ACADEMIC HONESTY FRAMEWORK

American International School Kuwait

PHILOSOPHY AND BELIEFS

AIS Mission Statement
AIS Kuwait inspires students to become critical thinkers and contributing world citizens through
rigor and balance in a nurturing educational environment.
IB Mission Statement
The International Baccalaureate aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young
people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural
understanding and respect.
To this end the organization works with schools, governments and international organizations
to develop challenging programmes of international education and rigorous assessment.
These programmes encourage students across the world to become active, compassionate and
lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right.
The procedures outlined below are guided and bound by the Academic Malpractice Policy in
The Policies of the American International School of Kuwait.
POLICY XV. ACADEMIC MALPRACTICE
1. Academic Malpractice, as defined by the IBO, is any behavior that results in a student
gaining an unfair advantage in one or more components of his or her assessment.
Malpractice includes: copying; plagiarism; seeking or gaining an unfair advantage; and
assisting others to seek, to gain, or to give an unfair advantage.
2. It is the responsibility of the principals, through the library staff, to develop and
administer age appropriate procedures for the teaching of academic honesty.
3. It is the responsibility of teachers to recognize and reward original work and creative
thought in an age appropriate manner.
4. It is the responsibility of the teaching staff, under the direction of the librarians, to
publicize and explain to parents and students appropriate research and reporting.
5. It is the responsibility of the teacher to ensure that examinations and other summative
assessments are kept in a secure location and out of the reach of students.
6. Examinations will be written in a manner consistent with guidelines set down by the
IBO.
7. Incidents of academic malpractice will have consequences that will include, but are not
restricted to, receiving a zero grade for the examination.
8. The Administrative Council will review all cases of grave misconduct on examinations
and determine the consequences.
9. Incidents of academic malpractice on an IBO World Examination are subject to the
rulings of the IBO, as well as the consequences given by the school. In cases deemed by
the IBO to be very serious, students could receive a mark of No Grade, loss of credit
and banning from further participation in the IBO programmes. Students who commit
academic malpractice on an IBO examination will receive an F on their AIS transcript
for the final year of the course.
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All other related policies can be found in Appendix A (I. Policy Development, VIII. Admissions,
IX. The Assessment of Student Learning, X. Reporting of Student Learning, XVI. Language
Instruction Policy).

IB Learner Profile
IB programmes aim to develop internationally minded people who, recognizing our common
humanity and shared guardianship of the planet, help to create a better, more peaceful world. IB
learners strive to be:

Inquirers

They develop their natural curiosity. They acquire the skills necessary to
conduct inquiry and research and show independence in learning. They
actively enjoy learning and this love of learning will be sustained
throughout their lives.

Knowledgeable

They explore concepts, ideas and issues that have local and global
significance. In so doing, they acquire in-depth knowledge and develop
understanding across a broad and balanced range of disciplines.

Thinkers

Communicators

They exercise initiative in applying thinking skills critically and creatively

to pose and approach complex problems, and make reasoned, ethical
decisions.
They understand and express ideas and information confidently and
creatively in more than one language and in a variety of modes of
communication. They work effectively and willingly in collaboration with
others.

Principled

They act with integrity and honesty, with a strong sense of fairness,
justice and respect for the dignity of the individual, groups and
communities. They take responsibility for their own actions and the
consequences that accompany them.

Open-minded

They understand and appreciate their own cultures and personal

histories, and are open to the perspectives, values and traditions of
other individuals and communities. They are accustomed to seeking and
evaluating a range of points of view, and are willing to grow from the
experience.

Risk-takers

They approach unfamiliar situations and uncertainty with courage and

forethought, and have the independence of spirit to explore new roles,
ideas and strategies. They are brave and articulate in defending their
beliefs.

Balanced

They understand the importance of intellectual, physical and emotional

balance to achieve personal well-being for themselves and others.

Caring

They show empathy, compassion and respect towards the needs and
feeling of others. They have a personal commitment to service and act
to make a positive difference to the lives of others and to the
environment.

Reflective

They give thoughtful consideration to their own learning and

experience. They are able to assess and understand their strengths and
limitations In order to support their learning and personal development.

