The Regulation is established based on subsection 3 (6) of the Higher Education Act and clause 5 (3) 1) of the Tallinn University of Technology Act.
Chapter 1
GENERAL PROVISIONS
§ 1. Purpose
(1) The Academic Policies (hereinafter referred to as “Policies”) lay down the rules of organisation of degree studies at Tallinn University of Technology (hereinafter referred to as “the university”) at I and II level of higher education. The provisions of the Policies apply to doctoral studies as far as other legislation of the university does not provide otherwise.
(2) The Policies constitute a fundamental document mandatory to all the participants in studies. The purpose of the Policies is to ensure equal treatment of all students and transparency in the organisation of studies.
§ 2. General principles for the organisation of studies
(1) Studies shall be conducted according to study programmes. The requirements for the structure of degree programmes, the terms and conditions and procedure for preparing, opening, amending, and closing a study programme are provided in the Study Programme Statute established by the University Senate.
(2) Teaching is conducted in Estonian and English. In Estonian-language study programmes, at least 60% of teaching shall be conducted in Estonian. English-language programmes must incorporate a minimum of 6 ECTS credits in Estonian language and culture.
(3) Studies are organised in the form of daytime and session-based studies. Daytime studies are a form of study intended for students whose primary activity is studying, with instruction taking place mainly on weekdays. Session-based studies are a form of study organised in sessions, cycles and/or on weekends, with an emphasis on the student’s independent work.
(4) Studies take place in the form of face-to-face learning, practical training, and independent work. “Face-to-face learning” means studies conducted in the form of lectures, practical training or practice sessions.
(5) Lecture attendance is compulsory throughout the study period for students enrolled in study programmes governed by the Maritime Safety Act.
(6) The study information system (hereinafter referred to as “SIS”) is the university’s official platform for academic information exchange. The Rector shall determine the purposes of processing the SIS data (including personal data), the types of data collected, the procedures and methods for data processing, and the protocols for data exchange with third parties.
(7) In order to ensure the quality of organisation of studies and teaching, feedback is requested from students. The regulations for requesting and considering feedback on teaching and courses shall be established by the Rector.
(8) The university processes personal data for conducting studies and providing study-related services in compliance with the Procedure for the Processing and Protection of Personal Data established by the Rector.
(9) In the event of any inconsistency between the Estonian version of the Policies and the English translation, the Estonian version shall prevail.
(10) The specifics of the academic policies of joint study programmes and double degree programmes shall be set out in a cooperation agreement concluded between the higher education institutions.
§ 3. Academic calendar
(1) The period of studies at the university is measured in academic years. Each academic year consists of two 20-week semesters: an autumn semester and a spring semester. As a rule, each semester comprises 16 weeks of scheduled studies. A semester is divided into two quarters. The start and end dates of semesters, along with other important academic deadlines, shall be specified in the academic calendar for the academic year established by the Rector.
(2) During the week before the autumn semester (pre-week), introductory lectures about the university and academic policies are held for freshmen. The autumn semester does not include the week of the Christmas holiday.
(3) If necessary, the Dean may establish additional academic deadlines within the School, provided they comply with the academic calendar.
§ 4. Students
(1) The student body comprises students, visiting students, external students, and continuing education students.
(2) A student is a person matriculated at the university in academic degree programmes.
(3) A visiting student is a student matriculated at the university who, for a limited period and by an order of the Dean, studies at another higher education institution in Estonia or abroad, or completes an internship abroad, or a student from another Estonian higher education institution who is admitted to study at the university for a limited period by order of the Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs. An international visiting student is a person matriculated at a foreign higher education institution who studies or completes an internship at the university for a limited period, based on an order issued by the Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs.
(4) An external student is a person who is eligible to defend a graduation thesis or take a final examination. An agreement is entered into with an external student for one semester. An external student is not matriculated and does not have student status.
(5) A continuing education student is a person who participates in continuing education studies under a non-formal education programme, in micro-degree or micro-qualification programmes, or in open education studies by taking courses from formal education study programmes. The status of continuing education students and the academic policies applicable to them are set out in the Procedure for Continuing Education Courses established by the University Senate.
(6) The Policies apply to visiting students, international visiting students, external students, and continuing education students, as far as other legislation of the university does not provide otherwise.
Chapter 2
COMPLETING A STUDY PROGRAMME, DURATION OF STUDIES, WORKLOAD, VOLUME OF STUDIES
§ 5. Completing a study programme and duration of studies
(1) A student is obliged to complete the study programme, follow the principles of academic ethics and Good Practice in Learning and Teaching approved by the Committee for Academic Affairs.
(2) A study programme is considered completed when the student has passed all courses and the internship specified in the programme, passed the final exam or successfully defended the graduation thesis, completed all required modules, including their components, and earned the total number of credits set by the programme.
(3) “The nominal period of study” means the duration of studies, expressed in academic years, as specified in the study programme and required to complete the programme with a study load of 60 European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) credits per academic year, or 30 ECTS credits per semester. 1 ECTS credit corresponds to 26 hours of work used by a student for studying.
(4) As a rule, a student’s nominal period of study corresponds to the nominal period of the study programme. A student’s nominal period of study may be extended:
1) for the duration of academic leave;
2) by the semester of a student’s studies abroad, provided that the university recognises at least 15 ECTS credits earned during that period;
3) by one semester, based on the language policy of Tallinn University of Technology established by the Senate, if the student’s proficiency in Estonian, which is the language of instruction, does not meet the requirements for higher education studies, and the student is required to take advanced courses in the official language pursuant to an order from the dean’s office;
4) for the duration of seagoing service, if the service required in the study programme lasts longer than six months.
(5) To calculate the study period, a student is allocated a semester limit (SEL) upon matriculation in the study information system (SIS) based on the nominal period of the study programme. The SEL allocated for a student shall be reduced by one after each semester of participation in studies. The SEL is not reduced when a student’s nominal period of study is extended in the cases and under the conditions specified in subsection (4) of this section.
(6) If a student fails to complete the study programme in full by the end of the last semester of the nominal period of study, the student shall continue his/her studies in the study programme (extension of the study period) as long as the student meets at least the part-time study requirement or any of the provisions of § 31 for exmatriculation of the student can be applied.
(7) The university accredits prior and experiential learning (hereinafter referred to as “APEL”) in accordance with the Rules for Accreditation of Prior and Experiential Learning established by the University Senate.
(8) A student has the right to complete the study programme version under which he/she began to study if less than two years have passed in addition to the nominal period of the study programme from the date the student commenced the studies.
§ 6. Workload and study volume
(1) The university provides full-time and part-time studies. Upon matriculation, a student shall decide whether to study full-time or part-time in the first academic year, unless only full-time or part-time studies are allowed in the study programme. The workload selected by a student is assigned by a matriculation or rematriculation order of the Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs.
(2) In full-time study, a student is required to accumulate at least 22.5 ECTS credits per attended semester of participation in studies in courses relevant to their study programme by the end of each academic year, starting from the most recent matriculation.
