The choice of mechanisms and their effectiveness largely depend on the institutional policies for plagiarism prevention adopted by each university. Students found to have committed fraud are required to produce new, original work. Universities are divided over the mechanisms used to detect plagiarism in academic work, oscillating between technological tools and human academic judgment. Overall, the selection of these mechanisms and their effectiveness depends mainly on each institution’s plagiarism-prevention policies.
The Lusíada University of Angola (ULA), for example, does not require students to defend their Final Degree Project (TFC) and therefore does not use plagiarism-detection mechanisms, according to a source from the institution quoted by Expansão.
At Agostinho Neto University (UAN), originality is assessed through close monitoring of academic work and, when plagiarism is detected, the author is confronted to obtain a confession. This was the case with three graduates from the pharmacy course at the Institute of Health Sciences (ICISA), who saw their diplomas and certificates annulled until they produced new, original final projects, as stated in a public note released on December 29.
Despite this monitoring approach, Expansão sought to find out whether UAN uses any technological tools to detect plagiarism, but had not received a response by the time the edition closed. The Methodist University of Angola (UMA) adopted the Plagious software in 2023, which allows for an analysis process conducted by an evaluation committee coordinated by the university’s rector, before the work is submitted to the jury panel. When fraud is detected, the committee annuls the work and recommends that the student redo it.
Cases of plagiarism occur with some frequency. In December 2023, UMA barred 80 students from taking part in the graduation ceremony due to allegations of plagiarism in their final projects. This led to the postponement of the event and the opening of disciplinary proceedings to investigate the authenticity of the works, all of which had been supervised by the same lecturer.
Arlindo Isabel, an academic and editor at Editora Mayamba, is sceptical and believes that no higher education institution effectively uses plagiarism-detection mechanisms. As he notes, even well-established academics are caught in cases of fraud.
“Plagiarism also happens among established figures. I have had cases involving people who are part of academic circles and, worse, who hold administrative or scientific responsibilities within universities. One day, a ‘bomb will explode’ involving many plagiarised monographs and theses in the country,” Arlindo Isabel concluded.
Prevention as a Mechanism to Avoid Plagiarism
Pedro Magalhães, rector of UAN, views plagiarism as a phenomenon that occurs in virtually all universities worldwide, but one that can be prevented through stronger prevention mechanisms, training in academic ethics, greater responsibility from supervisors, and the application of disciplinary regulations when necessary.
“Higher education institutions must define their own institutional plagiarism-prevention policies as a basis for action, in order to avoid arbitrary, ad hoc measures. In many cases, plagiarism results more from weaknesses in training than from deliberate bad faith. Therefore, the response from universities should combine prevention, training and accountability,” the rector explained.
For Tommaso De Pipo, a lecturer in Environmental Engineering and Technology at the Catholic University of Angola (UCAN), solving the plagiarism problem in the country requires supervisors to take control, closely monitor and guide every stage of the final project. “As coordinator of the environmental and technology courses, I recommend that supervisors follow every step of the student’s work until it is submitted under my supervision as coordinator. When evaluated, I do not identify plagiarism in the projects,” said the academic, who considers this methodology to be the “ideal” way to overcome the problem.
Source: Expansão
