The Schools of Cheating: Grade Inflation and Academic Integrity, or Lack of It, By Professor X
I have to go by the name "Professor X," because even writing about his stuff today at the corrupt Australian universities could get one sacked. And then there are the crazed socialists feral types, ever-ready to use violence against you. That said by way of introduction, the issue of grade inflation and academic integrity at Australian universities, including the case at the Australian National University (ANU) School of Cybernetics, highlights systemic challenges in higher education, particularly with the reliance on international students as a revenue source. Below is this professor's account of the cheating problem, exclusive to Alor.org, its connection to international students, and the broader failures of the system, grounded in the provided context and general knowledge of the issue, from someone in the trenches, or cesspool, so to speak.
An anonymous whistle-blower reported that 91% of grades awarded in ANU's School of Cybernetics master's program since 2019 were high distinctions, with 7% at distinction level and 2% at credit, and no students failing or merely passing any subject. This is highly unusual compared to other master's programs at ANU, where such a high proportion of top grades is not typical. The whistle-blower's analysis of 70 students suggested potential grade inflation, raising concerns about academic standards and integrity. Additionally, the fact that all 15 PhD students in the program came from this master's course is noted as anomalous, as only 17.1% of ANU PhD students typically have prior postgraduate study at the university.
While the article does not explicitly link this grade inflation to cheating, the skewed distribution of grades suggests either lenient marking, inadequate assessment rigour, or external pressures to ensure high pass rates. This case reflects broader issues in Australian universities, where academic standards can be compromised for dollar degrees.
Cheating in Australian universities has been a growing concern, with multiple forms of academic misconduct reported:
Contract Cheating: Students, including international ones, sometimes purchase essays or assignments from online services. A 2019 study estimated that 6% of Australian university students engaged in contract cheating, with higher rates among international students due to language barriers and academic pressure.
Plagiarism and Collusion: Copying work or collaborating inappropriately on individual assessments is common. Technology, such as AI tools, has made it easier to generate or paraphrase content, complicating detection.
Exam Misconduct: This includes using unauthorised materials or paying others to take online exams, particularly during remote learning periods post-Covid.
International students are often implicated in these issues, but the reasons are complex. Many face significant challenges:
Language Barriers: Non-native English speakers may struggle with academic writing or understanding complex assessment requirements, leading some to resort to cheating to pass.
Cultural Differences: In some cultures, collaboration or using external help may not be viewed as misconduct, creating misunderstandings about academic integrity.
Pressure to Succeed: International students often pay high fees (e.g., AUD 30,000–50,000 annually) and face visa restrictions requiring them to maintain enrolment. Failure can lead to financial ruin or deportation, increasing desperation to pass by any means.
Australian universities heavily rely on international student fees, which account for a significant portion of revenue. In 2023, international education supposedly contributed AUD 36.4 billion to the economy, with universities enrolling over 200,000 overseas students in early 2025. This financial dependence creates incentives to treat international students as "cash cows."
Relaxed Standards: Some institutions may lower academic or entry standards to attract and retain international students. For example, English language requirements are sometimes waived or minimally enforced to boost enrolment.
Pressure to Pass: Faculty may face implicit or explicit pressure to ensure international students pass, as failing them could lead to complaints, appeals, or loss of revenue. This is suggested in the ANU case, where the absence of fails in the Cybernetics program raises questions about marking rigour. I know this first hand; the unstated rule is not to fail international students. I heard that at one university an Asian student was failed and he committed suicide by jumping from a university building.
Inadequate Support: Universities often fail to provide sufficient academic support, such as language training or cultural integration programs, leaving international students struggling and more likely to cheat.
The cheating problem and grade inflation reflect deeper flaws in the Australian higher education system:
Over-Reliance on International Fees: Universities' financial models depend on international students, creating conflicts of interest between academic integrity and revenue. This is evident in ANU's broader financial struggles, with expenses outstripping revenue despite high international enrolments.
Insufficient Oversight: Weak quality control in some programs, like the ANU Cybernetics case, allows grade inflation to go unchecked. The whistleblower's findings suggest a lack of scrutiny over grading practices.
Underfunded Support Systems: Budget cuts, as seen at ANU, limit resources for academic support or integrity measures like plagiarism detection software or proctored exams.
Commercialisation of Education: The shift toward viewing universities as businesses values student satisfaction and graduation rates over rigorous standards. This is compounded by cases like universities' lavish spendingwhile facing deficits, indicating misplaced priorities.
Lack of Accountability: Governance issues, such as those at ANU with resignations and concerns about leadership transparency, hinder efforts to address academic misconduct.
Posts on platforms like Reddit highlight frustration with ANU's School of Cybernetics, with users alleging mismanagement, questionable academic practices, and a decline in institutional integrity. These sentiments reflect a perception that universities value profit over quality. Grade inflation, as seen at ANU and elsewhere (e.g., Sydney University's 234% increase in high distinctions over a decade), undermines the value of degrees and erodes public trust.
To mitigate cheating and restore integrity, universities could:
Strengthen academic integrity policies with better detection tools and mandatory training.
Provide targeted support for international students, including language and academic skills programs.
Reduce financial dependence on international fees through diversified funding models.
Enforce consistent grading standards and independent audits of programs like ANU's Cybernetics.
The ANU School of Cybernetics case, with 91% of grades as high distinctions, exemplifies concerns about grade inflation and lax standards in Australian universities. Cheating, particularly among international students, is driven by systemic issues like financial pressures, inadequate support, and the treatment of students as revenue sources, as well as cultural differences, where "cheating" is not seen as an issue, but mere business as usual. While international students' motivations to pass are understandable, the failure lies with universities and policymakers who value profit over academic rigor. This erodes educational quality and fairness, demanding urgent reform to balance financial sustainability with integrity.
Will it happen? No, I think things are too far gone, and I am hanging out for retirement to forget academia like a bad dream. The freedom movement just won't address this issue.
"An anonymous whistle-blower has written to the Australian National University's academic board after discovering 91 per cent of grades awarded in the School of Cybernetics since 2019 were a high distinction.
The whistle-blower's analysis of 70 students who passed through the cybernetics master's course found a further 7 per cent of grades were at distinction level, while 2 per cent were awarded a credit. Not a single student failed or merely passed any subject."
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