Which Country Has the Worst Academic Cheating Problem?

TL;DR

China scores highest on the AMI Prevalence axis at 99.98, followed by Colombia (77.4), Argentina (74.6), and Greece (74.0). Canada (4.90), Australia (7.43), and the United Kingdom (11.41) score lowest.

The full ranking

The Academic Misconduct Index (AMI) scores 39 countries across six dimensions of academic misconduct. The Prevalence Score (P-Score) runs from 5 to 95 within the current country set — a score of 5 means the lowest estimated prevalence among the countries scored, not zero misconduct.

Here are the top ten highest-scoring countries on the Prevalence axis:

1. China — P-Score: 99.98
2. Colombia — P-Score: 77.4
3. Argentina — P-Score: 74.6
4. Greece — P-Score: 74.0
5. Egypt — P-Score: 64.6
6. Pakistan — P-Score: 59.1
7. Norway — P-Score: 57.2
8. Iran — P-Score: 57.0
9. Thailand — P-Score: 55.7
10. Saudi Arabia — P-Score: 54.0

Why China scores highest

China's score is driven by three factors. First, it has the highest data fabrication rate in the dataset — the Retraction Watch database shows China accounts for a disproportionate share of misconduct-linked retractions relative to its publication volume. Second, Google Trends signals for contract cheating keywords are high. Third, the domestic paper mill industry is well-documented in the peer-reviewed literature, with Fang et al. (2012) identifying systematic fabrication in Chinese research.

Why Colombia and Argentina score so high

Both countries show very high Google Trends signals for essay mill and AI submission keywords. The Retraction Watch data for Latin America also indicates elevated misconduct rates relative to publication volume. Neither country has specific legislation targeting contract cheating or mandatory institutional disclosure requirements, which keeps the Response Quality score low — placing both firmly in Q3 (Crisis zone).

The countries with the lowest scores

Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom have the lowest Prevalence scores and the highest Response Quality scores simultaneously. All three have legislated bans on essay mill services, near-universal deployment of plagiarism detection tools, and mandatory disclosure requirements. This combination of low apparent prevalence and strong response places them in Q1 (Best in class).

The Norway anomaly

Norway appears at number seven, which surprises many observers. Norway has strong academic integrity frameworks including the NESH guidelines and robust research ethics infrastructure. The elevated score is partially driven by high Google Trends volume for AI submission-related keywords among Norwegian researchers and educators discussing these topics — reflecting academic debate rather than student behaviour. The AMI methodology notes document this limitation explicitly.

What the scores mean for students and employers

A high Prevalence score indicates a country where academic credentials carry higher statistical risk of having been obtained through misconduct. Employers verifying qualifications from high-scoring countries should apply additional scrutiny. Students choosing between institutions in different countries may use the index as one factor in assessing the value of qualifications from those systems.

Methodology note

All scores represent estimates based on available data as of May 2026. The P-Score is rescaled within the current 39-country set, meaning scores will shift as coverage expands. See the full methodology for details on data sources, dimension weights, and the enforcement-detection correction.