Code of Ethics
CODE OF ETHICS FOR STAFF OF V. N. KARAZIN KHARKIV NATIONAL UNIVERSITY
1. GENERAL PROVISIONS
1.1. The Code of Ethics for Staff (hereinafter referred to as the Code) is based on the Constitution of Ukraine, Laws of Ukraine ˮOn Educationˮ, ˮOn Higher Educationˮ, ˮOn the Principles of Prevention and Counteraction of Corruptionˮ, the Bucharest Declaration on Ethical Values and Principles of Higher Education in the Europe Region, the Charter of the University, Regulations on the system of prevention and detection of academic plagiarism in the research and educational work of employees and applicants for higher education at V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University, Regulations on resolution of conflict situations at V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University (hereinafter referred to as the University).
1.2. The provisions of the Code shall apply to all employees of the University, regardless of their position. Ignorance or misunderstanding of the provisions of this Code may not serve as an excuse for unethical behavior.
1.3. The objectives of the Code are:
– creating favorable conditions and ensuring effective performance by members of the University community of their professional duties, which are based on the principles of high public morality and culture;
– increasing the authority of the University staff;
– formation of a conscious moral and ethical and legal position of subject-subject relationships between participants in the educational process;
– promotion and support of the positive image of the University as a scientific and educational institution of innovative nature.
1.4. The Code is aimed at the formation and observance of universal human moral values in the team, as well as respectful attitude to the University traditions. The observance of the Code contributes to increasing the responsibility and integrity of employees, their self-control, and prevention of corruption.
1.5. The Code is designed to increase the efficiency of University employees’ performance of their duties, and serves as an essential condition for the organization of effective work and the implementation of the educational process and scientific research.
1.6. University employees’ knowledge and compliance with the provisions of the Code is one of the criteria for assessing the quality of their professional activity.
2. BASIC PRINCIPLES OF ETHICS AT THE UNIVERSITY
2.1. The Code is based on universal human values, the fundamental values of morality and law (humanism, justice, freedom, equality), as well as the values of Karazin University.
2.2. The University respects the value of any person regardless of their age, gender identity, sexual orientation, social status, ethnic origin, religion or atheistic beliefs, state of health, as well as their right to unlimited development of abilities and creative self-realization, and promotes the implementation of these rights by all means.
2.3. The University forms the values of a free person on the basis of critical thinking, recognizes the human right to freedom of thought, free knowledge of the world, a critical attitude to established views and, at the same time, demonstrates respect for traditions and beliefs.
2.4. The University harmoniously combines the educational process with scientific research, carries out training based on the use of the latest scientific results, the logic and methodology of scientific research, and the involvement of students in active scientific work.
2.5. The University cultivates an atmosphere of high professional ethics, free and democratic discussion, collegial and transparent decision-making and implementation of decisions on fundamental issues of the University life involving academic and student self-government bodies.
2.6. The University adheres to academic freedom in the context of determining fields, forms and content of teaching and scientific research on condition of unconditional observance of pedagogical and scientific ethics and academic integrity.
2.7. The University defends and protects the interests of society and the Ukrainian nation, opposes encroachments on human rights and freedoms, strongly stands up for them, and forms responsibility for its own choices on the basis of patriotism.
2.8. The University studies, enriches, and promotes national and universal human scientific and cultural heritage, disseminates scientific knowledge, and encourages artistic creativity.
2.9. The University creates the conditions and stimulates those qualities among teaching staff and students, which are necessary for their creative work, for generating new ideas, applying original and innovative approaches in all areas of the University activity.
2.10. The University is open to worldview intercultural dialogue, free exchange of information, public nature of scientific discussions, tolerant communication with different human communities, expansion of international scientific, educational and cultural communication and cooperation.
2.11. The University focuses on the best examples in the field of education, science and scientific activity, and constantly improves the quality of education and scientific work.
3. STANDARDS OF ETHICAL BEHAVIOR OF THE UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY MEMBERS
3.1. Teaching staff and employees of the University shall comply with the following standards:
– to respect the rights and freedoms of other persons, to be tolerant of religious and political beliefs of people that do not contradict the constitutional principles and universal human values; to show respect for the customs and traditions of both employees and higher education students who represent different peoples and cultures, as well as to take into account the characteristics of ethnic and national groups in its activities;
– to faithfully observe the norms of the Constitution and laws of Ukraine, the Charter of the University and the rules of internal order, as well as other normative legal acts; to comply with the decrees and orders of the administration and heads of the structural divisions of the University;
– to observe the generally accepted culture of behavior, show humanism, courtesy, attention to people, politeness, friendliness and punctuality;
– to take care of the culture of their own speech and communication style;
– not to exert administrative pressure as well as physical or mental violence on other University employees in order to make an illegal decision;
– to treat the University property with care, prevent and hinder actions aimed at causing damage to the material and technical base of the University;
– to comply with the principles and requirements established by the law ˮOn Public Procurementˮ and the University’s internal normative documents issued in accordance with it, not to create unjustified advantages for any procurement participants by their actions;
– to observe sanitary and hygienic requirements in the classrooms and other premises of the University, as well as to treat the work of auxiliary staff with respect.
