This policy aims to uphold one of FIAL’s core values: integrity. Plagiarism undermines the integrity of both the Institute and its community by allowing the use of someone else's original work without proper acknowledgment. By enforcing this policy, FIAL ensures the preservation of its values and the integrity of its academic qualifications, fostering a culture of critical and creative thinking within its academic community.
As a specialist design institute, FIAL recognizes the fine line between inspiration and plagiarism. This policy clearly defines that distinction, ensuring that original creators are properly credited while allowing students to draw inspiration and interpret existing work in their own unique way.
The plagiarism policy framework shall be read in conjunction with the Fashion Institute of Advanced Learning’s Code of Conduct and the Teaching, Learning and Assessment Policy. Higher Education Policy and Academic Integrity Codes; Intellectual Property Laws Amendment Act, 2013, Copyright Act, 1978 (Act No. 98 of 1978), and FIAL’s Assessment and Moderation Policy.
Product: An article or substance manufactured or refined for sale.
Inspiration: The process of being mentally stimulated to do or feel something, especially to do something creative.
Reference: To use a source of information to ascertain something.
Concept: An abstract idea.
Discipline: A branch of knowledge, typically one studied in higher education.
Source: A place, person, or thing from which something originates or was taken from.
Consent: To give permission for something to happen.
Acknowledge: To accept, admit or recognise something or the truth or existence of something.
Duplicate: Having two corresponding or identical parts.
Original: The earliest form of something, from which copies may be made.
Modification: Making partial or minor changes to something.
Originator: A person who creates or initiates something.
Patchwork: A thing composed of many different elements.
Paraphrase: The rewording of something written or spoken.
Misleading: To give the wrong idea or impression.
Disclose: To reveal or expose information that has previously been kept a secret.
Cite: To refer to (a passage, book, website, or author) as evidence for or justification of an argument or statement.
AI: Artificial Intelligence. Set of technologies that enable computers to perform a variety of advanced functions and/or tasks that are commonly associated with the intellectual process’s characteristic of humans.
4IR: Fourth Industrial Revolution. An era where people are using smart, connected and converged cyber, physical and biological systems and smart business models to define and reshape the social, economic and political sphere.
At FIAL, we actively encourage students to draw inspiration from existing works, ideas, and concepts across various artistic fields. This policy ensures that students learn how to channel these influences into original creations without taking credit for someone else's work.
As the fashion industry constantly evolves, the ability to think critically and creatively is essential for developing fresh ideas and innovative solutions. FIAL continuously teaches students how to engage with existing works, analyse them critically, and reinterpret them in a way that reflects their unique vision. By doing so, students pay respect to their influences while creating something distinctly their own.
Plagiarism directly conflicts with the values FIAL stands for. When students plagiarize, they not only disregard ethical principles but also limit their growth as innovative and authentic creators. FIAL is committed to nurturing a learning environment where originality and integrity thrive.
At FIAL, originality, creativity, and ethical conduct are essential to both academic and industry success. Plagiarism undermines these values by allowing students to present someone else’s work as their own, preventing genuine skill development and innovation. While inspiration from existing designs is encouraged, FIAL teaches students to critically analyses and reinterpret ideas, always giving proper credit to original creators. This fosters a culture of innovation while upholding intellectual property rights.
Plagiarism compromises FIAL’s mission to develop responsible, creative professionals. In fashion design, where originality is key, plagiarism carries serious academic, ethical, and legal consequences. By enforcing this policy, FIAL ensures students grow into ethical, innovative designers who contribute authentically to the fashion industry.
Plagiarism is the act of presenting someone else's work or ideas as your own, whether you have their consent, without giving proper credit to the original source. This includes incorporating any part of their work into yours without full and accurate acknowledgment.
In the context of fashion and product design, plagiarism occurs when someone reproduces and sells another designer's work without permission. This can involve creating an identical copy or making minor modifications to the original design, but still doing so without the consent of the creator. Both actions violate the principles of originality and respect for intellectual property that FIAL uphold.
There are many types of plagiarism and can be committed in varying degrees, so it is important to be aware of when one crosses the line of inspiration and plagiarism. The following are the diverse types of plagiarism:
Complete Plagiarism
This occurs when someone submits the work completed by person another as their own. This work would have been obtained through payment for the work or through stealing or “borrowing” the work and claiming it as their own.
