Tracey Bretag’s Contributions to Academic Integrity
1. Foundational Focus on Integrity as Core Academic Value
Bretag (2016) argued that academic integrity is the foundation of learning, teaching, and research—not merely a compliance issue but a moral and educational principle. She promoted the idea that universities must cultivate integrity proactively rather than punish dishonesty reactively. Her approach reframed integrity as “a holistic institutional responsibility” involving students, staff, and leadership alike. Integrity should be embedded in curriculum design, assessment practices, and institutional culture rather than treated as a disciplinary matter.
2. The Six Fundamental Values of Academic Integrity
Drawing on the International Center for Academic Integrity (ICAI) framework, Bretag (2016) emphasised six values essential to ethical scholarship:
Honesty
Trust
Fairness
Respect
Responsibility
Courage
She consistently advocated for integrating these values into teacher education, where future educators develop ethical and professional dispositions.
3. Research on Contract Cheating and Assessment Design
One of Bretag’s most cited contributions is her leadership of a large-scale project on contract cheating in Australian higher education (Bretag et al., 2018). This research revealed that:
Contract cheating occurs across disciplines, including education.
Poor assessment design, high workload, and lack of academic support often drive students to misconduct.
Preventing academic dishonesty requires transparent, authentic assessment and staff awareness training.
This work provided evidence-based strategies for educators and policymakers to combat outsourcing of assignments and unethical collaboration.
4. Academic Integrity in Teacher Education
Bretag’s research is particularly relevant to teacher education because she linked academic integrity to professional ethics. She argued that teacher trainees who engage in plagiarism, collusion, or contract cheating jeopardize their credibility as future role models (Bretag & Mahmud, 2016). Her publications encouraged universities to align teacher education standards with ethical principles found in teaching codes of conduct.
5. Institutional and Global Leadership
As founding editor of the International Journal for Educational Integrity (IJEI) and director of the Office for Academic Integrity at the University of South Australia, Bretag established academic integrity as a recognised research field. She initiated cross-institutional collaborations to promote transparency and ethical assessment practices worldwide.
6. Legacy and Continuing Relevance
Bretag’s legacy endures through policy frameworks, institutional guidelines, and her edited volume A Research Agenda for Academic Integrity (Bretag, 2019), which consolidates contemporary research and offers directions for future inquiry. Her work remains vital for teacher education institutions seeking to nurture ethical educators capable of promoting honesty and responsibility in learning environments.
Conclusion
Tracey Bretag’s scholarship elevated academic integrity from an administrative concern to an educational philosophy. Her commitment to fairness, ethical leadership, and authentic learning continues to shape best practices in teacher education, reinforcing that integrity is not optional—it is central to educational excellence and moral professionalism.
Key References
Bretag, T. (2016). Guiding principles for academic integrity policy: Plagiarism and beyond. Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, 38(4), 406–419.
Bretag, T. (Ed.). (2019). A Research Agenda for Academic Integrity. Edward Elgar Publishing.
Bretag, T., Mahmud, S., Wallace, M., Walker, R., James, C., Green, M., East, J., McGowan, U., & Partridge, L. (2018). Contract cheating and assessment design: Exploring the relationship. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 43(5), 652–665.
Bretag, T., & Mahmud, S. (2016). A conceptual framework for implementing exemplary academic integrity policy in Australian higher education. In T. Bretag (Ed.), Handbook of Academic Integrity (pp. 463–482). Springer.
