Academic Honesty

The Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT) is committed to creating a learning environment that is honest and ethical with the awareness that students come from a variety of academic backgrounds where understanding of academic honesty and ethical principles varies.

Faculty, Program Team Leaders, Executive Deans and Campus Directors are responsible for explaining the HCT policy to all students and to ensure that students are aware of the types of behavior that will be considered as a breach of conduct, understand their responsibilities related to academic honesty, are aware of the disciplinary measures that could be imposed in cases of breach of conduct and their consequences.

Students are expected to demonstrate academic integrity by conducting their academic activities fairly and honestly with particular emphasis on avoiding cheating and plagiarism.

Cheating is a deliberate attempt to gain marks or academic credit dishonestly, or helping someone else to gain marks or academic credit dishonestly. Examples of cheating may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• A student sharing or showing answers to another student during a test or other forms of assessment.
• A student copying anything done by another student and submitting it as his/her own.
• A student giving another student access to his/her electronic files, and allowing him or her to use that work as his or her own.
• A student telling another student what is on a test he or she will take later.
• A student bringing to an assessment information or materials that are not allowed, even if they are not used.
• A student reading a test, examination or assessment before he/she should have access to it.
• A student allowing another person to take a test, examination or assessment for him/her.
• A student taking a test, examination or assessment for someone else.
• A student using a computer improperly during an assessment, such as by gaining access to unauthorized material, communicating with others during assessments, or using files of other users.

Plagiarism is deliberately presenting another person’s work as one’s own without acknowledging the original source. Examples of plagiarism may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• A student using the work of someone else, or changing some words and keeping the same structure and the same meaning without noting the source(s), and submitting it as his/her own work.
• A student taking text from many other sources and putting the pieces together as one document and submitting it as his/her own work, without noting the source(s).
• A student downloading information, pictures or charts from the internet and inserting that material into his/her own document and submitting it as his/her own work without noting the source(s).

If a student is suspected of cheating or plagiarism, the Campus Director will appoint an impartial committee to investigate the incident. The Campus Director may forward the case to the Student Engagement & Success Director, who will decide if the case should be referred further to the Central Student Disciplinary Committee. If the student is considered to be in breach of conduct, the Central Student Disciplinary Committee will then determine the type of breach and apply the appropriate disciplinary measure.

A student found guilty of having committed acts of academic dishonesty may be subject to one or more disciplinary measures up to dismissal from the HCT as outlined in Article 33 of the Student and Academic Regulations.

A student who is dismissed from the HCT for breach of academic honesty may appeal within two weeks of receiving the disciplinary decision.

Students may appeal in writing to the relevant authority depending on the level of sanction applied. The relevant authorities for appeal submission are as follows:

• Written warning - Campus Director
• Suspension or termination of privileges and activities – Student Engagement & Success Director
• Temporary Suspension – Student Engagement & Success Director
• Final dismissal – President & CEO
• Decision to withdraw qualification – Chancellor

The decision of the Student Engagement & Success Director after reviewing the case is final.

Copyright Policy and Guidelines

The main objectives of the HCT Copyright Policy and Guidelines are:

• to ensure compliance with the provisions of UAE Federal Law No. 7, 2002 and any other laws and regulations, to the extent that is applicable to the HCT.
• to establish and protect HCT ownership of all HCT produced materials; as per policies and guidelines that will be approved by the HCT’s Board of Trustees.
• to provide guidelines in determining establish procedures and processes for the application principles for interpretation of the law implementation of the relevant copyright laws, regulations and policies, to the extent that is applicable to the HCT.

Student Conduct

The HCT is committed to ensuring the welfare and safety of students and staff and the good reputation of the institution. Students are expected to act with integrity while on, approaching, or leaving HCT campuses or HCT sponsored or supervised events. In cases where students are found to be in breach of good conduct, disciplinary action may be taken up to termination from the HCT and/or the cancellation of a credential awarded.

The HCT identifies three types of misconduct.