AIS Profile of the Graduates

In preparation for adulthood, graduates of AIS Kuwait will be:
Thinkers
They take initiative to organize ideas and apply thinking skills independently, critically and
creatively to recognize and approach complex problems with confidence.
Knowledgeable
They explore concepts, ideas and issues that have significance to local and global systems. In
doing so, they acquire in-depth knowledge and understanding that transfers across a broad and
balanced range of disciplines.
Inquirers
They develop their natural curiosity. They acquire the skills necessary to engage in inquiry and
research, and show independence in learning. They actively enjoy learning and this love of
learning will be sustained throughout their lives, resulting in continued growth and
development.
Principled
They act with integrity and honesty, with a strong sense of fairness, justice and respect for the
dignity of the individual, groups and communities. They take responsibility for their own actions
and the consequences that accompany them. They are positive people who value a strong work
ethic, self-reliance and volunteerism. They are not only 'takers', but also 'makers'.
Open-Minded
They are flexible and adaptable members of a global community, understanding and
appreciating their own cultures and personal histories, as well as sensitively respecting the
perspectives, values and traditions of others who are different from them. They are
accustomed to seeking and evaluating a range of points of view, and are willing to grow from
the experience.
Balanced
They are motivated and manage time appropriately to maintain healthy and productive lives.
They are realistic and understand the importance of intellectual and emotional balance to
achieve personal well-being for themselves and others
Caring
They show empathy, compassion and respect towards the needs and feelings of others. They
have a personal commitment to service in the community, and to stewardship of the natural
environment, acting passionately and diplomatically to make a positive difference to the lives of
others.

Communicators
They understand and express ideas and information confidently and creatively in more than
one language and in a variety of modes of communication. They are confident and proficient in
the use of modern communication technologies, understanding the importance of the
appropriate use of technology in maintaining positive interpersonal relationships. They
demonstrate active listening skills and work effectively and willingly in collaboration with
others.
Reflective
They give thoughtful consideration of their own learning and experience in order to use, teach
and build upon it. They are able to evaluate and understand their strengths and limitations, as
well as the impact of their actions, so that they can set goals which are supportive of their
learning and personal development. They self-advocate reasonably and develop confidence by
celebrating successes.
Risk-takers
They approach unfamiliar situations and uncertainty with courage and forethought, and have
the persistence and adaptability to explore new roles, ideas and strategies. They are agents of
positive change - brave and articulate in defending their beliefs and taking action.

KEY PRINCIPLES

AND

DEFINITIONS

What is academic honesty?

Academic honesty in the International Baccalaureate (IB) is a principle informed by the
attributes of the IB learner profile. In teaching, learning and assessment, academic honesty
serves to promote personal integrity and engender respect for others and the integrity of their
work. Upholding academic honesty also helps to ensure that all students have an equal
opportunity to demonstrate the knowledge and skills they acquire during their studies.
Academic honesty is an essential principle of the IBs academic programmes that enhances the
organizations credibility and position as a leader in international education. As stated in the IB
learner profile, all members of the IB community strive to be principled, acting with integrity
and honesty, with a strong sense of fairness, justice and respect for the dignity of the individual,
groups and communities. In all their studies for the Diploma Programme, students must
demonstrate academic honesty and avoid any form of academic misconduct.
What is academic misconduct?
Academic misconduct is a behaviour that results in, or may result in, the student or any other
student gaining an unfair advantage (or a behaviour that disadvantages other students) in one
or more assessment components.
Plagiarism is defined as the representation, intentionally or unwittingly, of the ideas, words or
work of another person without proper, clear and explicit acknowledgment. The use of
translated materials, unless indicated and acknowledged, is also considered plagiarism.
Collusion is defined as supporting academic misconduct by another student, for example
allowing ones work to be copied or submitted for assessment by another.
Examples of misconduct during an IB examination include: taking unauthorized material into an
examination (whether the student uses it or not), behaviour that disrupts the examination or
may distract other students and communicating with another student during the examination.
Duplication of work is defined as the presentation of the same work for different assessment
components and/or Diploma Programme requirements.
Good practiceIB recommendations for students
Ensure that all sources you have consulted are acknowledged in your work using the
referencing style agreed with your teacher.
Make sure that information you have used is acknowledged in the body of the text and is fully
listed in the bibliography.
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 Use quotation marks or indentation to show all text that is someone elses exact words and
do not forget to show whose words they are.
Cite your sources so that readers can find them; if you cannot state the origin of the source it
is probably better not to use it.
The IB has no means of knowing whether an act of academic misconduct was deliberate or not.
The IB expects students to know what is and is not acceptable behaviour in the examination
room, and expects students to know how to indicate and cite material originally developed by
others. For these reasons, a students intent cannot be taken into account when investigating
an alleged breach of the General regulations: Diploma Programme.
Why cite?
Proper citation is a key element to academic scholarship and intellectual exchange. When you
cite, you:
show respect for the work of others
give the reader the opportunity to follow up your references
help the reader distinguish your work from the work of others
give the reader the opportunity to check the validity of your interpretation
receive proper credit for your research process
demonstrate that you are able to use reliable sources and critically assess them to support
your work
establish credibility and authority of your own knowledge and ideas
demonstrate that you are able to draw your own conclusions.
Plagiarism misrepresents the work of another person as your own.
Essential IB Academic Honesty Practices
Make clear which words, ideas, images and works are not your own.
Give credit for copied, adapted and paraphrased material.
If you paraphrase an ideathat is if you restate it, but alter the exact wordingyou must still
cite that source.
You must cite the source of images, maps, charts, tables, data sets, musical compositions,
movies, computer source codes and song lyricsany material that is not your own.
Make clear where the borrowed material starts and finishes; this can be done by using
quotation marks, using an opening indication and a closing page number.
All sources cited in the text must also be listed in the bibliography (or reference list/list of
works cited) and all sources listed in the bibliography (or reference list/list of works cited)
must be cited in the text.

