ATU |Council for Professional Accreditation and Certification

1. Document Control

Document Title: ATU-CPAC Academic Integrity and Artificial Intelligence Use Policy
Document Owner: ATU-CPAC Certification and Assessment Committee
Issuing Authority: Arab Trainers Union
Policy Authority: ATU-CPAC Governing Council
Approval Authority: Arab Trainers Union Board of Directors, where required
Effective Date: 1 June 2026
Review Date: Every three years, or earlier where required
Applicability: ATU-CPAC, approved providers, accredited providers, authorized assessment centers, candidates, learners, certified professionals, trainers, assessors, IQAs, EQAs, reviewers, committee members, partners, and all persons involved in ATU-CPAC-governed learning, assessment, certification, accreditation, and quality assurance activities

2. Introduction

The Arab Trainers Union Council for Professional Accreditation and Certification, referred to as ATU-CPAC, is a specialized council operating within the Arab Trainers Union.

ATU-CPAC regulates, monitors, quality assures, and verifies professional accreditation, professional certification, assessed training programs, assessment systems, provider performance, registry records, and related compliance activities under the authority of the Arab Trainers Union.

Academic integrity and responsible artificial intelligence use are essential to ensuring that assessment evidence is authentic, professional competence is fairly demonstrated, and ATU-issued certificates and professional certifications remain credible and trusted.

All certificates, professional certifications, accreditation certificates, assessed certificates, registry confirmations, and verification records governed by ATU-CPAC are issued in the name and under the authority of the Arab Trainers Union.

3. Purpose

This policy sets out how ATU-CPAC shall promote academic integrity and regulate the responsible use of artificial intelligence, including generative AI tools, in learning, assessment, certification, quality assurance, registry, and provider activities.

The policy aims to:

1. Protect the credibility of ATU-issued credentials.
2. Ensure candidates submit authentic and verifiable work.
3. Define acceptable, restricted, and prohibited AI use.
4. Prevent cheating, plagiarism, impersonation, falsified evidence, and unauthorized AI-generated submissions.
5. Support transparent AI declaration and responsible use.
6. Protect assessment validity, reliability, fairness, and security.
7. Guide providers, trainers, assessors, IQAs, EQAs, and candidates on AI-related responsibilities.
8. Ensure AI tools support learning without replacing required professional competence.
9. Protect confidential data, assessment materials, and intellectual property.
10. Support fair investigation, appeal, and corrective action procedures.

4. Scope

This policy applies to academic integrity and AI use related to:

1. Professional certification.
2. Assessed training programs.
3. Certificates of achievement.
4. Accredited training programs.
5. Accredited professional programs.
6. Provider accreditation evidence.
7. Assignments, projects, portfolios, examinations, case studies, presentations, interviews, and workplace evidence.
8. Recognition of Prior Learning and experience-based evidence.
9. Assessment design and question development.
10. Trainer, assessor, IQA, and EQA activities.
11. Online, blended, remote, face-to-face, and workplace-based assessment.
12. Registry and verification records.
13. Partner-endorsed or jointly supported activities where applicable.

This policy applies to all AI tools used to generate, edit, summarize, translate, analyze, evaluate, mark, or support educational, assessment, certification, or quality assurance work.

5. Policy Principles

ATU-CPAC academic integrity and AI use shall be guided by the following principles.

5.1 Authenticity

Candidates must submit work that genuinely reflects their own knowledge, skills, judgment, experience, and professional competence.

5.2 Transparency

AI use must be declared where required and must not be hidden, misrepresented, or used to deceive assessors.

5.3 Human Responsibility

The candidate, trainer, assessor, IQA, EQA, provider, or committee member remains responsible for any work, evidence, decision, or content submitted or approved, even where AI tools are used.

5.4 Assessment Integrity

AI use must not compromise the validity, reliability, fairness, or security of assessment.

5.5 Fairness

AI rules must be communicated clearly and applied consistently across candidates, providers, assessment centers, and delivery modes.