(3) In part-time study, a student is required to accumulate 15 to 22 ECTS credits per semester of participation in studies in courses relevant to their study programme by the end of each academic year, starting from the most recent matriculation.
(4) A student’s study load is calculated based on the study volume subject to completion under the study programme, measured in ECTS credits per semester completed.
(5) The study volume comprises the number of credits earned from courses completed by the student during the semester, as required by the study programme, as well as credits recognised through an APEL application. The courses required for completion in the study programme also include courses from the free study module; however, these must not exceed the volume specified for the free study module in the study programme.
(6) The nominal study volume for each attended semester is 30 ECTS credits, and the nominal volume is calculated cumulatively.
(7) A student studying free of charge must earn 30 ECTS credits for each attended semester in order to continue studying free of charge. Credits are calculated cumulatively over the total nominal period of study completed, and a shortfall of up to 6 ECTS credits over the total number of semesters completed is permitted without a tuition fee being required.
(8) While studying abroad, a student studying free of charge must complete at least 15 ECTS credits per semester in courses relevant to the student’s study programme in order to meet the nominal
study volume requirement. During the semester following studies abroad, a student must complete a sufficient number of courses so that the total number of ECTS credits from courses relevant to the student’s study programme earned during the semester abroad and the following semester is at least 30 ECTS credits. Credits are calculated cumulatively.
(9) The volume of 30 ECTS credits required for completion includes the following, expressed in ECTS credits:
1) internship, compulsory courses and elective courses passed in the amounts required to complete the study programme;
2) optional courses passed in the amount required to complete the study programme;
3) elective courses taken in addition to the volume of elective courses specified in the module;
4) courses completed at a foreign higher education institution and previously approved by the programme director, counted in the credits of the foreign institution and converted into ECTS credits;
5) courses credited toward completion of a study programme through APEL.
(10) At the end of each academic year, the university cumulatively recalculates the student’s study load for the next academic year based on the study volume the student has completed to date. The study load is adjusted by order of the dean’s office.
(11) If the study load changes:
1) a student who fails to meet the requirements for full-time study shall be transferred to part-time study;
2) a student who has studied part-time and has fulfilled the requirements for full-time study shall be transferred to full-time study, unless the student is matriculated in a study programme where only part-time study is allowed;
3) a student who fails to meet the requirements for part-time study shall be exmatriculated on the grounds of inadequate academic performance based on clause 31 (4) 2) of the Policies.
(12) In the first semester of study, a student must declare and complete at least 15 ECTS credits from their study programme, regardless of the chosen study load and any credits granted through APEL. The study programme courses also include optional courses from the free study module, but these must not exceed the volume specified for the free study module of the study programme. In justified cases, the dean may, based on the student’s application, permit the declaration of fewer courses than required.
(13) A student studying under a study programme governed by the Maritime Safety Act is required to complete all courses and practical training specified in the standard study plan of the preceding semesters before beginning the one-year seagoing practice.
Chapter 3
STUDYING AS A VISITING STUDENT, SWITCHING STUDY PROGRAMMES AND REMATRICULATION
§ 7. Studying as a visiting student in Estonia and abroad
(1) During studies, a student may study as a visiting student at another Estonian or foreign higher education institution, or complete an internship abroad, in accordance with the Procedure for Applying to a Visiting Student Place established by the Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs.
(2) The nominal period of study for a student studying at a foreign higher education institution is extended by each semester completed at that institution, provided that the courses passed are credited toward completion of the student’s study programme in an amount of at least 15 ECTS credits per semester. The nominal period of study is extended after the student’s studies at the foreign higher education institution have concluded once the student’s APEL application has been approved. If it becomes evident that the conditions for extending the nominal period of study are not met, the nominal period shall not be extended.
(3) The nominal period of study for a student completing an internship at a higher education institution abroad is extended by one semester, provided that the internship completed during that semester is credited toward completion of the student’s study programme in an amount of at least 15 ECTS credits. The nominal period of study is extended once the internship results have been entered into the SIS. If it becomes evident that the conditions for extending the nominal period of study are not met, the period shall not be extended.
(4) The nominal period of study of a student who has gone to study abroad after the end of the nominal period of study or during the semester of his/her academic leave shall not be extended by the semesters spent at an institution of higher education abroad. If a student studying free of charge goes to study abroad in the first semester following the nominal period of study and does not take the final exam/does not defend his/her graduation thesis at the end of that semester, but obtains at least 15 ECTS credits from courses completed abroad and applies to have these credits counted toward completion of the study programme, the student may take the final exam/defend his/her graduation thesis free of charge in the semester following his/her study abroad.
(5) A student’s nominal period of study is not extended if this is stipulated by an inter-university cooperation agreement (joint study programmes, double degrees, etc.).
§ 8. Switching study forms or study programmes and rematriculation
(1) A student has the right to switch study forms by order of the dean’s office.
(2) A student has the right to switch study programmes by decision of the Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs.
(3) To switch to another study programme, the student shall submit the corresponding application and an APEL application completed in the SIS to the dean’s office of the School offering the study programme to which the student is applying by the deadline for additional matriculation specified in the academic calendar.
(4) A student who has accumulated at least 30 ECTS credits in courses relevant to the respective study programme may apply to switch the study programmes. Upon switching study programmes, the nominal duration of the new study programme will apply to the student, less the semesters previously completed. The dean may establish additional requirements for switching study programmes.
(5) “Rematriculation” means the continuation of tuition-free studies in the same study programme, based on the remaining unused nominal semesters.
(6) Rematriculation for continuing tuition-free studies in the same study programme can be applied if the applicant:
1) has acquired at least 30 ECTS credits in the courses of the study programme;
2) will complete the study programme by acquiring 30 ECTS credits in the courses of the study programme during each unused nominal semester;
3) is not subject to any restriction on tuition-free studies according to the Requirements for Admission to the First and Second Level of Studies at Tallinn University of Technology established by the University Senate;
4) meets the additional requirements established by the dean.
(7) For rematriculation, an application shall be submitted to the dean’s office by the deadline for additional matriculation indicated in the academic calendar and an APEL application shall be completed in the SIS.
(8) Students exmatriculated due to inadequate academic performance or non-attendance in studies cannot apply for rematriculation within one semester following their exmatriculation.
(9) A former student exmatriculated on the grounds of contemptible conduct cannot apply for rematriculation within one year after exmatriculation.
Chapter 4
TUITION-FREE STUDIES AND REIMBURSEMENT OF TUITION FEES
§ 9. Tuition-free studies
(1) Tuition fee shall not be charged to a student:
1) who has been matriculated for full-time studies in a study programme taught in Estonian and cumulatively completes the required study volume each semester;
2) who has been matriculated for full-time tuition-free studies in a fee-based study programme taught in English based on the Senate’s decision and cumulatively completes the required study volume each semester;
3) during the student’s nominal period of study if the student has been matriculated for full-time studies in a fee-based study programme funded by a tuition fee waiver scholarship in accordance with § 13 of the Academic Policies;
4) who has been matriculated to a student place for athletes based on the Requirements for the Admission to the First and Second Level of Studies at Tallinn University of Technology;
5) who has studied abroad based on an order of the dean or vice-dean for academic affairs, and the university recognizes at least 15 ECTS credits per semester from courses suitable for the study programme, earned during the semester abroad and the following semester;
6) for the semester(s) the student studies abroad if the student studies at a university in a study programme where a semester fee applies.