As the legal guardian of a Diploma Programme student, how can I support my son or
daughter?
Encourage your son or daughter to plan each assignment.
Provide support with the scheduling of their work, as your son or daughter may have many
assignments to complete.
Let your son or daughter do his or her own work, but show them how to research and plan
their work.
Establish a good level of communication with the school so that you understand the
requirements of the Diploma Programme and what is expected of students.
If your son or daughter is having difficulty with their work, encourage him or her to ask a
teacher for advice.
The preceding sections were reproduced from the IB Publication: Academic Honesty in the
Diploma Programme Pamphlet
Review of Academic Honesty Framework and Academic Malpractice Procedures
The enclosed academic malpractice procedures are reviewed and updated on a yearly basis by
the Administrative Council. Any changes to the procedures are made only with the approval of
the appropriate divisional principal or at the recommendation of the Administrative Council.
Changes to the Academic Malpractice policy are made in accordance of with AIS Policy
Development practices (I. Policy Development in Appendix A).
Availability of AIS Academic Honesty Framework

Published on the schools Atlas-Rubicon website, on the info drive, and on the HS blog

ACADEMIC MALPRACTICE

AT

AIS

Academic Malpractice in Grade 11 and 12 Courses

Students must do their own work in order to be assessed properly by teachers. Student
behavior that obscures or invalidates fair evaluation of individual progress or
achievement is academic malpractice.
The onus is on the student to be above reproach. Suspicious behavior will be considered
as evidence of academic malpractice.
Malpractice is defined as behavior that results in, or may result in, a student or any
other student gaining an unfair advantage in one or more assessment components.
Malpractice includes:
Plagiarism: this is defined as the representation of the ideas or work of another
person as the candidates own
Collusion: this is defined as supporting malpractice by another student, as in allowing
ones work to be copied or submitted for assessment by another
Duplication of work: this is defined as the presentation of the same work for different
assessment components.
Any other behavior that gains an unfair advantage for a student or that affects the
results of another student (for example, taking unauthorized material into an
examination room, or misconduct during an examination).
Consequences for Academic Malpractice
All incidents of Academic Malpractice will be recorded with the Assistant Principal and
placed in the students file. Teachers will email the Assistant Principal the students
name, with title and date of assignment.
Consequences for Academic Malpractice will include:
The student will receive a zero for the material in question.
Parents will be contacted.
Teachers may ask students to redo the assignment to ensure the material has been
learned but no marks will be awarded.
The student will be issued a 2-hour Saturday detention.
Academic malpractice on a final exam or IB World Exam may result in loss of course
credit, graduation privileges, in addition to other consequences stipulated by the IBO.
Established Practices to Promote Academic Honesty
All teachers must use Turnitin.com to check for the authenticity of submitted work.
Teachers and Librarians must provide instruction in:
The use of the MLA style guide including in-text citations and work cited reference
preparation.
Research writing skills using the Big 6 process.
Writing and editing guidelines using the Write Traits approach.

