The MA and PhD programs in the national university system will have to offer academic ethics and integrity courses, beginning with the 2018-2019 university year. The courses became compulsory by an order of the new education minister, Valentin Popa.

The order came after the minister’s statements on plagiarism cases and the lack of clear legal provisions about how citations should be made.

The integrity courses will not be compulsory for the first cycle of university studies, as the research activity of a student is less extensive than in the MA and the PhD programs, the Education Ministry said.

The measure is meant to equip students “with the knowledge and habits needed for an academic and research activity in accordance with the requirements of university ethics.” It also adds to the existing norms which stipulate only that scientific works need to be evaluated from the point of view of academic ethics, without providing those working on them with the needed skills on the topic.

As such, universities will adopt an ethics code that will include “the educational, administrative, and technical measures to be taken to guarantee the originality of license, masters, and doctorate theses, of scientific works and other similar papers, as well as the related sanctions.”

The ministry also said that minister Valentin Popa is the supporter of the Zero Tolerance approach on deviations from academic ethics, and the issuing of this order is the first step taken to support this.

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