5.6 Data Protection

Personal data, candidate evidence, assessment materials, question banks, model answers, and confidential records must not be entered into AI systems unless authorized and secure.

5.7 Proportionality

AI-related controls shall be proportionate to assessment risk, certification level, program purpose, candidate role, and professional competence requirements.

5.8 AI Literacy

ATU-CPAC shall promote responsible AI awareness among providers, trainers, assessors, IQAs, EQAs, and candidates where AI use is relevant to learning or assessment.

6. Academic Integrity Requirements

Candidates, learners, providers, trainers, assessors, and quality assurers must maintain academic integrity in all ATU-CPAC-governed activities.

Academic integrity requires:

1. Honest representation of knowledge, skills, experience, and evidence.
2. Submission of original and authentic work.
3. Proper acknowledgement of sources.
4. Proper declaration of AI use where required.
5. Accurate presentation of qualifications, experience, and professional claims.
6. Compliance with assessment instructions.
7. Respect for intellectual property and confidentiality.
8. Avoidance of cheating, plagiarism, collusion, impersonation, falsification, and unauthorized assistance.
9. Cooperation with verification, investigation, IQA, EQA, and appeals processes.

7. Categories of AI Use

ATU-CPAC recognizes three categories of AI use.

7.1 Permitted AI Use

AI use may be permitted where it supports learning or preparation without replacing candidate competence.

Examples may include:

1. Brainstorming ideas.
2. Explaining concepts.
3. Checking grammar or clarity.
4. Organizing study notes.
5. Practicing questions.
6. Translating general learning notes where allowed.
7. Creating a study plan.
8. Improving formatting or readability.
9. Supporting reflection, provided the final reflection remains the candidate’s own.

7.2 Restricted AI Use

AI use may be restricted and allowed only where declared and approved.

Examples may include:

1. Drafting parts of an assignment.
2. Summarizing research sources.
3. Generating examples or scenarios.
4. Editing professional reports.
5. Analyzing data.
6. Creating images, diagrams, tables, or visual materials.
7. Supporting portfolio organization.
8. Assisting with translation of assessed work.
9. Supporting coding, calculations, or technical outputs.

Restricted AI use must be declared and must not replace required competence.

7.3 Prohibited AI Use

AI use is prohibited where it undermines assessment integrity.

Examples may include:

1. Submitting AI-generated work as fully the candidate’s own.
2. Using AI during a closed-book or supervised examination unless expressly permitted.
3. Using AI to answer live assessment questions where prohibited.
4. Using AI to fabricate evidence, references, experience, or workplace records.
5. Using AI to impersonate a candidate.
6. Using AI to alter assessment results, feedback, certificates, QR codes, or registry records.
7. Uploading confidential assessment materials or question banks into unauthorized AI systems.
8. Using AI to bypass plagiarism, authorship, proctoring, or integrity controls.
9. Using AI tools where the assessment instructions expressly prohibit AI assistance.

8. Assessment-Specific AI Rules

Each ATU-CPAC assessment shall state whether AI use is:

1. Not permitted.
2. Permitted for preparation only.
3. Permitted with declaration.
4. Permitted for specified tasks only.
5. Required as part of the assessment.
6. Restricted to approved tools.
7. Prohibited during supervised assessment.

Assessment instructions should clearly state:

1. What AI use is allowed.
2. What AI use is not allowed.
3. Whether AI use must be declared.
4. How AI use must be documented.
5. Whether AI-generated content must be referenced.
6. Whether prompts, outputs, or logs must be submitted.
7. Consequences of undeclared or prohibited AI use.

9. AI Use Declaration

Where AI use is permitted or restricted, candidates may be required to submit an AI Use Declaration.

The declaration may include:

1. Name of AI tool used.
2. Purpose of use.
3. Parts of work supported by AI.
4. Candidate’s confirmation that the final submission is their own work.
5. Confirmation that facts, references, and outputs were checked.
6. Confirmation that confidential information was not uploaded without authorization.
7. Confirmation that AI was not used in a prohibited way.
8. Signature or electronic confirmation.