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ACADEMIC HONESTY

IN THE

IB DP PROGRAMME

AT

AIS

AIS uses the following relevant sections from the Handbook of Procedures for the Diploma
Programme, International Baccalaureate Organization, 2014, to determine appropriate actions
when dealing with academic misconduct.
A8.1 Academic honesty
A8.1.1 Policy
It is an IB requirement that every IB World School that offers the Diploma Programmed has a
policy to promote academic honesty. This policy must be shared with candidates before they
begin the Diploma Programmed and be followed by reminders throughout the two years of the
programme. The way in which this policy is shared with candidates and teachers is left to the
discretion of the head of school, or his or her nominee.
IB teachers are best placed to verify that candidates work complies with the IBs expectations
concerning academic honesty. Therefore, teachers must use appropriate means to ensure that
candidates work is, to the best of their knowledge, the authentic work of the candidates.
Schools are responsible for checking all candidates work prior to submission to the IB for
assessment or moderation.
Further information can be found in the IB publication Academic honesty.
A8.1.2 What constitutes academic misconduct?
Cases of alleged academic misconduct (previously referred to as malpractice) investigated by
the IB typically include the following situations. Coordinators should take notice of these
common breaches to the regulations when administering the Diploma Programme and
developing the schools academic honesty policy.
Lack of referencing
Diploma Programme candidates submit work for assessment in a variety of media that may
include audio-visual material, text, graphs, images and/or data published in print or electronic
sources. If a candidate uses the work or ideas of another person the candidate must
acknowledge the source using a standard style of referencing in a consistent manner. A
candidates failure to acknowledge a source will be investigated by the IB as a potential breach
of IB regulations that may result in a penalty imposed by the final award committee.
The IB does not prescribe which style(s) of referencing or in-text citation should be used by
candidates; this is left to the discretion of appropriate faculty/staff in the school. Regardless of
the reference style adopted by the school for a given subject, it is expected that the minimum
information given includes: name of author, date of publication, title of source and page
numbers as applicable.
Candidates are not expected to show expertise in referencing, but are expected to demonstrate
that all sources have been acknowledged using a standard style consistently so that credit is
given to all sources used (audio-visual material, text, graphs, images and/or data published in
print or in electronic sources), including sources that have been paraphrased or summarized.
When writing text a candidate must clearly distinguish between their words and those of others
by the use of quotation marks (or other method like indentation) followed by an appropriate intext citation accompanied by an entry in the bibliography.
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Too much assistance and collusion

Although group working is a key element in components of certain subjects, coordinators are
reminded that candidates are expected to present assessments in their own words and
acknowledge the words or ideas of others where collaboration has occurred.
It is recommended that coordinators warn candidates against using the growing number of
websites and organizations that claim to offer "help" with IB assessment tasks. None of these
are endorsed by the IB and some are virtually indistinguishable from sites on the internet that
offer custom-made assignments, usually for a fee, for candidates' use. Some sources of support
may be acting in good faith, but nevertheless are offering a level of support and guidance that
may not be permitted by the IB.
The level and kind of guidance permitted by the IB for any subject is outlined in the appropriate
IB guide. If a coordinator is in any doubt as to what is permitted, contact IB Answers for advice.
Other forms of academic misconduct
Academic misconduct most commonly involves collusion or plagiarism and constitutes a breach
of regulations. However, there are other ways in which a candidate may be in breach of
regulations. For example, if he or she:
duplicates work to meet the requirements of more than one assessment component
fabricates data for an assignment
takes unauthorized material into an examination room
disrupts an examination by an act of misconduct, such as distracting another candidate
or creating a disturbance
exchanges, supports, or attempts to support the passing on of information that is or
could be related to the examination
fails to comply with the instructions of the invigilator or other member of the schools
staff responsible for the conduct of the examination
impersonates another candidate
steals examination papers
discloses or discusses the content of an examination paper with a person outside the
immediate school community within 24 hours after the examination.
For further details refer to the IB publication Academic honesty and the relevant articles in the
General regulations: Diploma Programme.
Article I. A8.2 The authentication of candidates work
It is the responsibility of Diploma Programme teachers to support candidates in the preparation
of their work for assessment and to ensure that all candidates work complies with the
requirements of the relevant subject guide. Therefore, teachers (or supervisors in the case of
extended essays) are well placed to judge whether a candidates work is authentic. Ongoing
support and guidance will help with the early detection of plagiarism and will dissuade
candidates from deliberately copying another persons work without acknowledgment because
they know their work is regularly subject to scrutiny.
The IB will not accept work for assessment or moderation unless the candidate has signed the
coversheet to confirm that the work is his or her authentic work and constitutes the final
version of that work. Additionally, the teacher (or supervisor in the case of an extended essay)
must also sign the coversheet to confirm that, to the best of his or her knowledge, the work is
the authentic work of the candidate. If a teacher signs a hardcopy coversheet but writes a
12