(2) A student studying full-time in a study programme taught in Estonian is not required to pay a tuition fee if the student fails to complete the required cumulative semester load by the end of the semester, provided that student continues his/her studies in the same study programme and is a parent or a guardian of a child under the age of 7 years or of a child with a disability, a person with moderate, severe or profound disability or has fully or partially lost his/her capacity for work. The student undertakes to submit an application for tuition fee exemption along with a document certifying the relevant fact to the dean’s office by 30 September for the autumn semester and by 15 February for the spring semester. The student continues to study free of charge also upon transferring to part-time study, provided the part-time study requirements are met and the circumstances set out in this subsection apply. A student is required to pay the tuition fee starting from the semester following the one in which the circumstances on which the application was based cease to exist; previous study volume completion is not taken into account.
§ 10. Reimbursement of tuition fees by students matriculated in tuition-free study places
(1) A full-time student matriculated in a study programme taught in Estonian, who interrupts his/her studies at his/her own request during a semester more than 70 days after the beginning of the semester, is obliged to pay the fee for the declared course credits not completed by the date of study interruption, in accordance with the fee rates for lacking credits established by the Senate.
(2) A full-time student matriculated in a tuition-free study programme taught in English or in a programme funded by a tuition fee waiver scholarship who interrupts his/her studies at his/her own request during a semester after the deadline for submitting the semester’s individual study plan, is required to pay the fee for any uncompleted credits from the declared courses as of the date of interruption, in accordance with the fee rates for lacking credits established by the Senate.
(3) Full-time students matriculated in tuition-free study programmes taught in Estonian or English, or in programmes funded by a tuition fee waiver scholarship, must cover the cost of tuition for each uncompleted credit point exceeding a shortfall of 6 ECTS credits, if by the end of a semester they have more than 6 ECTS credits of the study load prescribed by the programme uncompleted. Credit points are calculated cumulatively, based on a standard study load of 30 ECTS per semester and 60 ECTS per academic year. A student shall pay the tuition fee during the nominal period of study in accordance with the fee rates for lacking credits established by the Senate, except for the credits uncompleted in the final semester of the nominal period. In the final semester of the nominal study period, the student shall reimburse the tuition fee for any credits lacking from the full completion of the study programme, excluding the credits for the graduation thesis or final exam, in accordance with the fee rates for lacking credits established by the Senate.
(4) A full-time student matriculated in a tuition-free study programme taught in Estonian or English is not required to pay tuition fees for the first semester following the nominal period of study. Thereafter the student is required to pay a fee once upon declaring a graduation thesis in the amount of 50% of the school’s credit fee rate established by the Senate.
§ 11. Reimbursement of tuition fees by students matriculated in self-financed study places
(1) A student undertakes to reimburse the tuition fee according to the rates established by the Senate if the student:
1) has been matriculated in a full- or part-time self-paid study place;
2) switches to another study programme during studies and continues in a self-paid study;
3) loses the right to study full time and continues studying part time.
(2) A student studying in a self-paid study place in a study programme taught in Estonian shall pay tuition fee based on the credits declared for the semester.
(3) A student shall pay tuition fees in a study programme taught in English:
1) for full-time study during the nominal period, based on a semester fee regardless of the number of credits declared, for a number of semesters corresponding to the nominal period of study;
2) after the nominal period of study, based on the number of credits declared in the semester’s individual study plan;
3) for part-time study, based on the number of credits declared in the semester’s individual study plan;
4) based on the volume of credits declared in the semester’s individual study plan if the student commenced studies under a credit fee system.
(4) A student studying under a semester fee who declares courses during academic leave shall pay the semester fee; a student in a self-financed study place paying by credits shall pay according to the declared credits.
(5) A student who has commenced studies funded by a tuition fee waiver scholarship shall pay tuition fees for semesters following the nominal period of study based on the volume of credits declared in the semester’s individual study plan.
§ 12. Concluding a contract for reimbursement of tuition fees, submitting and paying invoices
(1) A contract for reimbursement of tuition fees shall be concluded with a student matriculated in a fee-paying study place or transferred to part-time studies. The contract shall be entered into between the student and the university in the SIS in a format that can be reproduced in writing. The standard forms of the special provisions and the general provisions of the contract shall be approved by the Rector. The student has limited access to the SIS until a contract is entered with the university.
(2) A student studying in a self-paid study place or reimbursing tuition fees for lacking credits shall pay tuition fees in accordance with the rates established by the Senate. The Senate establishes the fee rates for each academic year by a separate decision.
(3) A student shall receive an invoice issued in accordance with the Academic Policies or the contract for reimbursement of tuition fees. An invoice for reimbursement of tuition fees shall be submitted via the SIS within three weeks after the declaration deadline.
(4) A prerequisite for admitting a graduation thesis for defence is the payment of the invoice submitted for the graduation thesis no later than five working days before the defence of the thesis.
(5) An invoice for lacking credits, based on the cumulative results of previous semesters, shall be submitted after the end of the semester in accordance with the provisions of § 10.
(6) The deadline for payment of the invoice is ten calendar days from the date of its submission. In the event of a delay in payment of the fee, the student shall be charged a fine for delay in the amount of 0.06% of the outstanding amount for each calendar day the payment is overdue.
(7) The deadline for payment of the tuition invoice may be extended, upon the student’s application and with the dean’s approval, by up to three calendar months, but not beyond the end of the classroom session period as indicated in the academic calendar.
(8) Any claims against a student arising from overdue tuition fees are transferred, in part or in full, to a third party or recovered through court.
§ 13. A tuition fee waiver scholarship
(1) The university has the right to award a non-monetary tuition fee waiver scholarship to full-time students matriculated in a fee-based study programme, thereby releasing them from the obligation to pay tuition fees.
(2) The University Senate shall approve the number of scholarships per study programme for each academic year.
(3) A tuition fee waiver scholarship is awarded based on the number of tuition waiver scholarship-funded study places determined by a decision of the Senate and the applicant ranking established according to the admission requirements. A tuition fee waiver scholarship is granted for the duration of the student’s nominal period of study.
(4) A tuition fee waiver scholarship can be awarded only once to a person for studying in the same study programme. If a student who has been awarded a tuition fee waiver scholarship waives his/her study place before the deadline for academic movements set out in the academic calendar, the dean may award the tuition fee waiver scholarship to the next highest ranked student.
(5) A tuition fee waiver scholarship exempts a full-time student from paying tuition fees, provided that at the end of the semester the student does not lack more than 6 ECTS credits of the cumulative study load required by the study programme, applying the same conditions as for students who commence tuition-free studies.
(6) A student who loses the right to a tuition fee waiver scholarship shall reimburse tuition fees according to the rates established by the University Senate, starting from the semester in which the right to the scholarship was lost.
