The report, based on an investigation across Sydney University's faculties in May and June, found that "plagiarism, collusion, recycling and ghost writing" were problems plaguing take-home assignments but cheating in formal exams, especially those with multiple choice questions, was also a concern. "The problem of cheating in exams is not trivial - a study on multiple choice exams within the university revealed an average level of cheating of about 5 per cent," it said. Academics also believe a black market for fake doctors' certificates exists, allowing students to "claim illness and apply to re-sit the exam at a later date", the report warned. "Where the medical certificate has indeed been issued by a medical professional in good faith, there is little that can be done, even if the staff member suspects fraud," it says. The report warned that Sydney University, like universities around the world, was struggling with the issue of "rapidly rising substitution and impersonation" in exams, and even though biometric identification is increasingly being used, students were even finding cunning ways to beat that.

It says there is anecdotal evidence that students use miniature cameras to copy exams and then distribute them to fellow students. "New exams and tests should be written for each assessment instance. Confidential exams need to be treated as non-confidential after first use," the report says. The chair of Sydney University's academic board, associate professor Peter McCallum, said the report revealed there was a "disproportionately" high number of students from its business school who engaged in academic misconduct but that did not suggest it was problem unique to business courses. "What we suspect is that there is under detection [across the university]," associate professor McCallum said. He said the board was "relieved" to discover that international students were no more likely to cheat than local students.

"That was a comfort because it would be have been a difficult situation for us if it had been a different outcome," associate professor McCallum said. Associate professor McCallum said a second report into research students would be released next month and the university was already implementing recommendations from the initial report, including the mandatory use of plagiarism detection software across all faculties for all written assignments. He said the university was also improving its record keeping system so it had a clearer picture of the extent of academic misconduct. A new exams policy at the University of NSW says watches must be placed in a clear plastic bag and left under the student's seat before the exam starts. Loading

"Advances in watch technologies have led to new exam rules: no wrist or handheld watches on you or your exam desk. There will be clocks visible from all points of every exam room," the policy says. "Due to an increase in technologically advanced smart watches and analogue watches, students are no longer permitted to have watches on their wrist or desk."