Failure to declare AI use where required may be treated as academic misconduct.

10. Human Authorship and Professional Judgment

Candidates remain responsible for the final submitted work.

Candidates must:

1. Review and verify AI-assisted content.
2. Check accuracy of facts, references, and claims.
3. Remove incorrect or fabricated content.
4. Ensure the work meets assessment criteria.
5. Ensure the work reflects their own understanding and competence.
6. Be able to explain and defend the submitted work.
7. Provide supporting evidence where requested.

A candidate who cannot explain or justify submitted work may be required to attend an interview, submit additional evidence, complete reassessment, or undergo investigation.

11. Citation and Acknowledgement of AI Use

Where required, AI-assisted content must be acknowledged.

Acknowledgement may include:

1. A short statement describing the AI tool used.
2. The purpose of AI use.
3. The section or task supported by AI.
4. Confirmation that the candidate reviewed and verified the output.
5. Prompt and output record where required by the assessment.

ATU-CPAC may issue specific citation or declaration formats for programs or certification schemes.

12. AI Use in Examinations

AI use in examinations is prohibited unless the examination instructions expressly permit it.

For supervised or closed-book examinations, candidates must not:

1. Use AI chatbots.
2. Use AI-enabled search or writing tools.
3. Use AI translation tools unless permitted.
4. Use AI summarization tools.
5. Use unauthorized devices.
6. Share exam questions with AI tools.
7. Record, copy, photograph, or upload exam materials.
8. Receive AI-generated answers during the examination.

Breaches may result in result cancellation, certificate hold, suspension, or other action under the Malpractice and Maladministration Policy.

13. AI Use in Assignments, Projects, and Portfolios

AI may be used in assignments, projects, and portfolios only where allowed by the assessment instructions.

Where AI use is allowed, candidates must ensure that:

1. The work remains their own.
2. The AI role is declared.
3. Evidence is authentic.
4. Sources are checked.
5. Professional judgment is demonstrated.
6. Workplace evidence is real and verifiable.
7. Reflections are personal and genuine.
8. AI-generated examples are not presented as real experience.
9. Confidential provider, client, learner, or organizational data is protected.
10. The candidate can explain the work during interview or verification.

14. AI Use in Recognition of Prior Learning

AI may not be used to fabricate, exaggerate, or replace evidence in Recognition of Prior Learning, referred to as RPL.

RPL evidence must be authentic and verifiable.

Prohibited RPL AI use includes:

1. Creating false experience records.
2. Generating fake employer letters.
3. Generating fake portfolios.
4. Creating false project evidence.
5. Altering certificates or transcripts.
6. Producing fabricated professional reflections.
7. Misrepresenting AI-generated documents as workplace evidence.

ATU-CPAC may require interviews, employer verification, portfolio review, or additional evidence where authenticity is uncertain.

15. AI Use by Trainers

Trainers may use AI to support learning design and delivery where authorized.

Trainer AI use may include:

1. Lesson planning.
2. Generating learning examples.
3. Developing practice activities.
4. Improving clarity of materials.
5. Translating or adapting learning support resources.
6. Supporting accessibility of learning content.

Trainers must not:

1. Use AI to create misleading or inaccurate content.
2. Upload restricted assessment materials into unauthorized AI tools.
3. Replace approved program content without authorization.
4. Use AI-generated content without professional review.
5. Misrepresent AI-generated materials as ATU-CPAC-approved where not approved.
6. Breach copyright, confidentiality, or data protection rules.

16. AI Use by Assessors, IQAs, and EQAs

Assessors, internal quality assurers, and external quality assurers may use AI only where authorized and where assessment integrity is protected.

AI must not be used to replace professional judgment.

Assessors, IQAs, and EQAs must not:

1. Use AI as the sole basis for assessment decisions.
2. Upload confidential candidate evidence into unauthorized AI systems.
3. Use AI to mark assessments without approved controls.
4. Use AI to make final pass or fail decisions.
5. Use AI to generate unsupported feedback.
6. Rely solely on AI detection tools to determine misconduct.
7. Breach data protection or confidentiality.

