Participant Code of Conduct

This policy outlines the rights and responsibilities of all participants within programs offered by the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD) whilst enrolled as a course participant.

All course participants are expected to have read and understood this policy.

This policy applies to:

• All AICD course participants, whether they intend to complete the available assessment tasks and apply for membership or not.
• All activities within AICD courses, regardless of how those activities are delivered to participants.
• This policy should be read in conjunction with the AICD Participant Code of Conduct.
   

AICD EXPECTATIONS OF PARTICIPANT CONDUCT

AICD’s reputation is dependent upon the conduct of its members and participants within the programs it offers. AICD expects that participants within its programs will conduct themselves in a manner that is consistent with the core values of AICD and its members. This involves treating all other participants and AICD representatives with respect and understanding at all times.
 

COMMUNICATION

AICD will communicate with course participants using the contact details (primarily email and telephone) provided by participants. Should a participant’s contact details change, the participant is responsible for notifying AICD of the change. Should a participant fail to notify AICD of any change in details, then the participant is responsible for the consequences due to this failure.

Participants are required to regularly check emails sent by AICD to the email address as per their contact details.
 

ACADEMIC HONESTY AND INTEGRITY

Participants are expected to:

• Conduct themselves honestly and in compliance with AICD’s rules, regulations and policy.
• Not engage in academic misconduct, including plagiarism, the falsification of materials, or cheating.
• Actively participate in the learning process, taking into consideration the needs and expectations of your fellow participants.
• Be aware of assessment due dates and the implications of not meeting those due dates.
• Behave ethically, avoiding actions or behaviours that would unfairly impact either themselves or another participant.
• Ensure the proper use of copyright material, including AICD material.
• Ensure course activities are conducted safely and do not place others at risk of harm.
• Be familiar with resources available to assist in their professional development, including resources to help avoid plagiarism.
• Be familiar with the misconduct procedures and the potential penalties should a participant be found guilty of misconduct.
• Breaching of any rules and regulations associated with courses offered by AICD.
• Conduct that is in any way detrimental to AICD.
• Abuse of other participants or AICD representatives, either verbal, written or electronic.
• Any action that may cause an individual to be concerned for their personal safety.

PLAGIARISM

Plagiarism occurs when a person or persons represent their work/ idea as being original, when it is in fact the work/ idea of another person or persons, without appropriately recognising/ acknowledging the source of that work/ idea.

Collusion is the representation by a person or persons that a piece of work/ idea is their own, when in fact it is the result (either in whole or in part) of unauthorised collaboration with another person or persons. In this circumstance, both the participant(s) presenting the work and the person or persons involved in the unauthorised collaboration will be considered as contributors in academic misconduct.

Where a person or persons is found to have committed plagiarism, they will also be found to have committed academic misconduct.
 

TURNITIN®

AICD requires all participants to lodge written assessment tasks using Turnitin®. AICD uses Turnitin® to help ensure that the work submitted by participants is their own work.

Where Turnitin® indicates that work submitted by a participant (excluding references) may be sourced from other works, AICD representatives will review the participant’s work in detail to determine if plagiarism has occurred.

Participants may be contacted to explain matters highlighted by Turnitin®.
 

PENALTIES

Where a participant is found to have committed academic misconduct (including plagiarism), AICD may impose a range of penalties, including, but not limited to:

• Warnings for breach
• Removal of participant(s) from the enrolled course (at the participant’s cost)
• Withholding of certificates or awards
• Exclusion from future courses
• Exclusion from membership

In determining the level of penalty, AICD will take into account the seriousness of the breach and any previous breaches by the participant.

APPLICATION OF THIS CODE

This Code of Conduct outlines the expectations of all participants within programs offered by the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD) regarding their conduct whilst enrolled as a course participant.

All course participants are expected to have read and abide by this Code of Conduct.

This Code applies to:

• All AICD course participants, whether they intend to complete the available assessment tasks and apply for membership or not.
• All activities within AICD courses, regardless of how those activities are delivered to participants.
• In circumstances not covered by this Code, the principles of the Code will be applied.
   

PARTICIPANT OBLIGATIONS

Participants have an obligation to have read and understood all course rules, regulations, and policies affecting them.

Participants must ensure that their contact details held by AICD are up to date, and to advise AICD of any changes. Participants will regularly check emails sent by AICD to the email address as per their contact details.
 

