Employees of the IPO Hope to People visited the Summer School of Academic Integrity in the Education System, which was held from June 26-29, 2018, at the National University “Ostroh Academy.”

Employees of the IPO Hope to People visited the Summer School of Academic Integrity in the Education System, which was held from June 26-29, 2018, at the National University “Ostroh Academy.”The summer school of academic integrity was conducted for principals, head teachers and school teachers, for pro-rectors and scientific and pedagogical workers of higher educational institutions, heads and teachers of vocational schools, as well as for teachers and teachers of subjects of spiritual and moral direction, student activists of universities.

Organizers of the Summer School Vasily Zhukovsky, Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences, Professor of NAU “Ostroh Academy” Dmitry Shevchuk, Doctor of Philosophy, Professor, Vice-Rector of NAU “Ostroh Academy” Olga Balatskaya, postgraduate student of NAU “Ostroh Academy” Svetlana Vlasova, researcher at the Laboratory of Christian Ethics, Christian psychology and Christian pedagogy NAU “Ostroh Academy” aimed to familiarize the listeners with the basics of academic integrity and to show the ways of introducing these principles in the higher and secondary education system.

What does academic integrity mean? According to Article 42 of the Law of Ukraine on Education of September 5, 2017 # 2145-8, academic integrity is a set of ethical principles and statutory rules that should guide participants in the educational process during teaching and conducting scientific (creative) activities to ensure the trust to learning outcomes and / or scientific (creative) achievements.

During the training, the students of the Summer School got acquainted with the theological, philosophical, psychological, legal and economic foundations of academic integrity. Also, there were held practical classes, master classes, discussions, during which everyone could openly express their opinion, share practical experience in solving tough situations in their educational institutions.
All members unanimously accepted that the embodiment of the principles of academic integrity in every grade, school, secondary and post-secondary education institution is an urgent need for a real pledge of honesty, fighting corruption, cheating, plagiarism, etc.

The organizers of the Summer School have created a warm and pleasant atmosphere for learning. Teachers tried to highlight academic integrity as deeply as possible to be clear, so that every listener would be encouraged to live by these principles. As a result of training, each participant has to prepare a draft of the Code of Academic Integrity for their institution.

The finishing touch of training at the Summer School was the delivery of certificates, which will become a detector of goodness and honesty for each of us. May everyone juxtapose the virtue of his/her heart with the Word of God, which challenges: “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” (Proverbs 4:23)

Ruslana Kovalchuk, Miroslava Khomitskaya
Photo Arkady Slyoza