A survey of 1,054 students in the United Arab Emirates and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia found that 92% of students had some knowledge of academic integrity issues, from how to avoid plagiarism, to the consequences of cheating, to where to get help with references. The majority had heard about these issues from a member of the academic staff, showing a promising trend towards open communication within institutions about academic integrity. There were differences between male and female respondents, with male students being more aware of the workshops offered by their university while female students were more familiar with the concept of avoiding plagiarism. The survey also highlights the importance of academic integrity and provides useful information for educators.

A recent 2021 study shows that academics from the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) countries accounted for 17 of the top 20 countries where academics publish in predatory journals. The OIC’s share of global publications has increased to over 8% in 2018. Standards have been compromised in relation to the impact of the number of published papers and citations on staffing, promotions, careers, and benefits.

In order to reduce the alarming proportions of plagiarism in universities, teaching modules on ethics and professional conduct are introduced in various branches of higher education and scientific research sectors in Algeria. According to local news reports, the Ministry of Education called for the establishment of local ethics councils at the university level.

The ministry of higher education and scientific research has sent a written notice to all university presidents, criticising them for non-compliance with a July 2016 ministerial decree which criminalised plagiarism, and urging them to deal with all irregularities in accordance with the rules. The instruction raises the possibility of past abuses which may have been overlooked by vice-chancellors, including the inappropriate appointment of individuals to examinations and theses adjudication boards. The letter constitutes an unprecedented move against a scourge that academics suggest is becoming “common practice” in universities.

Plagiarism has been taboo for some and an open secret for others in Algeria, but is today a scandal that no one can deny – even though Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research officials are trying to minimise the problem. Some flagrant examples of plagiarism have emerged into the public sphere, and they appear to be the tip of the iceberg. The ministry of higher education and scientific research, has adopted series of measures to curb this phenomenon, including instructing all universities to set up databases on their websites in which all works and theses produced by students, lecturers and researchers are reported.