comment on or attached to the coversheet to the effect that the work may not be authentic,
the candidate will not be eligible for a mark in that component and no grade will be awarded.
Increasingly, it is a requirement to upload candidates work instead of sending work to an
examiner as hardcopy; for example, theory of knowledge essays. When work is uploaded, there
will be an equivalent of the coversheet that requires a declaration by the candidate and
teacher.
For non-examination components: teachers and supervisors should follow the flow diagram
below as a standard practice for checking authenticity of the candidates work before the
coversheet is signed.

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A8.3 Alleged academic misconduct during an examination

During a written or oral examination a candidate may engage in academic misconduct (for
example, taking unauthorized material into the examination or showing disruptive behaviour)
that will be witnessed by the coordinator and/or invigilators of the examination.
Alleged misconduct during an examination must be brought to the attention of the IB
Assessment Centre by sending a report to IB Answers within ten days after the examination.
The report must comprise of:
a full account of the incident
a statement from the candidate(s) involved in the incident
a statement from the invigilator(s)
a seating plan of the examination room.
If appropriate, the original of any unauthorized material, such as written notes, should be
included with the report.
Note that a candidate will be in breach of regulations if unauthorized material (for example, an
electronic device other than a permitted calculator, notes, a mobile/cell phone) is taken into an
examination room, regardless of whether an attempt is made to use that material.
A8.4 The improper conduct of an assessment
Coordinators and teachers are required to ensure that all assessments are conducted according
to IB regulations and the procedures stated in this handbook. A lapse in compliance will be
investigated by the IB and considered by the final award committee. Examples include, but are
not confined to:
the unauthorized rescheduling of an examination
failing to keep the examination papers secure prior to an examination
opening examination paper packets prior to an examination
providing a candidate with undue assistance in the production of any work that
contributes to the assessment requirements of the Diploma Programme
leaving candidates unsupervised during an examination
allowing additional time in examinations without authorization from the IB
releasing an examination paper, or otherwise disclosing information about the content
of a paper, within 24 hours after the examination.
A8.5 Actions to be taken by the IB for alleged breaches to the regulations
Investigating a breach to the regulations
The following circumstances are those that most commonly give rise to an investigation.
A coordinator informs the IB Assessment Centre that academic misconduct may have
taken place during an examination.
An examiner suspects plagiarism or collusion and provides evidence to justify his or her
suspicion.
A random check of assessment material at the IB Assessment Centre using a web-based
plagiarism prevention service reveals that the work of a candidate may not be entirely
authentic.
The IB will investigate a case of suspected academic misconduct only when there is clear
evidence to justify a suspicion of wrongdoing. In the case of plagiarism, the evidence must be in
the form of a source that appears to have been copied by a candidate. In cases of collusion, an
investigation will only be pursued if the candidates' work shows clear similarities.
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If the IB Assessment Centre initiates an investigation into academic misconduct, the