Direct Plagiarism
This type of plagiarism occurs when specific sections, paragraphs, or elements of someone’s work are passed on as their own work and used without the originator’s consent or acknowledgment.
Paraphrasing Plagiarism
This is when a writer changes a few words or phrases when using the work of the originator without crediting them.
Self-Plagiarism
This type of plagiarism is when someone presents work and ideas that they have previously created or used, without disclosing their earlier use.
Patchwork Plagiarism.
This occurs when copying a variety of ideas, sentences or phrases for various sources and are put together and present as one new paragraph or idea.
Source-based Plagiarism.
This type of plagiarism occurs when work, texts or an idea is presented as their own, without acknowledging the originator or through incorrect or misleading crediting.
This can also occur when the work, text or idea is credited, however the source may be made up or the wrong source is credited.
Accidental plagiarism
This occurs when someone unintentionally plagiarises the work of another. It can be done in the following ways:
Misquoting the originator
Unintentionally paraphrasing the originator’s text
AI tools and software have rapidly improved and evolved with the passage of time, and they continue to do so. They have been introduced into different industries to help or completely take over certain aspects. In creative industries such as fashion and textile, AI tools are available to assist with creating, writing, and manufacturing.
FIAL acknowledges its prevalence within the fashion industry and looks to AI as a tool to assist with arriving to the final product, rather than replacing all human artistic expression, creativity, and work to arrive to the same conclusion.
This policy reiterates that AI is an assistive tool, it will not be used to circumvent or completely replace traditional methods and tools, especially when working on tasks needing creativity, some sort of artistic expression or research and written text. Work submitted by students, generated by AI and without citing that it was completely made or assisted by AI will be treated as plagiarised work.
This policy shall be managed and overseen by the Head of Academics, who will be responsible for its implementation and compliance.
It is the responsibility of the student to acknowledge or credit the sources the use for inspiration, reference, or quote in all the creative, physical, and written work prior to their submission for grading, moderation and or evaluation. It is also their responsibility to research creative works, ideas and concepts related to their own ideas to ensure that they are not accidentally plagiarising work they have seen before.
It is the responsibility of the lecturer to scrutinise the sources cited by students, creative, physical, or written, to ensure that the work was not plagiarised. They also have the responsibility to report the plagiarised work so that the process for investigating the claim may commence.
With the rise and constant evolution and improvements in AI tools and their wide availability, FIAL bears the responsibility to provide and recommend the best available resources and tool to detect plagiarism. This is in the context of artistic expression, written work and for citing works done or created by AI or created by humans. It is the responsibility of the school to ensure that citation guidelines are provided to students. Workshops and resources on academic writing and creative expression citation are taught.
To effectively uphold the Plagiarism Policy, FIAL has established clear procedures for reporting, investigating, and addressing suspected cases of plagiarism. These procedures ensure fairness, transparency, and confidentiality for all parties involved.
Reporting Suspected Plagiarism
Who Can Report:
Any member of the FIAL community, including students, faculty, and staff, may report suspected instances of plagiarism.
How to Report:
Anonymous Reporting: Individuals can submit an anonymous report via email to the Head of Academics or directly to the relevant lecturer.
Formal Reporting:
Non-anonymous reports can be made through the same email channels or via an online reporting form available on the FIAL intranet.
Confidentiality Assurance:
All reports, whether anonymous or not, will be handled with strict confidentiality. The identity of the reporter will be fully protected if possible, and details will only be shared with those directly involved in the investigation process.
Initial Receipt and Preliminary Assessment
Acknowledgment:
Upon receiving a report of suspected plagiarism, the Head of Academics or the designated lecturer will acknowledge receipt of the report within 48 hours.
Preliminary Assessment:
A preliminary review will be conducted to determine the validity of the report. This involves:
Assessing the credibility of the evidence provided.
Determining whether the reported issue falls within the scope of the Plagiarism Policy.
Deciding if a full investigation is warranted.
Outcome of Preliminary Assessment:
If Valid: The case proceeds to a full investigation.
If Invalid: The reporter will be notified of the decision, and no further action will be taken.
