Academic Plagiarism: Impact of Academic Integrity on the Quality of Higher Pharmaceutical Education

Abstract

The article adduces the ways to solve the main problems faced by faculty stuff and students regarding academic plagiarism in higher pharmaceutical education. The development of information technologies, globalization processes in education, facilitating access to a large massive of data, research and publications updated the need for formulation and observance of moral and ethical principles regarding the use of information in the academic sphere.
 The research is based on the study of materials obtained from open sources of information and authors’ own experience. Program for checking the text for uniqueness: StrikePlagiarism.com – anti-plagiarized Internet system that automatically checks the originality of text. The system has a simple and user-friendly interface. Documents can be downloaded into the system in many popular formats (DOC, ODT, TXT, PDF), there are no restrictions on the size of the document. The text is compared with Internet resources and database system.
 The concept of academic integrity in a civilized world is not mythical by any means, it is rather an effective instrument for ensuring and enhancing the quality of higher education. Myths are born only in heads of individual weak-minded people who are deliberately unwilling to notice the urgency of problem, and even have some benefits to it. That is why the Ukrainian high school shall cease to live with myths in time, and move on to effective actions, implementing fundamental ethical values ​​not by word but by deed. I. Horbachevsky Ternopil State Medical University of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine developed an Internal Code of Honour. The University seeks to create an environment conducive to learning, work, innovation, knowledge sharing, intellectual development of students and employees, support of a special academic culture of relationships. Each member of a university community, following the rules of this Code, directly contributes its invaluable contribution to the development of the entire university. The purpose of the Code is to create favourable conditions for the effective performance by members of university community of their duties, based on the principles of high social morality and culture; formation of a conscious moral and legal position of interactions of participants in the educational process; growth and strengthening of positive image of the University as a scientific and educational organization of innovative direction. The priority task of the University is to form a responsible person capable of creative thinking and self-solving of philosophical and professional tasks, to be ready for life and activities in the modern multicultural environment. In my opinion, starting from the next academic year, to the curriculum for the preparation of students of the specialty 226 “Pharmacy, Industrial Pharmacy” it is expedient to add the subject “Fundamentals of Academic Integrity”, with consideration of essence and principles of academic integrity, as well as general approaches to writing and defence of various types of scientific student works in compliance with the requirements concerning testing for plagiarism. This subject should become the basis of the block of subjects for carrying out scientific researches (taking into account educational and qualification level, professional orientation, academic mobility, etc.). At the same time, it is appropriate to develop the Code of Academic Integrity, based on its own traditions and many years of university experience, high standards in higher education. The key to implementing the Code will be the signing of declarations of academic integrity by lecturers and students.
 To prepare the students, integrating the laws and methods of many sciences, plays an important role in adding of Fundamentals of Academic Integrity, with consideration of essence and principles of academic integrity, as well as general approaches to writing and defence of various types of scientific student works in compliance with the requirements concerning testing for plagiarism. This subject should become the basis of the block of subjects for carrying out scientific researches (taking into account educational and qualification level, professional orientation, academic mobility, etc.). The observance of certain ethical principles and values ​​will contribute to ensuring the high quality of higher education, the training of highly qualified masters of pharmacy, which will be competitive in the labour market not only in Ukraine but also abroad.