coordinator will be informed by email that a candidate (or candidates) is being investigated for
a possible breach of regulations. It is a requirement of the IB that the coordinator will
immediately inform the head of school that a candidate (or candidates) is suspected of
academic misconduct.
In all cases the coordinator will be asked to provide statements after he or she has conducted
their own investigation. These statements must be word processed and submitted on
templates provided by the IB Assessment Centre. In the case of suspected plagiarism or
collusion the coordinator will be asked for:
his or her own statement
a statement from the candidates teacher for the subject concerned (or supervisor in
the case of an extended essay)
a statement from the candidate.
The statement from the candidates teacher (or supervisor) must:
explain what subject-specific guidance on academic honesty is given to IB candidates
provide details about the nature and extent of supervision given to the candidate(s) on
the work under investigation
explain what procedures are adopted to verify that, to the best of his or her knowledge,
a candidates work submitted for assessment is authentic
provide any relevant information, based on teaching/supervisory experience of the
candidate(s), with specific reference to the allegation(s) made against the candidate(s).
The statement from the coordinator must:
briefly explain what guidance on academic honesty is given to all IB Diploma Programme
candidates
provide any relevant information, specifically making reference to the allegation(s)
made against the candidate(s).
The candidate(s) will be asked to provide any relevant information, with specific reference to
the allegation(s) against him or her.
If the coordinator brings a case of possible academic misconduct to the attention of the IB, it is
expected that the above statements will accompany the email or letter sent to the IB.
Decisions of the final award committee
Cases of suspected academic misconduct will be presented to the final award committee, or its
sub-committee for academic honesty. After reviewing all evidence collected during the
investigation, the committee will decide with full discretion whether to dismiss the allegation,
uphold it, or ask for further investigations to be made. If the final award committee deems
evidence of academic misconduct is insufficient, the allegation will be dismissed and a grade
will be awarded in the usual way.
In all cases where the final award committee has considered a breach of regulations, the head
of school will be informed by email of the decision reached by the committee. The
correspondence will be copied to the schools Diploma Programme coordinator, appropriate IB
staff and the chair of the examining board.
Reconsideration of decisions of the final award committee
In cases where a request for reconsideration is possible, as defined in the IB General
Regulations: Diploma Programme, reconsideration must precede any appeal. Decisions of the
15

final award committee are only open to reconsideration if the candidate establishes the
existence of facts that were unknown to the final award committee when making its original
decision. All requests for reconsideration are examined by a sub-committee of the final award
committee. The sub-committee is entitled to refuse to reconsider the matter if it deems that
the request is not based on new facts. If the sub-committee refuses to reconsider the matter, it
will inform the candidate (or his or her representative) at the address indicated in the request,
with a copy to the Diploma Programme coordinator.
AIS uses the following relevant sections from the General Regulations: Diploma Programme,
International Baccalaureate Organization, 2011, to determine appropriate actions when dealing
with academic misconduct.
B: Academic infringements
Article 25: Definition of an academic infringement
There can be instances where work submitted by a candidate for assessment contravenes the
standard academic practice of clearly acknowledging all ideas and words of other persons
without the candidate having made a deliberate attempt to gain an unfair advantage, for
example where a candidate has not used some means of indicating a quotation, but has cited
the source of the text in the bibliography or in a footnote. The final award committee may
designate a case of this type as an academic infringement and not as malpractice.
Article 26: Applicable procedure for academic infringements
If the final award committee decides that an academic infringement has been established, no
marks will be awarded for the component or part(s) of the component. The candidate will still
be eligible for a grade in the subject or IB diploma requirement concerned. The head of school
will be notified that this action has been taken. The case will not be recorded as malpractice.
C: Malpractice
Article 27: Definition of malpractice
The IB Organization defines malpractice as behaviour that results in, or may result in, the
candidate or any other candidate gaining an unfair advantage in one or more assessment
components. Malpractice includes the following.
a. Plagiarism: this is defined as the representation of the ideas or work of another person as the
candidates own.
b. Collusion: this is defined as supporting malpractice by another candidate, as in allowing ones
work to be copied or submitted for assessment by another.
c. Duplication of work: this is defined as the presentation of the same work for different
assessment components and/or IB diploma requirements.
d. Any other behaviour that gains an unfair advantage for a candidate or that affects the results
of another candidate (for example taking unauthorized material into an examination,
misconduct during an examination, falsifying a CAS record, disclosure of information to and
receipt of information from candidates about the content of an examination paper within 24
hours after a written examination).
Article 28: Applicable procedure for malpractice
28.1 The schools Diploma Programme coordinator must inform the IB Organization if he or she
identifies any malpractice (for example, plagiarism) in relation to a candidates work after the
16

