Universities rebuked over academic misconduct cases in England and Wales

Ombudsman report says students treated unfairly and changes to exams since pandemic created uncertainty

Universities have been reprimanded over unfair treatment of students accused of academic misconduct in a report by the higher education ombudsman for England and Wales.

The Office of the Independent Adjudicator (OIA) said changes to assessments, accelerated by the Covid pandemic when university examinations moved online, had led to uncertainty among students about what is and is not allowed.