Ethics

Definition

Ethics standards address integrity in education, research, assessment, learner protection, and professional conduct.

Purpose

To ensure accredited organizations uphold ethical practice that protects learners, patients, and public trust.

Criteria

• Codes of conduct for learners, faculty, and staff are published and enforced.
• Academic integrity and anti-fraud controls are active.
• Learner complaints and appeals are handled fairly and confidentially.
• Ethical considerations in clinical education and research are managed.
• Conflicts of interest in education and assessment are disclosed and managed.

Evidence Required

• Codes of ethics and conduct
• Academic integrity policy and case logs
• Complaints and appeals procedures
• Ethics committee or oversight records
• Conflict-of-interest disclosure process

Scoring

Ethics is scored on policy clarity, enforcement evidence, fairness of processes, and protection of learners and the public.

Best Practices

• Train faculty and learners annually on integrity expectations.
• Separate investigative and decision roles in misconduct cases.
• Publish anonymized integrity outcome summaries for transparency.
• Integrate ethics into curriculum and clinical supervision.

Resources