candidate has signed the cover sheet to the effect that it is his or her own work and constitutes
the final version of that work. In such cases, or when an examiner or the IB Organization
suspects malpractice, the school will be required to conduct an investigation and provide the IB
Organization with relevant documentation concerning the case. If questions arise about the
authenticity of a candidates work before the cover sheet has been signed, that is, before the
work has reached its final stage, the situation must be resolved within the school.
28.2 Candidates suspected of malpractice will be invited, through the schools Diploma
Programme coordinator, to present a written explanation or defence.
28.3 Cases of suspected of malpractice will be presented to the final award committee, or a
sub-committee of the final award committee. After reviewing all evidence collected during the
investigation, the committee will decide whether to dismiss the allegation, uphold it or ask for
further investigations to be made.
28.4 If the final award committee deems evidence of malpractice insufficient, the allegation will
be dismissed and a grade will be awarded in the normal way.
28.5 If the final award committee decides that a case of malpractice has been established, no
grade will be awarded in the subject(s) concerned. No IB diploma will be awarded to the
candidate, but a certificate will be awarded for other subject(s) in which no malpractice has
occurred. The candidate will normally be permitted to register for future examination sessions,
which may include the session that follows six months later if the relevant registration
deadlines are met.
28.6 If a case of malpractice is very serious, the final award committee is entitled to decide that
the candidate will not be permitted to register for any future examination session.
28.7 If the candidate has already been found guilty of malpractice in a previous session, this will
normally lead to disqualification from participation in any future examination session.
28.8 An IB diploma, or a certificate, may be withdrawn from a candidate at any time if
malpractice is subsequently established.

17

Appendix A: Related AIS Policies

POLICY I. POLICY DEVELOPMENT
1. The Directors and Board/Owners of the American International School (AIS) Kuwait will
be the sole arbiters of policy.
2. Policies will be statements of the principles that enable AIS Kuwait to fulfill its Mission.
3. Policies will be strategic and the procedures that enable their implementation will be
tactical.
4. Policies will be broad enough to allow flexible implementation, but specific enough to
give clear guidance.
5. Policy will make employees responsible for their actions via written procedures,
routines, or protocols used to implement the Policy.
6. Policy changes will be approved by the Director/Owner who will inform other members
of the Board of Owners.
7. A continuously updated manual of the approved Policies of the American International
School of Kuwait will be maintained in hard copy in the office of the Director, the
Superintendents Office and in each Divisional Office.
8. Updates to policy will be added to the manuals as they occur and the outdated policies
will be color coded and stored in the manual.
9. Other copies of the Policies of the American International School of Kuwait will be
circulated as necessary in read only electronic format.
10. Policy will be reviewed systematically and updated in a timely manner. The Director on
behalf of the Board can institute a policy review at any time.
11. The Superintendent will be responsible for developing and implementing procedures to
fulfill policies.
12. The Superintendent will form an Administrative Council to provide policy advice to the
Director/Owners and to develop and implement procedures.
13. New policies, or shifts in policy, made by the Director and the Board will be made with
broad and often informal consultation, and will be made after seeking the advice of the
Administrative Council.
14. It is the responsibility of the Superintendent to inform the Director when actions of staff
or members of the Board depart from policy.

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POLICY VIII. ADMISSIONS

1.
2.
3.
4.

The Director and the Board are the final arbiters in the admissions process.
Admissions requirements will be published annually.
The registrar will coordinate all activities related to admissions.
All applications for admission will be screened by the registrar, divisional principal and
superintendent.
5. Admission will be determined by an aptitude test and prior student records.
6. Admission decisions include interactions with the child and family so as to assess
congruence with the schools mission and beliefs.
7. High performing students who speak no English may be accepted in exceptional
circumstances if and when there is adequate English Language Learner support
available.
8. Applicants who are unsuccessful in the spring may apply again in August.
9. Students with identified cognitive or other learning disabilities will not be accepted.
10. Early childhood applicants who are admitted with latent cognitive or learning disabilities
that become evident as time passes will be re-assessed. In cases where the school
cannot serve the special needs of the child, they will be advised and assisted in seeking a
more appropriate placement.