PERSONAL CONDUCT

All participants must:

• Treat all representatives (employees, contractors, consultants etc.) of AICD and other participants with respect, dignity, courtesy, and sensitivity.
• Always maintain a cooperative and collaborative approach.
• Act with honesty and integrity.
• Respect the privacy of all AICD representatives and other participants.
• Not act in a way that unnecessarily or unreasonably impedes other participants.
• Not become involved in or encourage discrimination against or harassment or bullying of AICD representatives or other participants.
   

PENALTIES FOR BREACH OF THIS CODE

Where a participant is suspected to have breached this Code of Conduct, AICD will investigate the matter.

If the suspected breach is found to be proven, then AICD reserves the right to apply appropriate penalties, including warnings of breaches, removal of participants from the enrolled course (at the participant’s cost), withholding of certificates and awards and exclusion from membership.
 

PARTICIPANT ASSISTANCE

Where a participant requires assistance in relation to their participation in any course offered by AICD, they should lodge their request for assistance in writing with assessment@aicd.com.au at the earliest possible date.

Assistance may be relevant to workshop attendance, access to resources, or undertaking assessment tasks. In order to allow AICD to appropriately assess a participant’s requirements, participants should provide all relevant details in their request, including independent medical or other professional evidence.
 

GRIEVANCES

Where a participant believes that they have been treated unfairly and, as a result, their academic progression/ achievement is below what would have occurred if they had not been treated in such a way, they may lodge a written grievance with the Assessment Manager.

The Assessment Manager will investigate the participant’s grievance and advise the participant of their findings and the determination in relation to their grievance.

Participants are required to lodge any grievance within a reasonable time frame in order to allow a full and proper investigation of their grievance. In a majority of circumstances, the participant will receive some advice in relation to their grievance within four weeks.
 

APPEALS

If a participant wishes to appeal the grade achieved in an assessment task, they should contact assessment@aicd.com.au.

Contact should be made in writing within ten working days of the formal notification of the grade. The participant’s notification should include all details relevant to their appeal.

Upon investigation of the participant’s appeal, assessment@aicd.com.au will advise the participant of the result of their appeal within four weeks.
 

REVIEW OF RESULTS

AICD has a robust process for assessing participants’ performance in assessment tasks. This process includes a moderation of all written assessment tasks to ensure a consistent standard is applied to all participants.
 

PRIVACY

AICD is committed to the protection of the privacy of its participants, including compliance with relevant privacy legislation.

Participant’s details (including assessment results) will only be discussed (either verbally or in writing) directly with the participant unless the participant has provided authorisation for AICD to release details to another individual. Such authorisation needs to be in writing and include the signature of the participant.

aicd.com.au/about-aicd/terms-conditions/privacy-policy.html
 

CHATHAM HOUSE RULES

To ensure frank discussion and confidentiality of individuals during programs, participants are required to adhere to the Chatham House Rule.

‘When a meeting, or part thereof, is held under the Chatham House Rule, participants are free to use the information received, but neither the identity nor the affiliation of the speaker(s), nor that of any other participant, may be revealed.’

chathamhouse.org/about-us/
chatham-house-rule
 

RESOURCES

Resources include course material, workshops, online environments, and other items that participants are granted access to via their enrolment as a participant in an AICD course.

Participants are expected to:

1. Use and care for all AICD resources in a lawful and ethical manner, mindful of the need for resources to be shared between participants.
2. Ensure their actions or inactions do not harm, or bring into disrepute, AICD’s reputation or good standing.
3. Not participate in any AICD course activity while under the influence of alcohol or any prohibited drugs.
4. Not use, possess, or supply any prohibited drug, substance, or weapon at an AICD event.
5. Not misuse facilities in a manner which is unlawful, or which could be detrimental to the rights and properties of others.
6. Not use AICD’s name, reputation or logo for private gain or the gain of a third party, or private business or commercial purposes, without prior permission.
7. Not use AICD course material and resources for private gain or the gain of a third party, or private business or commercial purposes, without prior permission.

ONLINE DELIVERY

Participants should not:

1. Post messages containing defamatory or other inappropriate material.
2. Collude on assessable individual work, including exams and assignments.
3. Upload files or post messages that contain material protected by copyright, intellectual property, or privacy laws.
4. Share login details with another person or ask other participants or AICD representatives to provide their login details.
5. Reveal personal information about another person without prior written permission.
6. Discriminate against or harass other participants.
7. Conduct themselves in a manner which may have a detrimental impact on others.