3.2. Employees shall not conduct any form of political or ideological agitation on the territory of the University.
3.3. The core principle that employees shall follow is mutual respect in accordance with established norms of business and professional ethics, fairness and honesty in relations between members of the team.
3.4. The employee shall contribute to strengthening the academic reputation of the University and refrain from actions that may damage the image of the University.
3.5. The appearance of University employees (depending on the working conditions and the format of the event) shall correspond to the generally accepted business style, which is based on restraint, traditionality and neatness.
3.6. The employee shall control their behavior, feelings and emotions, not allow personal sympathies and mood to affect official decisions, and behave correctly with their colleagues, immediate supervisors, the administration of the University and its structural divisions, other officials, as well as higher education students, regardless of their official position and social status.
3.7. Criticism of existing shortcomings in the work of the supervisor or other University employees shall be reasoned, balanced, principled and understood by the University employee to whom it is addressed. Criticism shall not humiliate the employee, be brutal and offensive, but shall refer exclusively to those shortcomings that are related to the employee’s performance of their duties.
3.8. The employee may openly express their opinion and address statements and proposals to the University administration on issues of educational and scientific work as well as the organization of the internal life of the University.
3.9. The employee shall exclude any actions related to the influence of any personal, property (financial) and other interests that prevent the conscientious performance of their official duties.
3.10. The employee shall avoid participating in conflict situations that may damage their own authority and professional and business reputation.
3.11. In order to prevent and resolve a conflict situation, the employee shall:
– stop dubious and compromising interpersonal relationships;
– report to the immediate supervisor about the conflict or the threat of the conflict, as well as take early measures to prevent a conflict situation;
– behave with dignity and act in accordance with their official duties, the principles of generally accepted morality and the norms of professional ethics;
– counteract corruption;
– take measures to overcome the negative consequences of conflict situations.
3.12. In the event of a conflict situation between the structural divisions, taking into account the interests of the whole university shall be considered as the priority direction of resolving the conflict.
3.13. The head of the structural division shall take measures to resolve the conflict.
3.14. The head of the structural division shall lead by example in terms of professionalism, fairness, benevolence and caring attitude towards people. They shall support the formation of a moral and psychological climate in the team, favorable for effective work. The head of the structural division shall not shift their responsibility onto the colleagues and employees.
3.15. When interacting with external institutions, employees shall adhere to:
– high standards of business ethics;
– the principle of reliability of information;
– the principle of resolving disputes through negotiations and finding compromises as a priority one.
3.15.1. When interacting with media representatives, University employees shall:
– seek advice from the Center for Public Relations;
– act in the interests of the University, maintain its positive image, but not take actions that harm the interests of the University;
– prevent the dissemination of false and unverified information, as well as information constituting an official secret or relating to personal relationships.
4. COMPLIANCE WITH THE CODE BY MEMBERS OF THE UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY
4.1. Members of the University community shall recognize the principles and norms of the Code and strictly adhere to it in their activities. This obligation is certified in person upon appointment or election to the position.
4.2. Ignorance or misunderstanding of the principles and norms of the Code shall not be an excuse for unethical behavior of a representative of the University community.
4.3. Violation of ethical principles and norms involves bringing to responsibility a member of the University community, depending on the nature and essence of the violations, as well as the degree of harm caused by them.
4.4. In order to monitor compliance by members of the University community with the moral and legal norms of this Code at the University, the Conference of the labor collective creates a standing Committee on the Ethics of Industrial Relations (hereinafter referred to as the Committee). The Committee has the right to receive and consider statements regarding violations of the Code and to provide proposals to the administration of the University and its structural divisions in order to resolve conflicts, improve the situation, as well as take measures regarding the activities of one or another person.
4.4.1. Any member of the University community may complain about a violation of ethical principles or norms stipulated by the Code, in particular, apply in writing to the Committee or to the head of the relevant structural division, providing evidence of the facts stated in the complaint. The head, in accordance with the established procedure, submits the materials for consideration by the Committee. In the case of flagrant violation of ethical principles or norms stipulated by the Code, the head of the relevant structural division is also authorized to initiate consideration of the case at a Committee meeting. The Committee considers conflict situations arising at the University, except those for which a special procedure for consideration is provided by law.
