All bachelor’s and master’s theses prepared in universities in Moldova will be mandatorily checked with the help of a national anti-plagiarism system, before defense. The measure is announced by the Ministry of Education and Research, which is preparing to implement the procedure with the aim of strengthening academic integrity, reports IPN.
According to the MEC, the verification will be done through a digital platform that compares the works with academic sources and content available online. After submission, the works will be analyzed both in the language in which they were written and in English. Thus, even translations without source indication or borrowings from other languages can be identified.
Students will receive a similarity report before the final submission, in order to correct any potential citation or paraphrasing issues. The reports do not automatically establish plagiarism. They are analyzed by the thesis supervisor, who issues a reasoned decision. In controversial cases, the assessment is carried out by a committee composed of three teaching staff.
The technical indicators from reports, such as similarity coefficients, are merely a signal for a more careful analysis. The final decision takes into account the context, the citation style, and the real contribution of the author.
MEC also mentions that the use of artificial intelligence tools is allowed, but must be declared when it exceeds auxiliary functions. Generating content without personal input does not comply with academic standards.
Only the works that pass all verification stages will be admitted to the final defense. Educational institutions will inform students about procedures, about their rights, and how to use the data.