Chapter 5
STUDIES
§ 14. Courses
(1) The courses taught to students are divided in the individual study plan into compulsory, elective and optional courses. A compulsory course is one that must be passed in order to complete a study programme. An elective course is one selected by the student from the available courses in the study programme. An optional course is one that a student may freely choose to broaden his/her horizons or enhance his/her professional knowledge and skills.
(2) Each course may have up to two prerequisite courses.
(3) A graduation thesis, final exam and internship are specific types of courses.
(4) The unit teaching the course shall prepare a syllabus for each course in accordance with the Guide for Preparing a Syllabus and a Study Programme approved by the Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs.
(5) The unit teaching a course shall appoint a lecturer responsible for the course. The lecturer responsible for the course shall coordinate the work of the teaching staff and ensure that the syllabus is properly prepared.
(6) The unit teaching a course shall appoint the lecturer(s) teaching it each semester. A course can be taught by the principal lecturer or a co-lecturer.
(7) The principal lecturer shall prepare an extended syllabus for the course for the semester in which it is taught. An extended syllabus shall specify the objectives and learning outcomes of the course, list the topics to be covered with brief descriptions, include the assignments to be completed during the course, provide a schedule, list the literature, describe the organization of studies and outline the assessment criteria corresponding to the chosen assessment methods. The extended syllabus must be available in the SIS no later than the start of the course.
(8) A tuition fee is charged for courses not included in the study programmes, unless otherwise specified in the Rector’s directive.
§ 15. An individual study plan
(1) “An individual study plan” means a list of courses, the final exam, and/or the graduation thesis declared by the student in the SIS for the upcoming semester, which the student commits to completing, passing, or defending. By compiling an individual study plan, the student registers for studies at the beginning of the semester and establishes a personalized path to complete the study programme.
(2) “Declaration of a course” means selecting the course for the individual study plan. A student shall declare a course according to the principal lecturer.
(3) An internship shall not be declared in the individual study plan for the semester.
(4) A graduation thesis with its topic/a final exam is declared in the individual study plan at the beginning of the semester. As an exception, the dean may allow graduation thesis with its topic/a final exam to be declared at another time during the academic year.
(5) A student who has agreed with a supervisor on thesis supervision shall add the supervisor’s name to the individual study plan. If a student does not yet have a supervisor when declaring the thesis, the student shall submit the study plan without the supervisor’s details, filling in only the thesis topic field. If necessary, a student can consult the programme director to find a thesis topic and a supervisor.
(6) The validity period of a final exam or graduation thesis declaration shall be the same as that of other course declarations.
(7) In order for a graduation thesis to be admitted for defence, a student who declared the thesis shall submit a defence application via the SIS by the deadline set out in the academic calendar. In case of failure to submit a defence application, the result shall be recorded as “absent”.
(8) If a student does not register for any courses for the upcoming semester, the student shall submit an individual study plan with no courses, i.e. a zero-declaration.
(9) A student is required to compile an individual study plan for each semester of attendance, except in cases of study abroad or seagoing service.
(10) A standard study plan shall be prepared for each version of a study programme to assist students in preparing their individual study plans. In a standard study plan, the courses of the study programme are arranged by semesters. A timetable is prepared based on the standard study plan to complete the study programme within the nominal period of study. Separate standard study plans are drawn up for daytime and session-based studies. A student’s individual study plan may differ from the standard study plan for the semester.
(11) A student shall submit an individual study plan by the deadline specified in the academic calendar.
(12) A student shall select the courses he/she wishes to and can take, which are available in the upcoming semester, to include in the individual study plan. A student can select courses for which the prerequisite courses have been completed and if other preconditions have been fulfilled. A lecturer may allow a student to take a course even if the prerequisite courses have not been completed.
(13) Before declaring the courses for the next semester, a student must complete the feedback survey in the SIS, in accordance with the Rules for Requesting and Considering Feedback on Teaching and Courses established by the Rector.
(14) If necessary, the unit teaching the course shall establish rules for declaring the course, which must be made available for students in the SIS by the beginning of the declaration period .
(15) A student has the right to include any course taught at the university in his/her individual study plan. Courses not included in the study programme shall be recorded in the free study module. Courses not included in the study programme may be transferred to other appropriate modules of the study programme by decision of the programme director.
(16) A student can select the minor field of study module in the SIS. If a student completes all courses included in a minor field of study module from another study programme during his/her studies, the completion of the minor field of study will be recorded in the SIS. If a student completes a minor field of study, information about it will be added to the diploma supplement issued to the student along with the diploma.
(17) A student is allowed to re-declare a course not completed by the end of the semester only once. A student may waive the declaration and completion of a course in an elective or optional study module.
(18) On a well-founded basis (such as the course being available only in a self-paid study programme, incorrect course code, failure to complete a prerequisite course, failure to meet the requirements for declaring the course, limited number of available places, or incorrectly selected lecturer), a lecturer may cancel a student’s course declaration until the deadline specified in the academic calendar. Exceptional cases shall be resolved by the programme director.
§ 16. Internship
(1) The coordinator of an internship, as a specific form of a course, is the course lecturer unless otherwise specified in the School’s internship procedure. An internship coordinator is an advisor who, if necessary, recommends companies offering internship opportunities and explains and clarifies the requirements for the host organisation and the field of activity. An internship coordinator shall prepare an internship guide, which shall be made available in the SIS like an extended syllabus. An internship guide shall be approved by the programme director. The relevant internship coordinator role in the SIS shall be assigned by the employee of the dean’s office appointed by the dean. The dean shall establish the School’s internship procedure.
(2) An internship contract may be signed between the university, the student, and the legal entity organising the internship. A student may apply for assessment of internship during the whole period of studies, for the full scope of internship prescribed by the study programme all at once. An internship shall be completed before the final exam or the defence of the graduation thesis. An external student must complete an internship before being permitted to defend the graduation thesis or take the final exam.
(3) An internship shall not be declared in the semester’s individual study plan. After completing the internship, a student shall submit an application in the SIS for assessment of the internship. Other documents required to verify internship completion (such as certification, an internship report, etc.) shall be specified in the School’s internship procedure and submitted in accordance with the procedure applicable at the School. The instructor of the internship course shall enter the internship result in the SIS.
(4) A one-year seagoing service shall be completed in study programmes governed by the Maritime Safety Act.
§ 17. Defending a graduation thesis or taking a final exam as an external student
(1) A graduation thesis can be defended, and a final exam can be taken as an external student.
(2) To be granted external student status for defending a graduation thesis or taking a final exam, a learning agreement shall be concluded with the external student in the SIS based on the person’s application, in a format that can be reproduced in writing. The standard form of the special and general provisions of the abovementioned agreement shall be approved by the Rector. An external student has limited access to the SIS until an agreement concluded with the university.
(3) The preconditions for eligibility to defend a graduation thesis/take a final exam as an external student are fulfilled if the person:
1) has acquired the required prior education;
2) has completed all the courses pursuant to the study programme up to the graduation thesis defence or final exam;
3) in the case of defending a graduation thesis, has prepared a thesis that meets the requirements established by the university.
