LBC’s Academic Ethics Principles

 

LBC takes God given responsibility to prepare leaders for the Churches in Latvia seriously. As a result, it is important that those who enroll in our programs meet the following standards of behavior. The students must be born-again Christians, living a godly life (cf. Galatians 5:19-21; Romans 1:28-32), and generally exhibiting the fruit of the Spirit in their lives as described in Galatians 5:22-23 and/or the leadership qualifications detailed by Paul in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1.

 

Academic Freedom – Ensures the ability to creatively, independently and responsibly determine and implement educational and self-educational interests. Academic freedom respects others’ rights to freely express their views, ethical ideas, and their implementation, excluding any form of academic violence. Academic freedom is based on developed critical and creative thinking.

 

Integrity and Fairness – Characterizes virtuous, argumentative, mutually trustworthy behavior that prevents conflict of interests, risk of corruption, deception, selfishness, lack of objectivity, and plagiarism.

 

Responsibility – Implies the willingness to fulfill academic obligations, predict the consequences of one’s actions, and refrain from actions that can cause harm to academic work, colleagues, and society. Under no circumstances third parties are allowed to receive or have access to full lecture recordings or snippets, seminars, or courses, as this is strictly forbidden for students. Responsibility also applies to self-improvement, admission of mistakes and their correction, resolution of disputes through legal means.

 

Loyalty – Defines voluntary involvement in the LBC community, observing and advocating for its interests with integrity and fairness, promoting the LBC’s prestige, and increasing the brand recognition. A representative of the LBC community remains loyal to the educational institution when expressing a personal view outside the LBC, including on social media. When expressing a view about the LBC as a professional representative, the content shared must be based on verifiable and provable facts, research, and analysis. Representatives should refrain from providing knowingly false information about the LBC, and avoid actions that may harm the LBC’s educational and scientific reputation in society.

 

Respect and Collegiality – Includes good governance practices for building open, democratic, and equal relationships; establishing respectful ways of communication, and promoting cooperation and unity among members of the LBC community while upholding a shared responsibility for quality education and academic work.

 

The principles of the Code are implemented through the joint work of the LBC community members. Adherence to said principles improves the quality of education and academic work, promotes respect and trust, prevents the manifestation of conflicts of interest or corruption risks by prohibiting the use of authority, position, and academic status for personal gain.

 

 

Considerations of Academic Approaches

  • Students should carefully and responsibly plan and develop their study process, follow the content of study courses, modules and seminars. They complete assigned materials, examination papers and other study work regularly and in a timely manner.
  • Students shall treat other students, lecturers, interpreters and LBC staff with respect and professionalism. Students will respect the ideas and opinions of their peers and mentors, maintain business and collegial relations, observe courtesy and equality, and avoid discrimination, sexual, emotional or other forms of harassment.
  • Students are responsible for their own academic and intellectual integrity, and shall not plagiarize, copy, or use other intellectual property in bad faith. They will not falsify marks and grades or commit other breaches of academic integrity.
  • Students shall uphold and maintain academic and professional integrity by avoiding any actions that may raise suspicion of academic dishonesty.
  • Students must respect the content of the study programs, complete assignments and examinations accurately and on time. Students will evaluate their own work responsibly and openly in relation to the work of other students and the work of LBC as a whole.
  • Students shall acknowledge their mistakes and risks in the study process and resolve conflicts in direct and open discussions.

LBC reserves the right to deny graduation to anyone who fails to meet these standards.

 

 

Approved V/K 20.02.2023