2021-06-22

The ombudsperson met the associations of higher education institutions

On 8 and 21 June, Ms. Loreta Tauginienė, Ombudsperson for Academic Ethics and Procedures, met the representatives of the associations of higher education institutions, the Conference of the Directors of the Lithuanian Universities of Applied Sciences, and the Conference of the Rectors of the Lithuanian Universities, to encourage the higher education institutions to consider the Recommendations for Preparation, Adoption and Implementation of the Codes of Academic Ethics updated in 2020. During the meeting, the ombudsperson stressed the lack of advanced approach to the academic ethics in current codes of academic ethics, the need to clearly state the modes of behaviour that contradict the principles of academic ethics, to reveal their content more comprehensively, and invited to respond to the changing academic environment, especially new modes of dishonest behaviour. In addition to this, the ombudsperson stressed that such members of the academic community as employees participating directly in the research and/or higher education activities should be named clearly, without giving an opportunity for some members of the academic community to acquire unfair disadvantage against other members of the academic community.

The representatives of the associations of higher education institutions showed interest in the disciplinary measures imposed by foreign higher education institutions, in application of academic ethics’ provisions for persons, who are going to become a part of the academic community, and in the languages that should be used to publish the code of academic ethics on the higher education institution’s website, etc. Besides, the question was raised whether it is not yet timeliness to finally come up with the creation of a national code of academic ethics.