Misconduct in Relation to Persons

A student commits misconduct in relation to a person when the student –

• Uses physical or mechanical force to cause fear, alarm or bodily harm to another person, or endangers the health, welfare, or safety of another student, a staff member, or others.
• Willfully, maliciously and repeatedly follows or attempts to make unwanted contact with another person.
• Engages in bullying another student, a staff member, or others. Bullying includes, but is not limited to, any action, activity or situation which recklessly, negligently or intentionally endangers the mental or physical health, welfare or safety of a person, creates excessive fatigue, mental or physical discomfort, exposes a person to extreme embarrassment or ridicule, involves personal servitude, or substantially interferes with the academic requirements or responsibilities of a student. It is presumed that bullying is a forced activity regardless of the apparent willingness of an individual to participate in the activity.
• Possesses or carries any weapon, firearm, or explosive on HCT campus, or falsely reports a bomb, fire, or other emergency.
• Uses electronic or other devices to make an audio or video record of any person while on HCT campus without the person’s prior knowledge or express consent, when such a recording is likely to cause injury, distress, or damage to reputation.
• Engages in inconsiderate or reckless behavior while in charge of a vehicle and endangering the life or wellbeing of others.
• Engages in behavior that may be construed as sexual harassment of another or others, whether or not of the same sex.
• Threatens to do any of the above.

Misconduct in Relation to Property

A student commits misconduct in relation to property when the student –

• Knowingly and without proper consent or authorization has in his possession the property of the HCT, another student or staff member.
• Knowingly and without proper consent or authorization removes, uses, misappropriates, or sells the property of the HCT, another student, a staff member, or other persons.
• Willfully or maliciously damages or destroys property of the HCT or property owned or in the possession of another student, a staff member or other persons.
• Obtains the property of the HCT or of another student, staff member or other persons by misrepresentation or fraudulent means.
• Misuses, damages or alters any firefighting or other safety equipment on HCT campus.
• Enters the facilities or uses the property of the HCT or property of another person without proper consent or authorization.
• Commits theft of electronic information, or gains or attempts to gain unauthorized access to computer and other electronic resources.
• Threatens to do any of the above.

Misconduct in Relation to the Orderly Processes of the HCT

A student commits misconduct in relation to the orderly processes of the HCT when the student –

• Intentionally causes or attempts to cause disruption or obstruction of teaching, research, administration, disciplinary proceedings, or other HCT activities.
• Knowingly furnishes false or misleading information to the HCT.
• Divulges confidential or personal information relating to any HCT matter, staff member, or student.
• Forges, alters, falsifies, fabricates, misrepresents or misuses documents, records of the HCT or instruments of identification of the HCT.
• Interferes with, attempts to or improperly influences the established student discipline procedures of the HCT.
• Fails to comply with a penalty imposed or outcome agreed to under this or other policies of the HCT.
• Engages in activities to promulgate political, religious or cultural views in any manner or medium that are incompatible with the values of the UAE.
• Threatens to do any of the above.

Disciplinary Process

Allegations of student misconduct are investigated by the Campus Director.

A student alleged to have committed misconduct is entitled to a hearing. The Student is entitled to have an advisor during a formal investigation and administrative hearing. The advisor may be a staff member of the student’s choice within the HCT community, who is not a student. Students also have the right to appeal against disciplinary sanctions (probation to dismissal) imposed by a campus in all cases of non-academic misconduct.

Records of the complaint, proceedings, and disciplinary sanction are retained on the student file and in the Banner Student Record System where appropriate.

The disciplinary sanction of termination from the HCT and/or the cancellation of a credential awarded may be imposed on the recommendation of the Campus Director to the Student Engagement and Success Director and VP-Academic Affairs. The Student Engagement and Success Director and VP-Academic Affairs may appoint a committee of staff members, who have no direct involvement in the incident, to conduct further investigation. The committee shall submit its report and recommendations to the Student Engagement and Success Director and VP-Academic Affairs. Having investigated the circumstances and heard the student’s statement, the Student Engagement and Success Director and VP-Academic Affairs shall render a final recommendation to the President and CEO. The decision of the President and CEO shall be final. 

The disciplinary sanction of cancelling a credential awarded is to be imposed only if it is proven that a graduate or former student has forged, altered, or falsified HCT credentials, or instruments of identification of the HCT. The Chancellor, representing the Board of Trustees, will render the final decision for cancellation of a credential.

