The relationship between contract cheating and faculty member turnover intention in the United Arab Emirates

This study investigates contract cheating (CC) in higher education institutions in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in relation to staff turnover intentions. Grounded in the theories of reasoned action and social responsibility, it aims to investigate the relationship between students’ contract cheating—outsourcing assignments to other parties in exchange for money—and its effects on faculty members’ inclinations to quit their jobs. A survey was distributed in six public and private universities in the UAE and completed by 259 participants. A structural equation model was used to examine the relationships between faculty members’ turnover intentions and their recognition of CC, their perceptions of its long-term effects, and the current CC-related policies of their institutions. The results showed that recognition and long-term effects were positively related to CC, while institutional policy was negatively related. These components of CC are, in turn, positively related to faculty turnover intention. The paper concluded with relevant theoretical and practical recommendations for faculty, and higher education administrations and institutions.