Abstract:

This paper reports on the design and evaluation of the mandatory postgraduate taught (PGT) training session on Academic Integrity, Community Engagement, and Inclusivity. The 3-hour-long interactive session sought to firstly develop practical strategies for inclusive group work, bystander intervention and building a psychologically safe space of belonging; and also build shared understanding of plagiarism, collusion and acceptable collaboration; clarify expectations around referencing and data ethics and support students to navigate AI tools transparently and responsibly.

Evaluation focuses on students’ written feedback collected through an online survey administered immediately after the session, and the interaction of the facilitator during the session.

The analysis illuminates how students interpret institutional messages on academic integrity and AI use when these are presented through discussion of real-life scenarios rather than solely as rules and penalties. It highlights the kinds of examples and facilitation that students experience as most supportive, as well as persistent areas of uncertainty around acceptable collaboration, responsible use and disclosure of AI tools, and the shared work of growing inclusive, respectful group dynamics. The paper concludes by reflecting on the affordances and limitations of a single mandatory session for a large, diverse cohort and offers design principles for colleagues seeking to embed academic integrity, AI literacy and inclusion in PGT induction curricula.

Keywords:

Postgraduate taught (PGT) students, education, inclusive teaching and learning, psychologically safe learning environments, academic integrity.