Student Responsibilities

These guidelines assume and acknowledge that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars.

The University can expect that students will:

1. Act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive.
2. Make themselves aware of University rules and regulations, including disciplinary regulations, pertaining to their rights and responsibilities as a student and with health and safety procedures particularly in respect of laboratories and field trips.
3. Respect University property.
4. Be familiar with course information made available to them and raise any queries in an appropriate manner with the academic staff member concerned.
5. Fulfill their responsibility to participate actively and positively in the educational environment including:
   
   • preparing for and attending classes as required;
   • participating in class discussions and other activities;
   • maintaining steady progress within the course;
   • and submitting required work on time.
6. Show commitment to the ideals of a university with special reference to achieving personal excellence in performance and allowing freedom of expression.
7. Not cheat, plagiarise, fabricate or falsify data. Students are also expected to be aware of their individual rights and responsibilities regarding the proper use of copyright material, the ethical responsibilities of researchers with regards to animal and human subjects, and intellectual property rights.
8. Familiarize themselves with the requirements they must meet to complete their academic programme and take responsibility for their own academic progress. Students should, where appropriate, exercise their rights to reasonable access to and assistance from academic staff and the various academic support services.
9. Support student representative organisations, such as the Class Representative system or any association of students as defined by DPU charter with a mandate to represent students.

While many elements of this Charter have relevance to research students and supervisors, there are some specific responsibilities associated with this form of teaching and learning.

1. Academic staff will acquaint themselves with the relevant University guidelines and regulations and ensure research students know of their existence. In particular, they will discuss the Senate Guidelines for supervision to ensure that mutual responsibilities are understood and agreed upon. Due consideration is to be given to student contribution in published articles, papers etc.
2. Research students should make themselves familiar with relevant guidelines and regulations relating to supervision issued by Departments and the University administration including the Guidelines for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy.
3. Supervisors will aim to help research students achieve their best. To this end, the supervisor needs to be sufficiently expert in the area of research and have the time, commitment, management and interpersonal skills to be able to offer proper supervision.
4. The academic interests of research students should remain paramount over any external obligations of or to other parties.
5. Research students should not be disadvantaged by differences in opinion amongst their supervisors.
6. The department will offer appropriate opportunities for research students to meet and interact with fellow research students and members of academic, technical and other general staff who may be able to provide support in their field of study.
7. The University and departments need to ensure that students are made aware, before the commencement of their research studies, of the physical facilities and resources, including financial resources, available to them. Where circumstances change following the commencement of their research, the student shall be informed as quickly as possible of the change, and actions being taken as a consequence.
8. Graduate students should have ownership of their research results, subject to the following:
   
   • contractual commitments;
   • fiduciary obligations to other parties;
   • the rights of parties involved in collaborative work;
   • and the entitlements of the University.