Student Rights and Responsibilities

The HCT wants students to get the most out of their time at the HCT, to be successful and to contribute to the HCT’s excellent reputation. Students should be prepared to meet the high standards of the HCT and should understand that by doing so they are helping to promote the HCT as a world leader in preparing students for employment. It is high standards such as these, as well as strong academic performances, that make employers welcome our graduates.

Whilst enrolled, students have the following rights:

• To have opportunities for learning to pursue the educational goals of their courses.
• To have reasonable use of campus facilities as deemed appropriate by HCT.
• To join appropriate campus organizations (Student Clubs, Student Council etc) and engage in recreational activities, subject to reasonable conditions.
• To have personal freedom and privacy in conformity with the colleges’ regulations and rules.
• To enjoy freedom from discrimination based on race, nationality, religion or gender.
• To enjoy security of themselves whilst on HCT campuses.
• To receive clear notice of the nature and cause of any disciplinary charges, and the right to an impartial hearing.
• To have support and guidance in accordance with their needs.

HCT environment embraces faculty members, staff and student who come from a very wide range of cultures and nationalities. Students are expected to deal with each other with respect regardless of religion, gender or nationality. They are also expected to adhere to the values of tolerance and non-discrimination.

Relationships with other Students

• To direct their efforts toward learning the content of all courses in which they are enrolled.
• To participate fully in classroom learning activities.
• To engage with their best efforts in all assignments and assessment activities and to submit these as prescribed by the instructor or other staff of HCT.
• To participate fully in educational activities outside the classroom, such as field trips, that form part of a course in which the student is enrolled.
• To contribute to the best of their abilities to creating an environment that is conducive to the educational objectives of HCT.
• To uphold the good name of HCT as an organization and as a community and the reputation of all its staff and students, in any communications within or outside HCT.
• You must respect other students and not engage in any behavior that causes them physical or emotional harm. The penalty for any form of threat or physical violence is immediate suspension/ dismissal.
• You must not use any verbal, written or electronic means to harass, threaten, or intimidate another student.
• You must not spread rumours or falsely accuse any student of anything that brings harm to their reputation.
• You must not engage in any behavior that endangers the health or safety of any person in the college.
• You must not engage in any kind of inappropriate physical contact with another student or display inappropriate/excessive affection.
• You must not use or take without permission the property of another student.
• You must not take or circulate any image of another student without permission.
• You must not use the college identity or premises to sell anything to other students without the prior permission of the college management.
• You must not sign any college documents that require your guardian’s signature. Doing so can result in immediate suspension or dismissal.
• Avoid being in isolated spaces of the campus.
• Avoid male-female exclusive meeting in closed or public places. 
• Respect female student privacy.
• Breach of male or female student’s privacy either physically or verbally is a behavioral offence that may result in a disciplinary action.

Relationships with Teachers and Staff

• You must show respect to all college teachers and staff, including cleaners and security staff.
• You must obey instructions given to you by any of the college teachers and staff.
• You must produce your Student ID Card when asked to do so by any member of the college staff, including security guards.
• You must ensure that your personal and family contact information held by the college is current and accurate. The provision of false information will result in disciplinary action.
• You must not attempt to bribe or give gifts to any member of the college staff. This excludes reasonable token gifts, such as flowers or chocolates.
• You must not communicate with the college staff in an inappropriate manner, including sending inappropriate e-mails, letters, or anonymous notes.
• You must not disrupt any activity being conducted by a staff member anywhere on campus, including the college’s corridors, classrooms, and the ILC.

Student Feedback

If a student has a feedback (compliments, suggestions, complaints, and inquiries), the student should use the MyHCT Support – Student Feedback available on the Portal and MyHCT App. The student may also approach a relevant staff member who can help register the student’s feedback. The HCT will ensure that each feedback is addressed in a fair, objective and unbiased manner, and that the student receives an appropriate response in a timely manner.

HCT has provided an online interface for HCT students to provide feedback and receive a response within 24 Working Hours. Your feedback is valuable to us at HCT and will help in improving our services, performance and productivity. We appreciate your feedback and will use it to evaluate changes and make improvements in our services. You can submit following types of feedbacks for various categories using the MyHCT Support – Student Feedback, available on the Portal and MyHCT App.