Academic Integrity in the Age of AI: New Thresholds for Plagiarism in Academic Theses
- OUS Academy in Switzerland
- May 30
- 5 min read
Across Europe and the Arab world, universities and academic institutions are taking a big step to protect academic honesty in the age of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Today, new thresholds for plagiarism and AI use in academic theses are being discussed and implemented, with clear guidelines on what is acceptable, what needs evaluation, and what fails academic integrity standards.
These thresholds help students, professors, and universities understand exactly what level of similarity or AI-generated content is allowed in academic work. They are designed to ensure fairness, protect academic credibility, and maintain trust in higher education systems.
The New Thresholds Explained
The newly proposed system introduces three clear categories for evaluating similarity or AI-generated content in academic theses:
Less than 10% – Acceptable A thesis with less than 10% similarity is considered clean and original. Small overlaps can happen when students cite sources, use common phrases, or quote references properly. This level shows that the student’s own thinking dominates the work.
10–15% – Needs Evaluation When similarity or AI-generated content falls within this range, it signals to examiners that further checking is needed. The student may have used AI tools or paraphrased sources too closely, or perhaps cited incorrectly. At this stage, supervisors and academic committees carefully review the work before approving it.
Above 15% – Fail Any thesis above 15% similarity or AI-generated content without proper declaration fails academic integrity standards. It means too much reliance on copying or undeclared AI content, and the work may need to be revised or even rejected.
This simple system gives universities a standard to follow and removes confusion for both students and examiners.
Why These Standards Are Needed
1. Protecting Academic Integrity
Universities must ensure that every graduate earns their degree honestly. Plagiarism or secret use of AI damages trust in academic qualifications. By setting clear thresholds, institutions protect the value of their degrees.
2. Responding to the Rise of AI Tools
AI writing tools are now easy to access. While they can be helpful for brainstorming or structuring ideas, they can also be misused to produce large parts of a thesis. These standards make sure students use AI responsibly and openly.
3. Clear Rules for Everyone
Students know what percentage is safe. Supervisors know when to intervene. Committees know when to approve or reject. This transparency reduces disputes and ensures fairness across all departments.
4. Reputation and Quality Assurance
Universities with strong academic integrity policies gain respect from employers, governments, and international partners. Weak standards can harm the reputation of both the institution and its graduates.
How Universities Are Applying the Thresholds
Different universities are now adopting similar approaches to implement these thresholds:
Mandatory Similarity Checks: All theses go through plagiarism detection software before final submission.
Declaration of AI Use: Students must declare if they used AI tools, what tools they used, and for which parts of the thesis.
Evaluation Committees: If similarity is between 10–15%, academic committees review the thesis in detail before approval.
Revision Opportunities: Students flagged in the “needs evaluation” range often get a chance to revise their work before the final decision.
Strict Rejection Rules: Above 15%, the thesis usually fails unless there is a clear reason, such as heavy quotation in literature studies with correct citations.
This approach keeps the system fair while giving students responsibility for their academic work.
Common Challenges
False Positives
Sometimes plagiarism detection software shows high similarity because of common academic phrases or standard definitions. Human judgement is needed to interpret results correctly.
Different Disciplines, Different Norms
Subjects like history or law use more quotations, while engineering or science theses focus on data and analysis. Universities often adapt thresholds slightly depending on the subject area.
Evolving AI Technology
AI detection tools are still developing. Some AI content may escape detection, while other tools might flag innocent text. Continuous updates are needed.
Supporting Students
Non-native speakers or students new to academic writing may need training to understand what plagiarism is and how to avoid it.
What is New in 2025
This year, many universities in Europe and the Arab region have started pilot projects to:
Standardize plagiarism thresholds across departments so all students face the same rules.
Train supervisors and students on how to use AI responsibly and how to cite sources properly.
Offer pre-submission checks so students can fix small problems before the final deadline.
Create academic integrity offices to handle cases of suspected plagiarism or AI misuse.
Develop new policies for AI ethics in academic research and writing.
These steps show a serious commitment to academic honesty in a changing technological environment.
Best Practices for Students
Students can follow these simple steps to stay within safe limits:
Always write in your own words as much as possible.
Use citations whenever you include ideas or text from another source.
If you use AI tools, be transparent about how and where you used them.
Check your thesis with plagiarism software before submission.
Ask your supervisor for advice if you are unsure about originality rules.
Best Practices for Universities
Institutions can support students and protect academic integrity by:
Providing clear guidelines about plagiarism and AI use.
Offering free access to plagiarism detection tools.
Training staff and students in academic writing and citation.
Ensuring fair and consistent application of the <10%, 10–15%, and >15% rules.
Reviewing and updating policies regularly as AI technology develops.
Benefits for the Euro-Arab Academic Community
For the Euro-Arab region, these standards bring many advantages:
International Recognition: Shared rules make degrees more trusted across borders.
Student Mobility: Students moving between countries face consistent expectations.
Research Cooperation: Joint research projects benefit from clear integrity standards.
Economic Impact: Employers trust graduates with degrees from institutions known for academic honesty.
The Euro-Arab Chamber of Commerce supports these developments as part of building stronger educational and economic ties between Europe and the Arab world.
Arabic Summary (ترجمة مختصرة)
المعايير الجديدة للنزاهة الأكاديمية في الرسائل الجامعية
أقل من 10٪ = مقبول
من 10 إلى 15٪ = يحتاج إلى تقييم
أكثر من 15٪ = مرفوض
هذه القواعد تحمي مصداقية الجامعات وتساعد الطلاب على فهم ما هو مسموح وما هو مرفوض. كما أنها تضمن نزاهة الدرجات العلمية في عصر التكنولوجيا والذكاء الاصطناعي.
Conclusion
The world of education is changing quickly with new technologies like AI. But academic integrity remains a foundation of trust in every university degree. By adopting the less than 10% acceptable, 10–15% needs evaluation, and above 15% fail system, universities can keep academic standards high while allowing fair use of technology.
These rules give clarity, fairness, and protection for students, professors, and institutions. The Euro-Arab academic community is moving forward together to make sure that higher education stays honest, respected, and future-ready.
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