Human review remains required for assessment, IQA, EQA, appeal, and certification decisions.

17. AI Use in Assessment Development

ATU-CPAC, providers, and approved experts may use AI to support assessment development only under controlled conditions.

AI may support:

1. Drafting practice questions.
2. Generating scenario ideas.
3. Improving question clarity.
4. Creating sample cases.
5. Mapping learning outcomes.
6. Reviewing readability.
7. Supporting translation.

AI must not be used to finalize assessment instruments without human expert validation.

Assessment materials developed with AI must be reviewed for:

1. Accuracy.
2. Level.
3. bias.
4. Clarity.
5. Validity.
6. Reliability.
7. Cultural appropriateness.
8. Alignment with standards.
9. Security.
10. Originality and intellectual property compliance.

18. AI Detection and Evidence

AI detection tools may support academic integrity review but must not be used as the only evidence of misconduct.

Where AI misuse is suspected, ATU-CPAC or the provider should consider:

1. Assessment instructions.
2. AI declaration.
3. Candidate writing history.
4. Draft records.
5. Oral interview.
6. Viva or professional discussion.
7. Submission metadata where available.
8. Similarity report.
9. Assessor judgment.
10. Candidate explanation.
11. Consistency with prior evidence.
12. Other reliable evidence.

A candidate must not be penalized solely because an AI detection tool indicates possible AI use.

19. Confidentiality and Data Protection in AI Use

Confidential or personal data must not be entered into AI tools unless authorized and protected.

Restricted information includes:

1. Candidate personal data.
2. Identity documents.
3. Assessment submissions.
4. Examination papers.
5. Question banks.
6. Marking schemes.
7. Model answers.
8. IQA and EQA reports.
9. Complaints and appeals.
10. Investigation records.
11. Provider confidential records.
12. Partner-restricted materials.
13. Registry data not approved for public disclosure.

Unauthorized disclosure of confidential information through AI tools may be treated as a data protection breach and malpractice.

20. AI Literacy and Training

ATU-CPAC may require AI literacy training for persons involved in AI-supported learning, assessment, certification, quality assurance, or registry activities.

AI literacy may include:

1. Understanding generative AI capabilities and limitations.
2. Recognizing hallucination and inaccurate outputs.
3. Ethical AI use.
4. Academic integrity requirements.
5. AI declaration requirements.
6. Data protection and confidentiality risks.
7. Bias and fairness risks.
8. Appropriate use of AI in assessment design.
9. Limitations of AI detection tools.
10. Human responsibility and professional judgment.

Approved providers should provide candidates and staff with clear AI-use guidance before assessment.

21. Prohibited Misconduct Involving AI

Misconduct involving AI may include:

1. Undeclared AI use where declaration is required.
2. Prohibited AI use in assessment.
3. Submitting AI-generated work as original work.
4. Using AI to fabricate evidence.
5. Using AI to impersonate a candidate.
6. Using AI to rewrite plagiarized content to avoid detection.
7. Uploading confidential materials to unauthorized AI tools.
8. Using AI to alter certificate or registry data.
9. Using AI to create false references, citations, reports, or credentials.
10. Using AI to mislead assessors, providers, ATU-CPAC, employers, or the public.

Confirmed misconduct may be handled under the Malpractice and Maladministration Policy, Ethics and Professional Conduct Policy, and Suspension, Withdrawal, and Revocation Policy.

22. Investigation of AI-Related Concerns

Where AI misuse is suspected, the investigation process may include:

1. Initial risk review.
2. Evidence preservation.
3. Review of assessment instructions.
4. Review of AI declaration.
5. Review of candidate work.
6. Similarity or AI detection report where used.
7. Candidate interview or professional discussion.
8. Review of drafts, notes, or process evidence.
9. Assessor and IQA review.
10. Provider report.
11. Decision by competent authority.
12. Outcome communication.
13. Corrective action or sanction where required.
14. Appeal rights.

Investigations must be fair, evidence-based, confidential, and proportionate.

