FACULTY OF
COMPUTERS AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

Definition of Conflict of Interests:

Conflict of interests can be defined as the status or situation in which the objectivity and independence of a decision taken by a person occupying a public position is affected by a personal moral or material interests that happen to be important and serious for such person or any of his/ her relatives, or intimate friends. The conflict of interests' concept may also be ascertained in case the occupational performance of such person is affected by several direct or indirect considerations or through his/her  knowledge of the details that are related to such a decision.

Besides, the liability for assuring the non-existence of any conflict of interests regarding any decision or procedure should be borne by that employee alone, as others will always exploit their kinship, or friendship, or relationship with the aforementioned employee in order to achieve their personal interests. 

• The employee should adhere to the institutional work through:

1. Compliance with justice, integrity, and responsibility values.
2. Disclosure to his / her immediate supervisor or manager of any condition or situation through which the mentioned employee may expose to any conflict of interests' situation.
3. Strictness with relatives, friends, and acquaintances, and confirmation that he/she does not accept any bias or favoritism. 
4. The employee or any of his/her family members or friends or acquaintances should not illicitly gain any moral or material benefit from the position this employee is currently occupying or in the future after quitting this post .
5. The employee, or any of his/her family members or friends or acquaintances should not make any future benefit as a result of any decision that such employee took when occupying such post.   
6. The employee should not perform his/her works in a way that may result in defamation to him /her, or to the institution such employee is working for.
7. The employee should request the immediate supervisor or manager to assign another colleague so as to implement the required work in case the mentioned employee was burdened by a massive social pressure to the extent that he/she cannot handle. 

Should we apply the conflict of interests' concept on the Faculty as an academic institution, this concept will be applicable in each situation through which any of the Faculty staff, academic and administrative leaders, or employees, or any other relevant persons may face such as personal benefit or interest that contradicts with the impartiality required by the position occupied by the employee. It can also be ascertained in any situation that constitutes an exploitation of the employee's position so as to achieve any personal gains or any situation that may raise suspects as a result of such conflict.

Individuals targeted by this mechanism:-

1. Academic and administrative leaders of the Faculty.
2. Members of the teaching staff and their assistants.
3. Administrative officials and employees of the Faculty.
4. ndividuals and Civil Society Organizations assigned by the Faculty to perform certain assignments or services.

Criteria of Conflict of Interests Confrontation

1. Personal integrity and professionalism of the employees and prevention of the occurrence of any incidents that may affect any current gains.
2. Impartiality and non-bias in decision making process or the implementation of the tasks assigned to the employee.
3. Openness and transparency in decision making process or when accepting any gifts or donations from any external bodies .
4. Justice and equality as leaders deal with their subordinates.
5. Encouragement of fair competition between students or subordinates.
6. Avoidance of any exploitation by the academic or administrative leaders of their positions in order to make any gains whether in case such leader is currently occupying such posts or has quitted. 

Rules and Mechanisms adopted for assuring the non- existence of conflict of interests between the various parties of the Faculty:

Firstly: Academic and Administrative leaders.

For ensuring the non-conflict of interests between the different parties of the Faculty, the following instructions should be taken into consideration:

1. The competent official should –upon occupying the post – take the necessary legal procedures for encountering any conflict of interests between the various parties of the Faculty and the other external beneficiaries.
2. Leaders of the Faculty are committed to deal with the Faculty Staff and their assistants, students, and employees with great impartiality, and integrity giving the interest of the Faculty the utmost priority over the personal interests.
3. The Administration of the Faculty should not permit the teaching staff, or their assistants, or the employees to perform any tasks or work outside the Faculty. These tasks may include: delivering lectures, participation in training courses, and providing any consultations in case of conflict with the interests of the Faculty.
4. Promotion of the employee to a higher rank pursuant to the years of experience and the training courses attended by the employee for avoidance of the existence of any hatred between the employees.
5. Refrainment from participating in any financial transactions and dealings outside the Faculty with any parties having personal or familial relationships with the teaching staff, their assistants, or the employees of the Faculty. 
6. Encouraging the development of justice, equity, equality of opportunities in addition to the refrainment from dealing with any bias or favoritism. 
7. Administrative leaders should urge fair competition between employees resulting in specifying suitable incentives for hardworking parties.
8. The leadership of the Faculty should make sure that there is the no conflict of interests between individuals and civil society organizations members when accepting any gifts or donations announce their acceptance, and presenting them all so as to obtain the necessary consent of the official councils.
9. Each and every sale, or purchase, disposition, or utilization processes of any of the faculties should be made according to the fair rates received by the others.