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POLICY IX. THE ASSESSMENT OF STUDENT LEARNING

1. The assessment of student learning stems from these beliefs:
Learning requires the active participation of the student and each constructs
meaning in his/her own way.
People learn in a variety of ways and at different rates.
Learning is both individual and a group process.
Inquiry and discovery are essential elements of critical thought.
Learning should be for its own sake and not merely for the attainment of grades.
2. Assessment of student learning is both formative and summative.
3. Assessment of student learning addresses all levels of thinking.
4. Assessment of student learning encourages and rewards both individual and group
achievement without compromising academic integrity.
5. All assessments of student learning will be reliable, valid, and fair.
6. Summative assessments of student learning reflect common planning and the
development of common assessments.
7. It is the responsibility of the teacher to secure all summative exercises, including tests
and examinations. Hard copies must be kept in a locked space and soft copies must be
password protected at all times.
8. Assessment of student learning is done according to explicit criteria established at the
beginning of each unit and assessed using common rubrics.
9. The concepts in the above statements of policy will be clearly explained in procedural
guides for teachers, parents, and students. Procedures and protocols define and clarify
the concepts outlined in the policy.

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POLICY X. REPORTING OF STUDENT LEARNING

1. The AIS report card differentiates between academic performance and student
deportment.
2. Reporting of Student Learning is done using a report card consistent with the PYP, MYP,
and the DP programmes.
3. Reporting format of student grades is done so as to meet the entrance requirements of
universities and the scholarship requirements of the Ministry of Education of Kuwait.
4. Grading of students is done so as to recognize and reward exemplary performance,
determine subject distinctions, honor lists, and scholarship recipients.
5. Reports are issued to parents on a regular basis and are followed by parent-teacher
conference.
6. Transcripts of student grades are retained at the school in both electronic and hard copy
format and are available to graduates upon request for a nominal fee.
7. Students are involved in their own learning through the maintenance of portfolios of the
assessed tasks.
8. Procedures are put in place to safeguard the authenticity of all reports and transcripts
and protect the academic integrity of the organization.

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POLICY XVI. LANGUAGE INSTRUCTION

1. The goals of language instruction are mastery of English and additive bilingualism.
2. Teachers, regardless of the subject area, are language teachers.
3. Language instruction is guided by the PYP, the MYP, the DP, the AIS curriculum, and the
regulations of the Kuwait Ministry of Private Education.
4. The IB Diploma categorizations: Language A (Mother tongue or best language) and
Language B (Second or foreign language) will be used in policy and procedures.
5. The language of instruction across the curriculum is English (Language A).
6. Students who hold Arabic passports are also required to study Arabic (Language A) each
year. Arabic passport holders who have not studied Arabic prior to their arrival at AIS,
who have been out of the country for a period of three years, or whose mother holds a
non-Arabic passport are exempted from this requirement.
7. All other students are required to study Arabic as Language B each year Pre-K through
Grade 9.
8. All students are required to obtain two consecutive Language B credits in high school in
order to graduate.
9. Students taking both Language A Arabic and English are exempted from the Language B
requirement.
10. Additional Language B course offerings may include French and Spanish.
11. Language curriculum and development will support English Language Learners at all
levels.
12. Specialists will be engaged to meet the goals of the language policy.
13. Language procedures consistent with the PYP programme will be developed and
implemented for Pre-K through Grade 5.
14. Language procedures consistent with the MYP programme will be developed and
implemented for Grade 6 through Grade 10.

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Appendix B: Sources
AIS Documents:
The Policies of the American International School of Kuwait
AIS Faculty Handbook
AIS Divisional Staff Handbooks
AIS Divisional Student Handbooks
IB Publications:
Academic Honesty (2009)
Academic Honesty in the Diploma Programme Pamphlet
IB General Regulations: Diploma Programme (2011)
Online Curriculum Center. International Baccalaureate Organization, present.
http://occ.ibo.org/ibis/occ/guest
IB DP Subject Guides, International Baccalaureate Organization, 1993-present
Handbook of Procedures for the Diploma Programme, International Baccalaureate Organization,
2014.
From Principles into Practice: Diploma Programme (2009)

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