(4) Fulfilment of the preconditions for eligibility to defend a graduation thesis/take a final exam shall be verified at the dean’s office of the school managing the study programme no later than two weeks before the graduation thesis is admitted for defence/the final exam is taken.
(5) The university may refuse to enter into a learning agreement with an external student if the person has outstanding financial obligations to the university and/or has violated good academic practice as a student or external student within the three years preceding the submission of the application for graduation as an external student.
(6) In order to conclude an external student learning agreement, the applicant shall submit the following to the dean’s office of the School administering the study programme:
1) an application to defend a graduation thesis or to take the final exam;
2) an education certificate certifying prior studies;
3) an APEL application via the SIS and the required documents, except for results achieved at Tallinn University of Technology as a student of the same study programme;
4) an identity document.
(7) The provisions of the Academic Policies shall apply to a person graduating as an external student according to the academic level for which the external student has applied.
Chapter 6
ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE
§ 18. Assessment methods and criteria
(1) Assessment methods define how the acquisition of knowledge and skills is demonstrated (e.g. an oral or written exam, pass/fail assessment, essay, report, teamwork, or questionnaire).
(2) An assessment criterion specifies the expected level and scope of knowledge and skills in the context of the corresponding assessment method.
(3) The learning outcomes, assessment methods and criteria must be aligned.
(4) The assessment methods for verifying the achievement of learning outcomes, the assessment criteria and procedure, including the principles for determining the final grade when multiple assessment methods are used, shall be specified by the lecturer in the extended syllabus. The assessment methods and criteria specified in the extended syllabi shall be made available to students no later than the start of the course and must not be changed during the semester.
(5) The final grade may be calculated as the sum of various components (e.g. homework, tests, exams, pass/fail assessments) or based solely on the results of an exam or assessment conducted at the end of the study period. If the final grade is partially or entirely based on continuous assessment, the assessment criteria, the weighting of each component in the final grade, including any prerequisites for eligibility, and the corresponding deadlines must be specified in the extended syllabus of the course.
(6) If a student does not meet the prerequisite for eligibility indicated in the assessment criteria, the student will not be able to achieve a positive final grade in the course.
(7) The university has the right to check students’ submitted work using plagiarism detection systems.
§ 19. Methods and scale for assessing the achievement of learning outcomes
(1) Assessment may be either graded or non-graded.
(2) In the case of graded assessment, the student’s achievement of learning outcomes is evaluated using the following scale:
A (5) – “excellent”: outstanding and exceptionally thorough achievement of learning outcomes, demonstrating creativity and a high level of proficiency in applying knowledge and skills;
B (4) – “very good” – good achievement of learning outcomes, with proficient application of skills and knowledge in a focused and creative manner. Some details of knowledge and skills may contain errors that are neither substantive nor serious;
C (3) – “good” – achievement of learning outcomes, with adequate proficiency in applying skills and knowledge in a relevant manner. Some imprecision and uncertainty are evident in the depth and detail of knowledge and skills;
D (2) – “satisfactory” – sufficient achievement of learning outcomes, with application of knowledge and skills in typical situations. In atypical situations, both uncertainty and a lack of knowledge and skills are evident;
E (1) – “poor” – minimal acceptable achievement of the most important learning outcomes, with limited ability to apply knowledge and skills in typical situations. In atypical situations, considerable uncertainty and lack of knowledge and skills are evident;
F (0) – “failed” – achievement in knowledge and skills below the minimum required standard.
(3) For non-graded assessment, the final result shall be determined by a threshold: if a student’s learning outcomes meet or exceed the threshold, the assessment shall be recorded as adequate – A (pass); if the learning outcomes do not meet the threshold, the assessment shall be recorded as inadequate – M (fail).
(4) In the case of graded assessment, grades “1” through “5,” and in the case of non-graded assessment, “A” (pass), indicate a positive result.
§ 20. Final grade and grade point average
(1) A course shall be deemed passed, a graduation thesis defended, or a final exam passed by a student if the student obtains a positive assessment result.
(2) Final grades shall be recorded on the assessment form in the SIS and signed by the principal lecturer teaching or supervising the course to whom the student has declared the course. An assessment form is the primary document where the final grade is recorded.
(3) To measure a student’s overall performance, the grade point average (hereinafter GPA) shall be used. It is calculated by multiplying the grades by the credits of all passed courses with graded assessments, including the graduation thesis or final exam, summing these products, and then dividing the total by the sum of the credits of the relevant courses.
§ 21. Assessment procedure
(1) An assessment procedure shall be based on good academic practice, be fair, impartial, and supportive of the student’s learning.
(2) The lecturer shall establish the procedure for assessing students’ knowledge. A student may use any resources or materials only with the permission of, and under the terms set by, the lecturer. A lecturer has the right to remove a student from a knowledge test or refuse to assess an assignment submitted by the student if the student is receiving unauthorized help or otherwise violates the university’s good academic practice. In this case, the lecturer shall mark “0” (failed) or “M” (fail) as the result of the specific knowledge test or as the final grade.
(3) To participate in a knowledge test, a student shall submit an identity document at the request of the lecturer or a person substituting for the lecturer.
(4) If an exam is held in a course, there shall be at least three exam dates, with a minimum interval of three days between each exam. The three exam dates must include a date for resitting the exam. The results of previous exams shall be available to students, and it must be possible to register for an exam at least 48 hours before the last exam.
(5) The lecturer shall ensure that the final grade for a written exam or a course concluded with an assessment is made available to students in the SIS within one week after the exam or assessment. The final grades for an oral exam or a course concluded with an assessment shall be made available to students on the day of the exam or assessment and entered into the SIS within three working days.
(6) In the case of continuous assessment, the result of each component contributing to the final grade must be made available to students within two weeks after the completion of the component.
(7) All final grades shall be made available in the SIS within three working days after the deadline for taking exams in the respective semester.
(8) The schedule of exams and assessments shall be made available in the SIS or in the course’s e-support environment at least four weeks before the exam or assessment date. Registration for an exam or pass/fail assessment, as well as possible cancellation of a registration by a student, shall be carried out in the SIS or in the e-support environment of the course by the deadline set by the lecturer.
(9) Exams and assessments shall be conducted in the language of instruction.
(10) The dates and times of pre-exam consultations for a course shall be provided along with the dates and times of the exams.
(11) The result of a student who fails to attend an exam or assessment shall be marked as “absent” (MI) or “fail” (M)
(12) Courses declared by a student for the semester but not completed within two weeks after the final exam deadline in the autumn semester or by the end of the academic year in the spring semester, and for which no result has been recorded, shall be automatically marked as MI / M (absent/fail) in the SIS.
(13) A student has the right to retake an exam to improve the result only once per course declaration, and only on the scheduled exam dates. Both positive and negative exam results, as well as non-attendance (MI), are considered as having taken the exam. The final grade is calculated based on the positive or negative result of the most recent exam taken on the scheduled exam dates.