Full Investigation Process
Formation of Investigation Committee:
A committee comprising the Head of Academics, a senior lecturer, or an impartial third party or lecturer involve (e.g., an academic integrity officer) will be formed to investigate the case.
Investigation Timeline:
The full investigation must be completed within 7 calendar days from the receipt of the report to ensure a timely resolution.
Steps in the Investigation:
Collection of Evidence:
Gathering all relevant materials, including the submitted work, original sources, and any digital evidence from plagiarism detection tools (e.g., Turnitin, Grammarly).
Analysis:
Comparing the submitted work against potential sources to identify instances of plagiarism.
Evaluating the severity and type of plagiarism based on the definitions outlined in Section 8.
Student Notification:
The student will be informed of the allegations and provided with the evidence gathered.
The student will have the opportunity to respond to the allegations and present any supporting evidence or explanations.
Decision Making:
The committee will deliberate and determine whether plagiarism has occurred, and the appropriate level of consequence based on the policy guidelines.
Use of Plagiarism Detection Tools
Detection Software:
Lecturers and academic staff will utilize plagiarism detection tools such as Turnitin and Grammarly to identify potential instances of plagiarism in submitted work.
Student Awareness:
Students will be informed that their submissions will be checked using these tools as part of the assessment process. Guidelines on how to properly cite sources and avoid plagiarism will be provided.
Integration with Workflow:
Plagiarism detection results will be reviewed by lecturers as part of the grading process. Significant matches will trigger a closer examination and potential investigation following the procedures outlined above.
Transparency with students about detection methods.
All guidelines and procedures outlined in section 10 must be followed. Failure to comply with the plagiarism policy will result in the following consequences:
Grade Reduction or Failure: A percentage reduction or a failing grade may be applied. The decision is at the committee/lecturer's discretion, based on the extent and nature of the plagiarism.
Resubmission: In some cases, students may be allowed to resubmit their work, but it will be graded at a reduced mark. This is also at the lecturer’s discretion, depending on the type and severity of plagiarism involved.
Warning for Minor Plagiarism: A warning will be issued for minor instances of plagiarism.
First-Time Offenses: For first-time plagiarism offenses, depending on the severity, the student may receive a warning or further disciplinary action.
Severe Acts of Plagiarism: In cases of severe plagiarism, the following steps will be taken:
The student will be suspended pending a formal hearing.
Both the course lecturer and the Head of Academics will review the plagiarized work to assess the seriousness of the violation.
If the student is a repeat offender or if the plagiarism is found to be particularly severe, FIAL may expel the student.
Academic Record: In cases of severe plagiarism, the offense will be recorded on the student’s academic transcript.
Appeals Process
Right to Appeal: Students have the right to appeal decisions related to plagiarism allegations if they believe the decision was unjust or if new evidence has come to light.
How to Appeal:
Appeal must be submitted in writing to the Appeals Committee within 5 calendar days of receiving the decision notification. The appeal should include:
A detailed explanation of why the decision is being contested.
Any new evidence or information supporting the appeal.
Appeals Committee:
An independent committee, separate from the initial investigation committee, will review the appeal to ensure impartiality.
Decision on Appeal:
The Appeals Committee will provide a final decision within 5 calendar days of receiving the appeal. This decision is binding.
FIAL senior leadership Team shall conduct and impact assessment from time to time as new technology (AI tools, 4IR impacts) are introduced, or major curriculum updates are implemented. The impact assessment shall seek the following:
Determine whether the policy has fostered a stronger sense of academic honesty within the FIAL community.
Review plagiarism cases from the previous assessment period to identify trends. Look at the frequency, types of plagiarism, and effectiveness of disciplinary actions.
Assess how consistently and fairly the policy has been applied across different courses and departments.
Compare FIAL’s plagiarism policy and outcomes with those of similar institutions, ensuring that FIAL remains competitive and aligned with best practices in academic integrity.
This Policy shall be reviewed every three years, or as necessary, to ensure that it continues to meet the needs of FIAL and its stakeholders. Feedback from students, faculty, and staff will be used to inform any adjustments to the policy. The senior leadership team in consultation with board of FIAL shall overseeing the policy review process following the impact assessment report recommendations for changes.