23. Possible Actions and Sanctions

Where academic misconduct or AI misuse is confirmed, ATU-CPAC may apply one or more actions.

Possible actions include:

1. Advice or warning.
2. Request for clarification.
3. Requirement to submit AI declaration.
4. Requirement to provide additional evidence.
5. Professional discussion or viva.
6. Resubmission.
7. Reassessment.
8. Result cancellation.
9. Certificate hold.
10. Certificate withdrawal.
11. Certificate revocation.
12. Provider corrective action.
13. Assessor, trainer, IQA, or EQA retraining.
14. Suspension of candidate, provider, trainer, assessor, or certification status.
15. Registry status update.
16. Referral to ATU leadership or partner body where required.

Sanctions shall be proportionate to the seriousness, intent, recurrence, impact, and risk.

24. Provider Responsibilities

Approved providers and authorized assessment centers shall:

1. Publish clear academic integrity and AI-use rules.
2. Inform candidates before assessment.
3. Define AI use in each assessment.
4. Collect AI declarations where required.
5. Protect confidential data.
6. Prevent unauthorized AI use in examinations.
7. Maintain assessment security.
8. Train trainers, assessors, and IQAs on AI-related risks.
9. Investigate concerns fairly.
10. Report serious AI misuse to ATU-CPAC.
11. Maintain records of AI-related decisions.
12. Cooperate with IQA, EQA, audit, complaints, and appeals.

25. Candidate Responsibilities

Candidates and learners shall:

1. Follow assessment instructions.
2. Use AI only where permitted.
3. Declare AI use where required.
4. Submit authentic work.
5. Verify AI-generated information before using it.
6. Avoid false references, fabricated evidence, or misleading claims.
7. Protect confidential assessment materials.
8. Avoid uploading restricted data into AI tools.
9. Keep evidence of their own work process where required.
10. Cooperate with authenticity checks, interviews, or investigations.
11. Use complaints and appeals procedures appropriately.

26. Trainer Responsibilities

Trainers shall:

1. Explain AI-use rules to learners.
2. Encourage ethical and responsible AI use.
3. Avoid unauthorized changes to approved assessment requirements.
4. Avoid giving candidates unfair AI-generated assessment answers.
5. Protect assessment security.
6. Use AI-generated teaching content only after professional review.
7. Report suspected misconduct.
8. Cooperate with IQA and EQA.

27. Assessor, IQA, and EQA Responsibilities

Assessors, IQAs, and EQAs shall:

1. Apply assessment criteria consistently.
2. Review evidence fairly.
3. Consider AI declarations.
4. Avoid relying solely on AI detection tools.
5. Use professional judgment.
6. Protect confidential records.
7. Report suspected AI misuse.
8. Record decisions clearly.
9. Participate in standardization on AI-related assessment issues.
10. Cooperate with investigations and appeals.

28. ATU-CPAC Responsibilities

ATU-CPAC shall:

1. Maintain this policy and related procedures.
2. Provide guidance on academic integrity and AI use.
3. Review high-risk AI-use concerns.
4. Monitor provider implementation.
5. Support assessment and certification integrity.
6. Require corrective action where AI controls are weak.
7. Review AI-related complaints and appeals.
8. Monitor trends in AI misuse.
9. Protect registry and certificate integrity.
10. Update policy as technology and standards evolve.

29. Partner Requirements

Where a program or certification is partner-endorsed or jointly supported, AI use shall also comply with approved partner rules.

Partner requirements may include:

1. AI prohibition in certain assessments.
2. Mandatory AI declaration.
3. Specific evidence requirements.
4. Approved AI tools only.
5. Assessment security rules.
6. Reporting obligations.
7. Partner review or audit rights.
8. Specific sanctions for AI misuse.

No provider may approve AI use that conflicts with partner requirements unless formally authorized.

30. Complaints and Appeals

Candidates, providers, trainers, assessors, or certified professionals may submit complaints or appeals related to academic integrity or AI-use decisions according to the ATU-CPAC Complaints and Appeals Policy.

