Partnerships
American International University-Bangladesh (AIUB) is committed to impart quality education by promoting responsible and productive global citizens adhering to high degree of ethical standards.
CODE OF CONDUCT AND ETHICS
Higher education is in a constant state of change. Societal demands and expectations of what knowledge should deliver are multiple and expanding. In Bangladesh alone, the growth in the number of higher education institutions has grown double in the last decade.
The pace and scope of these changes are fuelled by the conviction that knowledge society offers the best path to wealth and well-being, and they are influenced by the process of globalization, technological advances and market forces.
The formative and socializing role of higher education in educating ever-increasing number and often a culturally more diverse group of students, place additional responsibility on the entire academic community to deepen ethical self-awareness, to act with integrity and to examine the implications of their actions in the wider community.
Recognizing this responsibility, a shared understanding of what constitutes ethical academic behaviour inherent in these core universal values should form the basis of the Institutional Code of Ethics which must, in addition, promote the following principles:
- Upholding academic integrity in teaching and research by establishing, disseminating and monitoring policies and procedures related to integrity issues including sanctioning academic misconduct. Avoiding fraud of any kind, including plagiarism, deliberate fabrication or falsification of data, unauthorized duplication and unwarranted authorship, piracy of thesis or projects, and the use of ghost writers and unwarranted co-authorship.
- Supporting equity, justice and non-discrimination both as an employer and as an institution of higher learning by fully and publicly adhering to and applying the principle of fairness in all dealings and interactions with members of the academic community; establishing clear standards, practices and monitoring procedures concerning hiring, promotion and dismissal of all personnel, as well as for student admissions and related activities; and ensuring that all complaints and appeals are subject to due process.
- Fostering sense of responsibility, accountability and transparency in all operations and when investigating cases of academic misconduct. Promoting decision-making based on merit, along with ability, and performance as the key criteria in the standards used for the selection, compensation and promotion of faculty members, technical and administrative staff as well as students. Ensuring policies and resources are in place that uphold a high quality of teaching, proper student supervision and fair and transparent evaluation of student performance according to criteria available in advance. A commitment to the provision of accurate and factual information; sanctions for the use of inappropriate, illegal or untruthful means to enhance personal or institutional prestige or to seek other material rewards. Avoidance of all abuse of powers by any member of the academic community for political, economic or personal gain by: disseminating clear definitions and rules governing conflict of interest, abuse of power, including political, economic, sexual and/or moral harassment; Establishing mechanisms that all members of the academic community can use in confidence to lodge complaints of such abuses and know that investigations will follow.
- Respect for opinions by free and open dissemination of knowledge and information by guaranteeing academic freedom within the profession and allowing all members of the academic community to express themselves freely as professionals and otherwise as engaged members of society; instilling in students the capacity for reasoned dialogue, argument and debate. Promoting and safeguarding mutual respect between teacher and student, non-discrimination, trustworthiness and avoiding all abuse of power and harassment.
- Harmonious relationship with institutional partners. Building international linkages and cooperation on the basis of core values of academic freedom, institutional autonomy and related local and global responsibilities to society; ensuring that short-term as well as long-term impacts on each participant and wider society are taken into consideration when collaboration is being planned; placing shared interests, pursuit of mutual benefits and avoidance of adverse effects at the core of all international exchanges. Avoiding misrepresentation of institutional interests when establishing international collaborative partnerships or pursuing international cooperation projects.
By adopting the above-mentioned statement of principles, AIUB demonstrates its commitment to implementing these ethical values.
Ethics Committee of AIUB
The AIUB Ethics Committee is comprised of individuals with diverse expertise and backgrounds, reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of administrative, academic, research, community, student, and other stakeholders related activities. The members of this committee include professors from various departments, researchers with experience in different fields, legal experts, ethicists, representatives from relevant administrative offices, and occasionally community members or external experts. Their primary purpose is to ensure that all activities conducted within the institution adhere to ethical principles and standards.
The Ethics Committee of AIUB serves several crucial functions:
1. Promotion of Ethical Conduct: The Ethics committee plays a pivotal role in promoting ethical conduct among researchers, faculty, students, community, and other stakeholders. The committee develops and disseminates ethical guidelines and standards of conduct, ensuring that all activities are conducted with integrity and respect for ethical principles.
2. Education and Training: The committee often provides education and training programs for researchers, faculty, students and other stakeholders to promote awareness of ethical issues and best practices. These programs may include workshops, seminars, online modules, and resources on topics such as research ethics, responsible conduct of research, and compliance with regulatory requirements.
3. Monitoring and Compliance: The committee monitors ongoing activities in AIUB to ensure compliance with approved protocols and ethical standards. This may involve conducting periodic reviews or audits of research projects, investigating allegations of misconduct, and implementing corrective actions or sanctions as necessary, community involvement, responsibility and others.
4. Community Engagement: The AIUB Ethics Committee engages with the broader community to promote transparency, accountability, and public trust in all HEI related activities. This committee may solicit feedback from community stakeholders, communicate the ethical principles guiding within the institution, and address community concerns about practices or outcomes.
5. Research Ethics Oversight: One of the core functions of the AIUB Ethics Committee is to review research proposals involving human subjects, animals, or sensitive data. Researchers submit their proposals to the committee for review, and the committee assesses the ethical implications of the research, including the potential risks to participants, the methods of obtaining informed consent, and the measures in place to protect confidentiality and privacy.
6. Ethical Guidelines: The AIUB Ethics Committee develops and maintains ethical guidelines and standards of conduct for all activities within the institution. These guidelines may encompass a range of topics, including research integrity, data management, authorship, conflicts of interest, and responsible conduct of research, student and teacher behavior, conduct with community, involvement and service for the society etc.
7. Conflict Resolution: The AIUB Ethics Committee is responsible for resolving conflicts of interest, disputes over any parties, or groups among the stakeholders of AIUB, or other ethical dilemmas that arise within the institution. This committee provides a forum for addressing concerns and grievances related to ethical issues related activities and may offer guidance or mediation to facilitate resolution for staff and students.
AIUB Ethics Committee plays a critical role in upholding the ethical integrity of all activities within the higher education institution, safeguarding the rights and welfare of participants, stakeholders’ interest and maintaining public trust.
The Committee Members:
1. Vice-Chancellor of AIUB
2. Representative from Human Resources Office, AIUB
3. Representative from Legal office, AIUB
4. Representative from Office of Student Affairs OSA, AIUB
5. Representative from Institutional Quality Assurance Cell IQAC, AIUB
6. Representative from Anticorruption Committee, AIUB
7. Representative from Institutional Review Board (IRB), AIUB (based on requirement)
8. Representative from all four (4) Faculties, AIUB (based on requirement)
9. Representative from Administrative Office, AIUB (based on requirement)
10. Representative Sexual Harassment Committee, AIUB (based on requirement)