Integrity plans represent a powerful tool in preventing fraud in the area of higher education, and it is necessary to step up the awareness of academics and students of ethical standards - it was announced at the opening of the two-day seminar "Integrity in higher education - a challenge for university administration".

The seminar was organized in Budva as a part of the project "Strengthening Integrity and Combating Corruption in Higher Education" within the framework of the "Horizontal Facility for Western Balkans and Turkey" funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe, and implemented by the Council of Europe.

Project Manager at the Council of Europe Programme Office in Podgorica, Milos Boskovic, said that the project was aiming at strengthening the awareness of ethical standards in higher education of academic staff dealing with younger generations.

"Not only the academia, but also the student population should deal with these issues, because they will take on academic status in the future," said Boskovic.

Boskovic said that the project will have been completed in a few months.

"We will have a lot of work on finalizing what we have already started. This primarily involves the support to the Law on Academic Integrity, if adopted by the Parliament, followed by further support to the University of Montenegro in the certification provided by the Institute of the University of Geneva, that the University is currently undergoing," stated Boskovic.

Director of the Center for Study and Quality Assurance of the University of Montenegro, Sanja Pekovic, said that, in terms of plagiarism prevention, the Center used iThenticate software, as one of the best software in the detection of plagiarism.

"This software is used to prevent plagiarism. Since April, when the Decision entered into force, all masters and doctoral papers and publications issued by the University are subjected to verification," said Pekovic.

In order to further work on the prevention of plagiarism, in her words, organisational units were recommended to purchase additional software.

„Over the past few months, we had a number of trainings, workshops, seminars, trainings that targeted two groups - students and academic staff. We will continue to work on raising awareness of the problem of plagiarism and academic conduct," explained Pekovic.

She said that she expected that next year the University of Montenegro would become the only one in the region to receive a certificate in the field of academic integrity issued, as she explained, by the International institute for Research and Action on Academic Fraud and Plagiarism of the University of Geneva.

Pekovic said that the goal was for every student of the University of Montenegro to take an online course and obtain a certificate, which "would in a way be compulsory".

"We hope to launch the pilot version of online courses during the next semester, so that from September these would be made compulsory for all first-year students, but also for those enrolled in other scholar years," said Pekovic.

The main goals are, as she stated, the improvement of the overall academic culture, promotional activities, sustainability of training and education, certificates in the field of academic integrity, and the co-operation with all interested parties.

Former Director of the Anti-Corruption Initiative Administration, Vesna Ratkovic, explained that integrity plans could make a powerful tool when it comes to preventing abuse in all areas, including higher education.

"The concept of integrity is increasingly used as the opposite of corruption. The more you influence corruptive actions and fraud and suppress them, the integrity is improved,” Ratkovic said.

The goal, he said, is to help higher education institutions, the University of Montenegro in particular, to translate certain ethical standards to the policies and documents they develop.

Boskovic said that the project will have been completed in a few months.

"We will have a lot of work on finalizing what we have already started. This primarily involves the support to the Law on Academic Integrity, if adopted by the Parliament, followed by further support to the University of Montenegro in the certification provided by the Institute of the University of Geneva, that the University is currently undergoing," stated Boskovic.

Director of the Center for Study and Quality Assurance of the University of Montenegro, Sanja Pekovic, said that, in terms of plagiarism prevention, the Center used iThenticate software, as one of the best software in the detection of plagiarism.

"This software is used to prevent plagiarism. Since April, when the Decision entered into force, all masters and doctoral papers and publications issued by the University are subjected to verification," said Pekovic.

In order to further work on the prevention of plagiarism, in her words, organisational units were recommended to purchase additional software.

„Over the past few months, we had a number of trainings, workshops, seminars, trainings that targeted two groups - students and academic staff. We will continue to work on raising awareness of the problem of plagiarism and academic conduct," explained Pekovic.

She said that she expected that next year the University of Montenegro would become the only one in the region to receive a certificate in the field of academic integrity issued, as she explained, by the International institute for Research and Action on Academic Fraud and Plagiarism of the University of Geneva.

Pekovic said that the goal was for every student of the University of Montenegro to take an online course and obtain a certificate, which "would in a way be compulsory".

"We hope to launch the pilot version of online courses during the next semester, so that from September these would be made compulsory for all first-year students, but also for those enrolled in other scholar years," said Pekovic.

The main goals are, as she stated, the improvement of the overall academic culture, promotional activities, sustainability of training and education, certificates in the field of academic integrity, and the co-operation with all interested parties.

Former Director of the Anti-Corruption Initiative Administration, Vesna Ratkovic, explained that integrity plans could make a powerful tool when it comes to preventing abuse in all areas, including higher education.

"The concept of integrity is increasingly used as the opposite of corruption. The more you influence corruptive actions and fraud and suppress them, the integrity is improved,” Ratkovic said.