Appeals may relate to:

1. AI misuse finding.
2. Academic misconduct decision.
3. Rejection of AI declaration.
4. Result cancellation.
5. Reassessment requirement.
6. Certificate hold.
7. Suspension, withdrawal, or revocation.
8. Registry status update.

Appeals should be submitted within 15 days from notification of the decision unless another approved procedure applies.

31. Records Management

ATU-CPAC and providers shall maintain secure records of academic integrity and AI-use matters.

Records may include:

1. Assessment instructions.
2. AI-use declarations.
3. Candidate submissions.
4. Similarity reports.
5. AI detection reports where used.
6. Assessor notes.
7. IQA and EQA records.
8. Candidate interview records.
9. Investigation reports.
10. Decision records.
11. Sanction records.
12. Appeal records.
13. Corrective action records.
14. Registry updates.

Records shall be retained according to ATU policy, ATU-CPAC requirements, applicable laws, and partner requirements where applicable.

32. Continuous Improvement

ATU-CPAC shall use academic integrity and AI-use findings to improve:

1. Assessment instructions.
2. Candidate guidance.
3. AI declaration forms.
4. Trainer guidance.
5. Assessor standardization.
6. IQA and EQA sampling.
7. Provider monitoring.
8. Examination security.
9. Data protection controls.
10. Malpractice procedures.
11. Certification scheme design.
12. Public communication about AI use.

Trends shall be reviewed by the Certification and Assessment Committee and Quality Assurance and Compliance Committee where required.

33. Review of Policy

This policy shall be reviewed every three years or earlier where required due to:

1. ATU Board decision.
2. Legal or regulatory change.
3. AI technology changes.
4. ATU-CPAC standards update.
5. Assessment policy update.
6. Academic integrity trends.
7. AI misuse trends.
8. Data protection incidents.
9. Provider monitoring findings.
10. Partner requirements.
11. Stakeholder feedback.
12. Operational need.

34. Definitions

Term	Meaning
Arab Trainers Union	The issuing authority for ATU certificates, professional certifications, accreditation certificates, and related credentials.
ATU-CPAC	Arab Trainers Union Council for Professional Accreditation and Certification, a specialized council within ATU responsible for regulation, quality assurance, monitoring, registry, and verification.
Academic Integrity	Honest, ethical, and responsible conduct in learning, assessment, evidence submission, and professional certification.
Artificial Intelligence	Technology capable of performing tasks that normally require human-like reasoning, language processing, prediction, classification, generation, or decision support.
Generative AI	AI tools that generate text, images, code, audio, video, summaries, translations, analysis, or other content.
AI Use Declaration	A formal statement explaining whether and how AI tools were used in preparing assessed work.
Candidate	A person undertaking assessment for a certificate, professional certification, or assessed program.
Plagiarism	Presenting another person’s work, ideas, or content as one’s own without proper acknowledgement.
Collusion	Unauthorized cooperation with another person or tool to gain unfair assessment advantage.
Impersonation	A person or tool acting as the candidate in an assessment or evidence submission.
AI Misuse	Use of AI in a prohibited, undeclared, misleading, unauthorized, or dishonest way.
AI Detection Tool	A tool used to estimate whether content may have been generated or assisted by AI.
Assessment Integrity	Protection of assessment validity, reliability, fairness, authenticity, and security.
Malpractice	Improper conduct that threatens accreditation, certification, assessment, registry, or certificate integrity.
Registry	The official record used to verify provider, program, certificate, certification, or professional status.

Final Policy Statement

ATU-CPAC Academic Integrity and Artificial Intelligence Use Policy exists to protect authentic learning, fair assessment, responsible AI use, and the credibility of credentials issued under the authority of the Arab Trainers Union.

 

Through clear AI-use rules, declaration requirements, assessment security, human professional judgment, data protection, fair investigation, proportionate sanctions, and continuous improvement, ATU-CPAC ensures that artificial intelligence supports learning and professional development without compromising assessment integrity or certificate trust.