PUTTING POLICY INTO PRACTICE: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF INSTITUTIONAL ACADEMIC POLICIES OF FIVE GHANAIAN PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES

Abstract

This qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) study draws from influential exemplary of Bretag et al. (2011a, b) to evaluate the academic integrity policies of five publicly funded Ghanaian universities. The findings indicate challenges in accessing policy documents online, the abundance of legal jargon (legalese) and obfuscating terminologies that may not be easily comprehensible. Most of the policies analysed adopt a penal approach, emphasising the penalisation of students for academic misconduct rather than fostering an educational framework. Additionally, there is a lack of support mechanisms for promoting academic integrity and no established guidelines for the ethical use of generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) in education. The analysis highlights discrepancies in policy harmonisation and standardisation across the institutions. Based on the findings, the study recommends rethinking institutional policies by policymakers and shifting towards developmental approaches that leverage contemporary educational technologies (EdTech). It makes a compelling case for the adoption of an inclusive approach policy framework that aligns integrity policies across Ghanaian universities. The study contributes to the literature by providing a nuanced policy analysis that underscores the need for an interventionist approach to enhance policy acceptance and practice among Ghanaian universities.