What does academic integrity mean in a time when artificial intelligence can write essays and information is only a click away? For Professor Božidar Popović of the University of Montenegro, integrity remains the foundation of trust in education, regardless of how technology evolves.

As one of the experts involved in developing the University of Montenegro’s new Code of Ethics, adopted with the support of the action “Quality education for all” implemented under the joint European Union and Council of Europe programme “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye”, Professor Popović has worked to ensure that academic values keep pace with the realities of modern education. “Academic integrity is one of the key foundations of the quality of higher education. It implies honesty, responsibility and transparency in learning, teaching and scientific research,” he explains.

The decision to update the Code of Ethics came as universities face new challenges, from digitalisation to the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence in education and research. According to him, the development of new circumstances in the academic environment required more precise and modern rules, aligned with European standards and good practice.

One of the important novelties of the new Code is that it recognises the use of artificial intelligence in academic work- an issue that universities across Europe are currently addressing. “Our goal was to clearly distinguish responsible and permitted use of new technologies from their possible misuse, which can jeopardise academic integrity,” he says.

Beyond protecting academic standards, integrity also plays an essential role in maintaining public trust in universities. “Society expects universities to be a space of knowledge, expertise and ethical responsibility,” Popović notes. According to him, clear rules and effective mechanisms for addressing violations help demonstrate universities’ commitment to high standards and strengthen the trust of students, staff and the wider public.

For Professor Popović, building a culture of integrity is not only about reacting when rules are broken, but about helping students and staff understand why these principles matter. “Sanctions are necessary when violations occur, but on their own they are not enough,” he says. “In the long term, it is much more important that students, teachers and all members of the academic community clearly understand what academic integrity means, why it matters and what their personal responsibility is in preserving it.”

In a world where students have unprecedented access to information and digital tools, helping them see academic integrity as a personal value is becoming increasingly important.

“It is important to present academic integrity to students not only as an obligation, but as a value directly connected to their personal and professional development,” Popović says. Ultimately, he believes that academic integrity protects much more than rules. “Academic integrity protects the value of their knowledge, their diploma and their future professional credibility.”

Through the development of the new Code of Ethics, the University of Montenegro is reinforcing the idea that academic integrity is not just a set of rules, but a shared responsibility that protects the credibility of education and the value of knowledge itself.