AUTH Approach to Digital Responsible Students
In an era defined by rapid digital transformation, University students are expected to experience all aspects of their academic life with a strong sense of digital responsibility. This includes ethical behavior online, academic integrity, data protection awareness, and responsible use of digital tools.
At Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH), these responsibilities are actively promoted through clear policies and related support. Students engage daily with e-learning platforms, plagiarism detection tools, e-communication tools and virtual classrooms. The responsible use of these tools is not just encouraged but required.
AUTH has already adopted comprehensive guidelines that are aligned with the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), aiming to ensure that the University students understand how their data is collected and protected. The University’s Digital Governance Unit offers technical support and awareness about cybersecurity. Moreover, students are educated regarding the importance of academic ethics, which is particularly relevant with the rise of AI tools. AUTH policies discourage plagiarism and stress ethical use of digital resources, supporting students to understand and maintain their academic integrity. Postgraduate students are further educated and familiarized with their digital responsibilities, especially for students that are active at a research level.
AUTH aims to set an example in integrating these responsibilities into University life, transforming, in parallel, the students into ethically aware digital citizens, solidifying their digital skillset and responsibility. Notably, AUTH is also the coordinator of the European project DIRECT, that focuses on building digital responsibility competences through a case-based learning approach, further reinforcing its commitment to ethical digital education.