(14) In justified cases and with the lecturer’s consent, the dean may, based on a student’s application, extend the deadline for passing an exam or assessment up to two weeks in the autumn semester and up to the end of the academic year in the spring semester. During the extension period, the student may take the exam or assessment for the course once, on a date proposed by the lecturer. The results obtained in the abovementioned period shall be recorded in the semester’s performance.
(15) In justified cases, a student has the right to submit an application to the dean to have the achievement of learning outcomes assessed before an assessment panel.
(16) A student has the right to request feedback from the decision-maker on each of his/her performances within three working days of being notified of the grade, and to receive the feedback within three working days of the request.
§ 22. Accreditation of prior and experiential learning
(1) A student may apply to complete a study programme in accordance with the Rules for Accreditation of Prior and Experiential Learning established by the University Senate.
(2) Prior and experiential learning, as well as learning acquired outside the university, may be credited towards the completion of the entire study programme, except for the graduation thesis or final exam.
(3) In the first semester of studies, a student must complete at least 15 ECTS credits from courses in his/her study programme.
(4) Upon applying for APEL, invoices shall be issued and paid in accordance with the rates and payment procedure for APEL fees established by the Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs.
Chapter 7
SUPERVISION AND DEFENCE OF A GRADUATION THESIS, TAKING A FINAL EXAM
§ 23. Formation of defence committees and final exam committees
(1) The dean shall form the defence and final exam committees as follows:
1) a defence committee for graduation theses and a final exam committee for professional higher education shall include at least three members with higher education qualifications;
2) a defence committee and a final exam committee for bachelor’s or master’s studies shall include at least three members holding a master’s degree or an equivalent qualification.
(2) Information on the established defence committees shall be entered into the SIS at the beginning of each academic year, no later than 15 October.
(3) If professional qualifications are awarded upon the defence of a graduation thesis, the membership of the defence committee shall be approved by the professional qualifications committee.
§ 24. Defence of graduation theses and organisation of final exams
(1) Ordinary defences of graduation theses and final exams shall be organised twice a year, by the deadlines specified in the academic calendar.
(2) The chairman of the defence committee shall publish the time and place of the defence, along with the names of the students admitted to the defence, no later than three working days before the defence. The decision to hold a closed defence (with registered participants) shall be made by the dean. The terms and conditions of a closed defence and the restrictions on publishing the graduation thesis shall be taken into account when publishing the thesis and entering into contracts with the members of the defence committee.
(3) Graduation theses shall be reviewed in accordance with the procedure established by the dean.
(4) At a justified request, the dean may allow participation in a defence using a means of real-time two-way video and audio communication.
(5) The results of the graduation thesis defence shall be recorded and signed by the chairman of the defence committee.
§ 25. Supervision and preparation of a graduation thesis
(1) A supervisor of a bachelor’s, master’s, or integrated study thesis shall hold at least a master’s degree or an equivalent qualification. A bachelor’s thesis may also be supervised by a person who holds higher education and has at least five years of work experience in the relevant field. A supervisor of a professional higher education study thesis shall have at least higher education.
(2) A graduation thesis may have up to two supervisors – the principal supervisor and a co-supervisor. The principal supervisor must have a contractual relationship with the university, unless otherwise stipulated in the agreements regarding the joint study programme.
(3) If the supervisor is from outside the student’s School or the university, both the supervisor and the topic of the graduation thesis must be approved by the programme director before the student begins writing the thesis.
(4) The procedure for writing graduation theses and the requirements for the theses shall be established by the dean.
(5) A graduation thesis shall be written in the language of instruction of the study programme; a thesis written in Estonian shall include a summary in English. In a study programme taught in Estonian, a graduation thesis may also be written in English by agreement between the student and the supervisor; a thesis written in English must include a summary in Estonian.
(6) A student who wishes to defend his/her graduation thesis shall submit a duly completed thesis, including the non-exclusive licence, by the deadline. If access to the graduation thesis is restricted, the student shall also submit a summary of the thesis in addition to the above. The procedure for the publication and preservation of graduation theses shall be established by the Rector.
§ 26. Prerequisites for eligibility to defend a graduation thesis and take a final exam
(1) Registration of the results of the courses included in the study programme in the SIS no later than three working days before the graduation thesis defence or final exam deadline is a prerequisite for being eligible to defend the graduation thesis or take the final exam. A study programme is considered completed once all study modules have been successfully completed. An exception is the optional study module, which may remain incomplete if other modules have been completed in excess, provided the total volume of the study programme has been fulfilled. For study programmes with multiple major fields of study, the programme is considered completed when at least one major field has been fully completed.
(2) Only students who have met the prerequisites and are registered for the defence will be allowed to defend their graduation thesis and will be recorded in the defence records.
(3) Upon verification that the prerequisites for eligibility to defend a graduation thesis or take a final exam have been met, a student may apply for the following:
1) with the approval of the programme director, transfer of courses suitable for completing the study programme from one module to another;
2) transfer of some of the courses from the completed optional study module or elective courses of other modules to extracurricular courses. In this case, the exam results will not be included in the weighted grade point average calculations, and these subjects will not be listed on the diploma supplement.
(4) Additional prerequisites for allowing a student or an external student to defend a graduation thesis or take a final exam are:
1) no outstanding tuition fees;
2) a positive result in the preliminary defence if preliminary defence is required.
§ 27. Plagiarism check of graduation theses
(1) The person appointed by the chairman of the defence committee or the secretary of the defence committee shall check the graduation theses before the defence using a plagiarism detection system by uploading them to the appropriate database.
(2) Based on the results from the plagiarism detection system, the chairman of the defence committee or the persons appointed by the chairman of the defence committee shall determine whether plagiarism (a violation of good academic practice) has occurred in the thesis.
(3) If plagiarism occurs in a graduation thesis, the chairman of the defence committee has the right to prohibit the thesis from being defended. If a procedure for handling violations of good academic practice and contemptible conduct has been established at a School, the chairman of the defence committee is obliged to report any violations in accordance with that procedure. If no such procedure has been established at the School, the chairman of the defence committee shall inform the dean of any violation of good academic practice.
§ 28. Defence of a graduation thesis
(1) A student who wishes to defend his/her graduation thesis shall submit a defence application by the deadline established in the academic calendar. The application must include the original language of the thesis, the title in both Estonian and English, and the name of the supervisor(s). Second-level students must also indicate the CERCS classification.
(2) The principal supervisor shall approve the submitted defence application by the deadline specified in the academic calendar, confirming the thesis title and its eligibility for defence.
(3) The chairman of the defence committee has the right to prohibit the defence of a thesis if it does not comply with the requirements for a graduation thesis.
(4) The dean’s office shall confirm on the defence application that the prerequisites for eligibility to defend the graduation thesis have been met in compliance with subsection 12 (4) and § 26.
(5) The procedure for defending graduation theses shall be established by the dean.
