Category Archives: Our Community

Public Transport Workshop

Come along to GeogSoc’s draft Regional Public Transport Plan workshop and discuss the way forward for public transport in Ōtautahi with teams from Environment Canterbury and the Christchurch City Council!

When: Thursday 10 October, 3pm – 5pm

Where: F1 Lecture Theatre (Forestry)

Register free here: Panel session | Public Transport in Canterbury | Humanitix

Public transport influences urban design and development, and in turn impacts health and social wellbeing. Increasing patronage of public transport is also one way to reduce emissions and mitigate the effects of climate change. Environment Canterbury has just released the draft Regional Public Transport Plan for public feedback here.

Now is the time to learn more about how public transport is delivered collaboratively in the region with local Councils, NZTA and other partners, and find out how to have your say about this 10-year plan.

What is academic integrity and what does it mean to me?

Academic integrity is one of the key foundations of being a good student at UC. 

At its core, academic integrity means producing honest, ethical work while acting fairly and respecting others in all areas of the University. It’s also a key element of UC’s Student Code of Conduct> 

UC have a great resource available to support you in approaching your work with academic integrity – you can read it here> 

The end of 2024 is fast approaching and with it, your final assessments and exams – a good understanding of academic integrity will go a long way in enabling you to take charge and avoid common mistakes, as you approach these important milestones in your student journey.  

Here’s the headlines:  

  1. Cheating
    Breaking the rules for assignments or exams is treated very seriously, so it’s important to know what you can bring with you to exams, how they run and whether you can use equipment (like calculators), which may need to be approved by UC in advance. 

We recommend familiarising yourself with the University’s exam instructions for all the do’s and don’ts, including:  

Do:
Immediately approach a supervisor with any revision notes or other unauthorised material, if you’ve accidentally taken them into the exam room with you 

Don’t: 

  • Look at other students’ work 
  • Talk or communicate in any way with other students while the exam is in progress  

Plagiarism
Plagiarism is copying materials from another source (whether it’s a quote or data) without a clear acknowledgement of where it originated.  

It’s important to properly reference your work, as your assignments are checked through Turnitin, UC’s anti-plagiarism software. Turnitin recognises and highlights where students have copied and not cited other authors’ work. 

Turnitin also recognises plagiarised work that has been used by content creating Generative-AI tools (Gen-AI) and software. 

Artificial Intelligence
Everyone’s talking about it – and for good reason!  

When used correctly Artificial Intelligence, including Gen-AI, can be a huge support to your study, but there are other tools, like ChatGPT and CoPilot that are strictly monitored at UC and depending on your course, may be prohibited. 

UC have created a helpful online resource outlining the accepted Gen-AI tools you can use for your study – you’ll find it here> 

We recommend checking this page before using any AI or Gen-AI tool, even (especially!) if it’s been recommended to you.  

If you have any questions or concerns about use of Gen-AI software, speak to your Course Coordinator in the first instance. 

UC’s AI Working Group for teaching and learning have also developed a detailed FAQ resource you may find valuable when considering how to approach Gen-AI. 

We get the most of our studies when we work together to act honestly and ethically while respecting each other and our work.  

For everything you need to know about Academic Integrity at UC, visit this page> 

Good luck with your exams! 

Our Edible Campus

Did you know that our UC campus is full of edible plants? 🌱🍑

From apricots and figs to guavas, feijoas, pears, and plums, our campus is filled with fruit trees and edible plants waiting for you to discover and enjoy. 🥭🍐 Use the foraging map to hunt down these seasonal goodies and taste what UC has to offer!  🗺️🍒

But our plantings are more than just delicious—they connect our UC community with nature, sustainability, and food security. 🍃 In 2023, we proudly signed the Edible Canterbury Charter to support food resilience in our region, committing to grow and share fresh produce, foster healthy communities, and build local food systems. 🌾🤝

But it’s not just about free food—it’s about connecting with nature, sustainability, and food security. Next time you’ve got a break between classes, see if you can hunt out some in season food!