4.4.2. The findings of the Committee are of a recommendatory nature, and the University administration or its structural division shall take them into account when adopting decisions regarding the violator of this Code (when concluding or extending a contract, considering the academic load, incentive cases, etc.).
4.4.3. Any member of the University community has the right to apply to the Committee for the purpose of making proposals and additions to the Code.
4.5. Types of ethical violations:
4.5.1. Minor violations are violations that do not cause significant reputational losses to other members of the University community as well as the University in general, and are caused by a lack of experience or insufficient understanding of the principles and norms of academic integrity and University life.
4.5.2. Gross violations include repeated minor violations, as well as violations that cause significant damage to other members of the University community or the University’s reputation.
4.5.2.1. Actions that cause damage to the reputation of the University are as follows:
– receiving or offering unlawful material rewards or benefits for providing advantages in education, scientific research, job promotion, etc.;
– participation in events that have a mixed (doubtful) assessment by the public and members of the University community;
– use of foul language in the University space, other violations of generally accepted ethical norms of behavior;
– use of the University symbols in private or public events which are not related to the activities of the University without proper permission;
– publication in mass media and social networks of unreliable or blatantly false information about the University and members of its community, which harms its reputation.
In case of a gross violation of ethical principles or norms stipulated by the Code, the head of the relevant structural division is authorized to initiate consideration of the case at a Committee meeting.
4.6. The practice of submitting groundless or anonymous complaints and encouraging their submission shall be considered unacceptable.
5. ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
5.1. Members of the University community shall adhere to academic integrity and actively apply this principle in teaching, research, and providing educational, expert, and advisory services.
5.2. Compliance with the principles of academic integrity by teaching, scientific-pedagogical and research staff involves:
– use of references to sources of information in case of using certain ideas, developments, claims, information;
– compliance with the legislation on copyright and related rights;
– provision of reliable information about research methods and results, sources of used information and own pedagogical (scientific-pedagogical, creative) activity;
– control over compliance with academic integrity by higher education students;
– objective assessment of learning outcomes.
5.3. Violation of academic integrity is considered to be:
5.3.1. academic plagiarism — publicizing (partially or fully) scientific (creative) results obtained by other persons as the results of one’s own research (creativity) and/or reproduction of published texts (publicized works of art) of other authors without attribution;
5.3.2. self-plagiarism — publishing (partially or completely) one’s own earlier published scientific results as new ones;
5.3.3. fabrication — inventing of data or facts used in the educational process or scientific research;
5.3.4. falsification — a deliberate change or modification of already available data related to the educational process or scientific research;
5.3.5. deception — providing knowingly false information about own educational (scientific, creative) activity or organization of the educational process; in particular, academic plagiarism, self-plagiarism, fabrication, falsification and cheating shall be considered as forms of deception;
5.3.6. bribery — giving (receiving) by a participant in the educational process or offering to provide (receiving) funds, property, services, benefits or any other material or intangible benefits so as to obtain an unfair advantage in the educational process. The above list is not definitively exhaustive and does not include all actions that may contain signs of violation of academic integrity and ethics of academic relations;
5.3.7. biased assessment — deliberate overestimation or underestimation of the learning outcomes of higher education students;
5.3.8. providing assistance to students during their assessment of learning outcomes or creating obstacles not provided for by the terms and/or procedures of such an assessment;
5.3.9. pressure in any form (requests, entreaties, directives, threat, coercion, etc.) on research and teaching (teaching) staff with the aim of making him biasedly assess the learning outcomes.
5.4. Responsibility for violation of academic integrity.
For the violation of academic integrity, teaching, scientific-pedagogical and research staff may be brought to any of the following forms of academic responsibility:
– refusal to award a scientific degree or assign a scientific title;
– deprivation of the awarded scientific degree or assigned scientific title;
– refusal to assign or deprivation of the assigned a pedagogical title, qualification category and various types of incentives.
6. FINAL PROVISIONS
6.1. In case a University employee has difficulties in understanding or applying the provisions of the Code, they may seek advice (explanations) from their immediate supervisor.
6.2. Violation of the norms of this Code may result in liability in accordance with the legislation, up to dismissal from the University, at the request of the Committee.
6.3. The Code is approved by the Conference of Karazin University Employees.
6.4. Amendments and supplements to the Code may be made at the request of the Academic Board of Karazin University, the Primary Trade Union Organization of V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University and the Committee on the Ethics of Industrial Relations.