.

8)       Continuing to work on an examination or project after the specified allotted time has passed.

9)       Taking a test or course for someone else or permitting someone else to take a test or course in one's place.

The above lists are for illustration only. They should not be construed as a restrictive or exhaustive enumeration of the various forms of conduct that constitute academic dishonesty.

 

1)       Prepare thoroughly for examinations and assignments this includes attending classes actively and attentively.

2)       Take the initiative to prevent other students from copying your exams or assignments.

3)       Use a recognised material for instruction on citing source materials in papers. Consult with individual lecturers when in doubt.

4)       Discourage dishonesty among other students.

5)       Refuse to assist students who cheat.

When a faculty member suspects that an act of academic dishonesty has occurred, he/she will meet with the Student Council and the Academy Director (or his/her representative) to:

1)       discuss the alleged act;

2)       hear any defence the student may have;

3)       discuss any proposed academic sanctions;

4)       inform the student of his/her right to appeal faculty imposed sanctions to the Advisory Board.

Academic sanctions that may be imposed by the faculty member include:

1)       a verbal reprimand;

2)       a written reprimand;

3)       requiring the student to redo/resubmit the assignment, test, or project;

4)       lowering the grade for the assignment, test, or project.

Academic sanctions that require a formal charge be filed with the Director include:

1)       any sanction in excess of lowering the grade for an assignment, test, or project;

2)       failing the student for the course (as, for instance, through unexcused absence);

3)       recommending temporary or permanent suspension from the programme or Campus.

The faculty member may complete a report of the dishonesty that is filed with the Director. If more than 1 such report is filed, then the Director will meet with the student to discuss these occurrences and possibly impose additional sanctions.

 

Any information relating to an alleged violation of the Academy's Code of Conduct or to the outcome of a judicial hearing must be treated as strictly confidential by members of the faculty.