(6) The main stages of the defence process are:
1) introduction of the documents submitted for defence;
2) presentation by the author of the graduation thesis;
3) hearing the review and answering the reviewer’s questions if the graduation thesis is subject to review;
4) answering questions from the members of the defence committee;
5) general discussion (all those present may ask questions and give their opinions);
6) hearing the supervisor’s opinion;
7) making a decision and drawing up a defence record on the result of the defence.
(7) A defence committee has a quorum if at least three members specified in clause 23 (1) 1) or 2) participate in the defence meeting.
(8) The defence committee shall assess graduation theses and their defence based on the established graduation thesis assessment criteria. Any positive grade indicates that the graduation thesis was successfully defended.
(9) The result of a graduation thesis defence shall be entered in the SIS no later than the working day following the defence.
(10) If a graduation thesis is defended and graded with a “0,” the thesis may be defended again under the terms and conditions determined by the defence committee (e.g., the student may be required to supplement the existing thesis, submit a new thesis, etc.).
§ 29. Final exam
(1) The final exam committee shall set at least one date in a semester for the final exam and announce the time and place at least ten calendar days in advance.
(2) An order shall be drawn up at the dean’s office for students who have registered for the final exam and have met the eligibility requirements.
(3) The procedure for a final exam shall be established by the chairman of the final exam committee. A final exam committee has a quorum if at least three members specified in clause 23 (1) 1) or 2) participate in the assessment.
(4) A student who receives a grade of “0” on a final exam or fails to attend an exam must re-register for the final exam. In justified cases, the chairman of the final exam committee may allow a student who received a grade of “0” on a final exam or failed to attend it to take the exam again, based on the student’s application submitted before the declaration deadline.
(5) The result of a final exam shall be entered in the SIS no later than five working days after the exam.
Chapter 8
ACADEMIC LEAVE AND EXMATRICULATION
§ 30. Academic leave
(1) Academic leave is a period during which a student is released, upon personal request, from studies for one or more full semesters. A semester spent on academic leave is not considered an attended semester.
(2) During the nominal period of study, a student is entitled to take up to two semesters of academic leave upon personal request. Additional academic leave may be granted:
1) for health reasons for up to four semesters;
2) for up to two years in the case of compulsory military service or alternative service;
3) for caring for a child until the child reaches three years of age.
(3) To request academic leave or its interruption before the final date of the leave, a student shall submit an application via the SIS, and the leave shall be granted by an order from the dean’s office. If academic leave is interrupted during a semester, the entire semester shall be recorded as a semester attended.
(4) A student has the right to apply for academic leave at his or her own request starting from the second semester of study. Applications can be submitted until the deadline set out in the academic calendar.
(5) A student shall be granted academic leave for undergoing compulsory military service, alternative service, or caring for a child at any time during the academic year. To be granted academic leave for undergoing compulsory military service or alternative service, a student shall submit the official call-up notice for such service. In the case of caring for a child, the student shall submit the child’s birth certificate or a document issued by the relevant foreign authority, legalized or certified by an apostille according to the procedure valid in the Republic of Estonia.
(6) A student shall be granted academic leave for health reasons at any time during a semester, but no later than two working days before the end of the semester. If an application is submitted before the end of the quarter, the student shall be granted academic leave for one or more semesters; if submitted after the end of the quarter, the student shall be granted academic leave for at least two consecutive semesters. If academic leave is requested for health reasons, the student shall submit a medical certificate containing a doctor’s recommendation for the leave.
(7) Academic leave granted for health reasons cannot be interrupted to continue studies, except for completing studies, or if the student applies for academic leave for two semesters before the end of the quarter in which the application was submitted, as specified in the academic calendar. In the latter case, the student may interrupt the academic leave before the start of the second semester of the two-semester leave.
(8) The additional documents specified in subsections (5) and (6) of this section shall be attached to the application submitted via the SIS.
(9) Upon submitting an application for academic leave, the student has the right to cancel the declaration in the SIS. The final grades registered in the SIS before the application was submitted shall remain in force.
(10) A student on academic leave, whether at the student’s own request or for health reasons, may declare courses in his/her individual study plan, excluding a graduation thesis or final exam, and participate in studies totalling up to 18 ECTS credits. A person with a moderate, severe or profound disability, or the parent or guardian of a child under 3 years of age or a disabled child, or a student who is on academic leave due to military service or alternative service has the right to complete a study programme without restrictions, excluding a graduation thesis or final exam.
§ 31. Exmatriculation
(1) A student shall be exmatriculated for the following reasons:
1) upon graduation, following the full completion of a study programme;
2) at the student’s own request;
3) at the university’s initiative (due to inadequate academic performance, failure to commence or participate in studies, contemptible conduct, violation of restrictions for preventing the spread of a virus causing an infectious disease, failure to pay the tuition fee, closure of a study programme or the student’s death).
(2) A student shall be exmatriculated upon completion of the study programme and the awarding of a diploma once the study programme has been fully completed.
(3) A student shall be exmatriculated upon his or her request if the student has submitted the corresponding application in the SIS.
(4) A student shall be exmatriculated due to inadequate academic performance if the student:
1) has earned fewer than 15 ECTS credits from courses in the study programme during the first semester of attendance, unless the dean has granted an exception to pass less courses;
2) has failed to meet the part-time study load requirement by the end of the academic year;
3) has received a negative grade twice for the defence of the graduation thesis or final exam.
(5) A student, except one on academic leave, undergoing seagoing service or studying as a visiting student, shall be exmatriculated for non-attendance if the student:
1) fails to submit an individual study plan by the deadline stated in the academic calendar;
2) in the first semester of participation in studies, fails to declare at least 15 ECTS credits from their study programme by the deadline specified in the academic calendar, unless the dean has granted an exception to declare less courses;
3) fails to attend, in person, the counselling session specified in subsection 34 (5).
(6) A student, except one on academic leave, shall be exmatriculated due to failure to commence studies if the student has not submitted an individual study plan in the first semester of participation in studies.
(7) A student shall be exmatriculated for failure to pay the tuition fee.
(8) A student shall be exmatriculated upon closure of the study programme if the student has not submitted an application for transfer to another study programme by the prescribed deadline.
(9) Exmatriculation of a student due contemptible conduct or violation of restrictions for preventing the spread of an infectious disease shall be decided by the Vice-Rector of Academic Affairs, at the request of the dean and after hearing the opinion of the Student Union, in the following cases:
1) the entry into force of a judgement of conviction for an intentionally committed criminal offence;
2) forgery of documents or the provision of false information;
3) severe misconduct contrary to generally accepted standards of conduct;
4) violation of good academic practice;
5) violation of national restrictions or measures (e.g. self-isolation/quarantine, testing) established to prevent the spread of an infectious disease, or failure to comply with or improper compliance with the requirements prepared or established by the university for preventing the spread of a disease.
(10) A student is exmatriculated upon the student’s death.
(11) In the case of exmatriculation based on subsections (4) – (9), the student shall be notified via the SIS.
§ 32. Academic degrees and issuing of graduation documents
(1) The academic degrees at the first and second levels of higher education are the bachelor’s degree and the master’s degree, respectively.
