‘Concerns’ about ‘over-representation’ of foreign students in academic misconduct cases

The top-ranked Australian university internationally, with one of the highest numbers of foreign students, has reported an ‘increasing over-representation’ of international students in academic misconduct cases.

The University of Melbourne. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Daniel Pockett

The top-ranked Australian university internationally, with one of the highest numbers of foreign students, has reported an “increasing over-representation” of such students in academic misconduct cases. 

In the University of Melbourne’s latest academic misconduct report, written in July 2024 and released recently under an FOI request, 75 per cent of reported academic misconduct cases in 2023 involved international students, despite them making up about 42 per cent of total students. The proportion of international student cases in 2022 was 68 per cent.

The Australian understands data for 2024 is not yet finalised but the university says it has made numerous changes to these figures.

The report called the over-representation, which it attributed in part to a significant change in behaviour by contract cheating companies who promote themselves to specific nationalities or language groups, “concerning”.

While domestic students had the lowest numbers of academic misconduct in graduate cohorts (17 per cent) and the highest numbers in undergraduate cohorts (40 per cent), graduate cases were the most common (49 per cent) among international students.

Generic image of Melbourne University. Picture: University of Melbourne

“The increasing over-representation of international students in reported cases of academic misconduct is concerning,” the report stated.

“This cohort faces challenges transitioning from other education cultures, being further from familiar support structures and meeting other demands associated with moving to a foreign country. All of these may be stressors that can contribute to higher rates of academic misconduct, but these factors have not changed year on year.”

It also blamed the “easy availability of high-quality GenAI-embedded translation tools” that appeal to students with limited English.

“One possible explanation for the increase is a significant change in behaviour by contract cheating companies. These companies often promote themselves to specific nationalities or language groups, leveraging vulnerability felt by students with lower English language proficiency or looking for social connections.”

The report said “addressing the high incident rate among international students is a priority”.

While the numbers are still being finalised for the 2024 academic year, The Australian understands there has been an overall increase in the number of reports in 2024, up from almost 1450 cases in 2023.

Deputy vice-chancellor (academic) Gregor Kennedy told The Australian that in 2024 the university “partnered with student organisations, particularly UMSU (University of Melbourne Student Union) international, to address trends identified in the 2023 annual report, which has led to a student-led peer-peer communications campaign and changes to our initial academic integrity education modules completed by all commencing students”. It also “actively advises all students on scams”.

Professor Gregor Kennedy.

The student academic integrity policy and process was changed as of January 1, 2025 “in alignment with sector best practice”, he said.

Professor Kennedy added that the use of GenAI at the university is not banned, and students are encouraged to use GenAI in responsible ways to support their learning in a number of subjects.

Herman Chan, principal advocate at Academic Appeal Specialist, which consults with students on academic appeals and disputes, said “Australia’s top universities have lower entry barriers than their global counterparts”.

The University of Melbourne is recognised as the top university in Australia, he said, “but its entry requirements don’t always match its high ranking. Compared to other top universities worldwide, getting into Australia’s leading universities is relatively easier”.

He also said “international students pay much higher tuition fees than domestic students, which makes failing a course a bigger financial risk for them” and they “may choose to cheat to pass rather than ask for help”.

“From my experience working with students accused of misconduct, many had no idea that they could access help, such as academic advisers or options like late course withdrawal, to avoid failing,” he said.

The Australian previously reported that at the University of Sydney, close to 80 per cent of student misconduct cases received by the Student Affairs Unit in 2023 identified student visa holders as respondents – more than 10 times the number for domestic students.