‘ Never been easier ’
Online study makes it easier to cheat , students say .
Over two-thirds of Australian university students believe that the switch to online learning has made getting away with cheating easier , new research shows .
An analysis of over 1,000 student responses by independent research firm
Student Edge found many had either cheated on an exam or assignment in the last year , or knew of someone who had .
Around 16 per cent said they were more likely to cheat if their friends had done so .
One student participant , who wished to remain anonymous , said one of their peers used Facetime during an exam to share answers .
“ Online exams are very easy for people to cheat on ,” they said .
“ For example , my university did not have cameras or computer tracking at all so I could easily have had notes right next to me to copy .”
The study , commissioned by online support service Studiosity , found Victoria had the highest number of students who said they had recently cheated .
This comes after the tertiary sector regulator flagged an increase in advertising for illegal cheating services on Victorian campuses .
Professor Judyth Sachs , chief academic officer at Studiosity , said the stressful lead-up to exam periods were prompting students to ignore the long-term risks of cheating .
“ Even mistakes with group work , if not properly cited , can have consequences ,” she said .
“ Using unethical websites from outside your university student login can cost you your degree . If you ’ re caught cheating , it can be added to your permanent academic record .” ■
Pharmacy first
Monash first in the world for pharmacy studies in QS rankings .
Monash University , Curtin University and the Australian National University all secured top spots in the 12th annual QS World University Rankings 2022 .
Monash has emerged as Australia ’ s top performer , ranking first in the world for pharmacy and pharmacology .
Monash took top place in pharmacy and pharmacology in the QS rankings . Picture : David Crosling / NewsWire
This marks the first time an Australian university has topped this discipline , beating out prestigious contenders including Cambridge , Oxford and Harvard .
In 2021 , Monash ’ s institute of pharmaceutical sciences helped develop Australia ’ s first mRNA vaccine candidate for COVID-19 .
Faculty dean , professor Arthur Christopoulos , said the win was a testament to researchers ’ efforts during the vaccine rollout .
“ The pandemic has certainly reinforced the crucial and frontline role that pharmacists and pharmaceutical scientists play in society ,” he said .
“ It ’ s a dynamic vocation and we ’ re so proud that Monash has been recognised for its agility , resilience and global excellence in this field .”
This year , international higher education think tank QS considered more than 1,543 universities across 51 academic disciplines and five broad subject areas .
Australia , which had the fourth-highest number of entries worldwide , achieved a total of 13 top-10 entries .
For the sixth year in a row , Perth ’ s Curtin University ranked second place in mining and mineral engineering .
UNSW followed closely in third , with the University of Queensland and University of Western Australia coming in fourth and fifth respectively .
ANU also broke into the world ’ s top three philosophy subjects , ranking third closely behind NYU .
In sports-related subjects , The University of Sydney ranked fourth in the world .
USyd also saw nursing come in 12th , pharmacy and pharmacology 14th and law rank 16th among the world ’ s top 20 .
Rankings are based on research citations , research impact , and the results of global surveys of employers and academics . ■
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