(2) A university graduate is awarded an academic degree in accordance with the Standard of Higher Education and the directive of the Minister of Education and Research regarding the right to conduct higher education studies.
(3) A student who is exmatriculated upon full completion of a study programme, or an external student who has completed a study programme is awarded a diploma and receives a diploma supplement in Estonian and in English in cases prescribed by the Higher Education Act and the regulation of the Minister of Education and Research established based on the Act.
(4) Diplomas and accompanying diploma supplements are issued based on a Vice-Rector’s order. The dean’s office shall prepare an order on the completion of studies and, in the case of bachelor’s and master’s graduates, an order on the awarding of a degree. The name of the study programme or the major field of study, in the nominative case, may be added in brackets after the name of the master’s degree on the diploma.
(5) A cum laude diploma shall be awarded to a student of professional higher education, bachelor’s, master’s or integrated studies who:
1) has completed the study programme in full;
2) has defended a graduation thesis or taken a final exam and received grade “5”;
3) has a grade point average that is 4.6000 or higher, taking into account all grades to be entered on the diploma supplement.
(6) The date of issue of a diploma shall be the date of the Vice-Rector’s order on the student’s exmatriculation upon full completion of the study programme.
(7) Graduation documents shall be handed over at a festive graduation ceremony. Graduation ceremonies are held at the time specified in the academic calendar.
(8) In cases of awarding international double degrees, the procedure and terms for defending graduation theses shall be agreed upon in a contract, taking into account the provisions of the Policies.
Chapter 9
VIOLATION OF GOOD ACADEMIC PRACTICE
§ 33. Violation of good academic practice
(1) The following shall be deemed to be violations of good academic practice:
1) use of support materials during a knowledge test, except those explicitly allowed by the teacher;
2) receiving any unauthorized help from others (such as prompting, copying, copying homework, using learning support forums, purchasing papers, etc.) during a knowledge test or violating the examination procedure;
3) plagiarism, i.e. submitting another person’s work as one’s own or extensive rewording of someone else’s work, sources without appropriate academic citation;
4) re-submitting one’s own work that has already been counted toward a final grade;
5) participating in an assessment on behalf of another student or allowing someone else to participate in an assessment under one’s own name;
6) malicious disclosure of assessed papers;
7) deliberate submission of false information in one’s assignments, applications (including APEL), etc.;
8) damaging the university’s reputation, including making unfounded negative judgments, unauthorized mediation of study opportunities and services, or creating and distributing materials promoting the university for material gain or causing material or reputational harm;
9) other violations outlined in the Code of Academic Ethics established by the Senate.
(2) If a student violates the good academic practice or generally accepted standards of conduct, the dean has the right, depending on the severity of the violation, to:
1) issue a letter of reprimand to the student;
2) request the Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs to exmatriculate the student;
3) extraordinarily cancel the learning agreement concluded with the external student.
(3) A dean may establish a procedure for handling violations of good academic practice and contemptible conduct at the School.
Chapter 10
OTHER PROVISIONS
§ 34. Provision of information and advice
(1) The university shall send official notices and orders concerning studies via the SIS. Notices sent via the SIS are considered delivered to the student if three days have passed since the notice was sent. Within the framework of a course, a lecturer may use other communication channels to send informative notices.
(2) A notice sent to a student’s university-created email address is considered delivered three days after it is sent.
(3) If a student’s contact details change, the student is obliged to update them promptly in the SIS.
(4) Students are entitled to contact the School, the Student Union, the Office of Academic Affairs, and other structural units to obtain necessary information and advice.
(5) An international student is required to attend counselling if invited by an employee of the university’s Office of Academic Affairs.
(6) A student is guaranteed access to the SIS from matriculation until one hundred days after exmatriculation.
§ 35. Disputing decisions concerning studies
(1) To dispute decisions regarding the assessment of a graduation thesis or final exam, a student has the right to file an appeal with the decision-maker within three working days of being notified of the grade of the graduation thesis/final exam. In cases concerning other study matters, a student has the right to file an appeal with the decision-maker within ten working days of being notified of the decision. The student’s appeal must be responded to within three working days of receipt of the appeal.
(2) If the appeal is rejected, the student has the right to submit a written, signed appeal to the dean within thirty (30) calendar days of being notified of the decision. The dean shall respond to an appeal within ten (10) calendar days of its submission.
(3) The procedural deadline for responding to an appeal may be extended by 30 days, provided that the person filing the appeal is notified thereof via the SIS or e-mail.
(4) In justified cases, the dean has the right to form a committee to assess the achievement of the learning outcomes of a course in order to ensure the objectivity of the assessment.
(5) The decision on the appeal shall be recorded in writing and forwarded to the person filing the appeal via the SIS, by e-mail or delivered against signature.
(6) A person, including a student, may dispute defence results if the data presented in the graduation thesis do not correspond to reality, or if another person’s graduation thesis, or a part thereof, or another person’s work protected by a copyright, or a part thereof, has been submitted as the graduate’s own graduation thesis. To dispute the results, a person shall submit a written or oral appeal to the Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs within thirty (30) calendar days from the day the person became aware of the alleged violation. An oral appeal shall be recorded and confirmed by the signature of the person filing the appeal.
(7) The Vice Rector for Academic Affairs shall form an independent committee to review the appeal. The committee shall present a reasoned opinion within twenty (20) calendar days from the date the appeal was filed.
(8) On the basis of the committee’s opinion, the Vice Rector for Academic Affairs shall make one of the following decisions:
1) to revoke the decision on awarding the academic degree and diploma
2) to reject the appeal.
(9) The decision to reject the appeal shall be sent to the person filing the appeal by mail or via the SIS.
(10) Upon the revocation of an academic degree and a diploma, the Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs shall decide on the following:
1) whether to allow the student to defend the thesis again;
2) whether to allow the student to submit a new thesis for defence;
3) whether to exmatriculate the student due to contemptible conduct.
(11) If the student was exmatriculated in connection with the completion of the study programme and the awarding of a diploma prior to the decision referred to in clause (10)3) of this section, the Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs shall revoke the exmatriculation related to completion of the study programme and awarding of the diploma, and the student shall be exmatriculated due to contemptible conduct.
(12) The decision to revoke the academic degree and a diploma shall be made public.
Chapter 11
IMPLEMENTING PROVISIONS
§ 36. Repeal of Regulations
(1) Regulation No 4 of 17 05.2022 “Academic Policies” (amended by Regulation No 1 of 24.01.2023, Regulation No 4 of 13.06.2023 and Regulation No 6 of 20.11.2023 of the Senate) is repealed.
§ 37. Application of subsections 10(1) and 10(2) of the Academic Policies
(1) The regulation on the reimbursement of tuition fees set out in subsection 10 (1) and (2) of the Academic Policies shall apply to students enrolled in higher education institutions in the academic year 2024/2025 or later, and to students enrolled before the academic year 2024/2025 starting from the academic year 2027/2028.
§ 38. Entry into force of the Regulation
(1) The Regulation will enter into force on 1 August 2025.