There is no doubt that 2020 has been a year of turmoil and challenges. Now more than ever we need to unite as communities of learning to support and ensure that our efforts in creating and cultivating quality learning environments, grounded in the values of academic integrity, are preserved and strengthened. The International Day of Action (IDoA) against Contract Cheating on October 21/2020 is one way to connect worldwide against this growing threat.

Contract cheating is the outsourcing of academic work to a third party. This outsourced work is then submitted for a grade or mark. It is on the rise and it is happening around the world. The day of action provides us a platform to speak up and out against this act of academic dishonesty. On October 21st we encourage you to plan events that spotlight the issue of contract cheating at your organizations — for facts about contract cheating, and ideas on activities you might plan at your organizations please visit the ICAI website at https://www.academicintegrity.org/day-against-contract-cheating/. You can also join others around the world by participating in the live feed event entitled Twenty Live in 20 – Global Conversations about Contract Cheating. Listen and connect with others around the world about their efforts, ideas, and initiatives that tackle contract cheating.

Details about the various planned speakers for Twenty in 20 will be posted on the ICAI website. Follow us on our social media accounts — Instagram @academicintegritymatters Twitter https://twitter.com/TweetCAI Facebook https://www.facebook.com/AcademicIntegrityfeed and like, retweet, repost — use our IDoA 2020 hashtags #myownwork #excelwithintegrity. Post your own message about why integrity matters or why you don’t contract cheat. Encourage your students to submit their creative work to the international student contest https://www.academicintegrity.org/day-against-contract-cheating/ and educate external stakeholders by engaging your local news outlets with press releases.

Our global voice is important. Together we can inspire others to realize the importance of preserving integrity in our learning settings. Join us on October 21st to SPEAK UP AND OUT AGAINST CONTRACT CHEATING.