Secondly: Teaching Staff and their assistants: 

1. 1) None of the teaching staff of their assistants should participate in any exams related tasks or in the grading or monitoring or controlling related tasks in case it is verified that any of their fourth degree relatives are performing the exams.
2. 2) Keeping the names of students confidential when grading the answer sheets unless otherwise permitted as per the system of the Faculty. 
3. 3) The teaching staff and their assistants should not assume any teaching responsibility in case their fourth degree relatives are students.
4. 4) The teaching staff and their assistants should not supervise or discuss any dissertations of their relatives or in case they have personal relationships with the researchers who prepared these dissertations. 
5. 5) None of the members of the Faculty Staff is permitted to work as a delegate or a part-timer for other external entities whether for delivering lectures, conducting any training courses if such a delegation will cause any conflict of interests between these external entities and the Faculty.
6. 6) None of the members of the Faculty Staff is permitted to accept any personal gifts or donations from any individuals who happen to have a relationship with their work in the Faculty. 
7. 7) Teaching staff and their assistants should urge fair and creative competition between students in addition to the enhancement of equality and justice rules and values.
8. 8) In case of publication of any scientific researches, it is not permitted to add or include names of any persons unless such a person has  made an effective contribution in this research and after obtaining the consent of the relevant authorities and the relevant scientific departments.`

Thirdly: Administrative Bodies and Employees: 

1. The employee should not accept any gifts, or benefits, or compensations from the parties which he/she provides services for. 
2. The employee should refrain from practicing any activities that may cause any conflict of interests between his/her personal interests on one part and his/her duties and obligations on the other. 
3. The employee should not practice any activities that happen to be inappropriate with his/her objective performance of the duties and obligations or that may lead to any preferential treatment for any normal or legal personalities in their dealings with governmental entities or may cause any abuse or defamation to the reputation of the Faculty.  
4. The employee should inform his/her immediate supervisor in writing in case of verifying any conflict of interests ' incidents or in the event of being exposed to any pressure that contradicts with his tasks or that may raise any suspects concerning the objectivity of such employee . At the same time determine the nature of this conflict and the mentioned immediate supervisor is to take the necessary procedures. In all cases, the entire public interests should be taken into considerations 
5. The employee is committed not to exploit his/her position – whether directly or in directly – to make any financial gains or any personal benefits for him/her or for the family members.
6. The employee should not exploit or utilize any of the data or information he/she obtained when performing his/her official duties and upon quitting his/her position in the Faculty in  a way that may lead him/her to make any personal gains for himself or others –whether directly or in directly – or may abuse others. Such employee does not reserve the right to dis close the aforementioned data and information for granting any unfair privileges to any other parties. 
7. The employee should avoid any relationships with any individuals or institutions whose interests depend basically on the decisions of this employee or those of the Faculty.
8. Employees are not permitted to participate in any exams' related tasks. 

Fourthly: Individuals and Civil Society Organizations: 

1. It is not permitted to collaborate with any suspicious individuals or organizations.
2. Any dealings with any organizations or persons who happen to engage in any dishonest related issues should be suspended.
3. The consent of the Faculty Council should be obtained regarding any type of collaboration with any individuals, or companies, or civil society organizations.
4. Accepting any gifts or denotations should be made public upon obtaining the  approval of the Faculty Council.

Obligations of the persons targeted by this mechanism: 

In case any of the persons refrained from complying with any of the mechanisms and criteria of the Faculty, the administration of the Faculty –represented in the Council or Dean – shall refer the non-complying person to the relevant legal bodies.