Editorial

Résumé

Editorial - Heidi Reed, Audencia (France) & Cinta Gallent-Torres, University of Valencia (Spain)

Academic integrity is recognized as a fundamental element of quality and trust in higher education. Recent research shows that promoting integrity is not only about preventing misconduct but about creating environments in which ethical behaviour is understood, supported and encouraged. To achieve this, institutions need coordinated actions that involve policies, teaching practices, assessment design and a shared understanding of roles and responsibilities across the institution, especially as the widespread use of digital tools and generative AI (GenAI) introduces new challenges, making it even more necessary for universities to implement strategies that promote responsible academic practices.

In this Vol. 3 N°1 , the most achieved communications of the 4th International Colloquium for Research and Action on Academic Integrity, hosted online by the University of Coimbra on 19-20 June 2025, offered an opportunity to reflect on how higher education institutions can implement and sustain cultures of integrity. The two-day programme brought together contributions on ethical academic promotion, sociocultural drivers of fraud, decolonial perspectives on integrity, behavioural interventions, students’ perceptions of responsibility, and the emerging challenges posed by AI. These discussions show both the urgency of the problem and the diverse strategies that universities can adopt to strengthen integrity as a core academic value.