UOWD Faculty and Students Recognised for Contributions to Academic Integrity at ECEIA2025

Wednesday, 13 August, 2025

The University of Wollongong in Dubai (UOWD) is proud to share that faculty and students affiliated with the Asia-Middle East-Africa Conference on Academic and Research Integrity (ACARI) and the ENAI Working Group Centre for Academic Integrity in the UAE received major recognitions at the European Conference on Ethics and Integrity in Academia (ECEIA2025), held in Sweden.

Regional Collaboration Honoured with ENAI Activism Award

The ACARI Core Team received the ENAI Activism Award, recognising its efforts in promoting cross-regional collaboration, dialogue, and advocacy in academic and research integrity across Asia, the Middle East, and Africa.

The ACARI team includes:

• Dr Zeenath Reza Khan (UOWD, UAE)
• Dr Salim Razi (Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Turkey)
• Dr Shahid Soroya (Ministry of Education, Pakistan)
• Dr Muaawia A. Qutub (King Fahd Medical City, Saudi Arabia)

UOWD is proud to support this ongoing initiative through Dr Khan’s leadership and collaborative research efforts.

UOWD Contributions to Research, Dialogue, and Education

The conference also showcased a wide range of academic contributions from UOWD faculty, students, and affiliated researchers. UOWD student Leon Regi John, alongside Nafisa Anjum (Heriot-Watt University), presented findings from a global study investigating the presence and absence of AI ethics courses in higher education institutions. Their presentation highlighted the growing gap between industry demands for ethical AI knowledge and the lack of formal instruction on these topics in university curricula.

Dr Zeenath Reza Khan presented a co-authored paper examining student usage and perceptions of ChatGPT, drawing on data collected through a UOWD-led research study. The paper explored how students engage with generative AI tools and what this reveals about evolving academic behaviours, expectations, and ethical considerations in higher education.

In addition to these research papers, Samara Stephen, a high school student affiliated with the Centre, won the Best Poster Award for her submission, which was selected from 21 entries, many from established academics and researchers. Her work addressed integrity challenges in AI-generated content and showcased the role of youth in shaping the future of ethical innovation.

Dr Zeenath Khan also delivered two workshops at the event, one introducing UNESCO’s AI Competency Framework for Educators and another exploring public trust in AI through the Yathiqu Project, with a particular focus on healthcare applications.

These recognitions reflect the growing international presence of UOWD’s faculty and students in critical conversations around academic integrity, AI ethics, and the future of responsible education. We congratulate everyone involved for their contributions and continued leadership on the global stage.