Cheating on the Rise

Following the Quality Reform in the university sector, the number of suspected incidents of plagiarism have at least tripled. If the University of Oslo submits all the 14 cases it is currently considering to the Complaints Board, the rise will have been sixfold. Swedish and Danish universities have made similar experiences. Subdirector at the Section for Teaching at the University of Bergen, Edmund Utne, points out that the new assessment forms that were introduced with the Quality Reform facilitate the misuse of source.

Prior to 2003, the most recent case of plagiarism at the University of Bergen occurred in 1999. However, a total of nine such cases have been dealt with since the Quality Reform, of which seven resulted in sanctions. A number of universities are now preparing to employ Internet-based search engines in order to uncover plagiarism.

Underground Delays

The new switches which were installed in connection with the extension of the Sognsvann underground line to Storo have been playing up in the winter cold, causing delays of up to 30 minutes. When the switches clamp together they prevent the underground trains from communicating with the underground central at Tøyen, making it unsafe to send the trains up the Sognsvann line. Although the problem was anticipated, and heating elements were installed, these do not appear to work adequately.