Kingston University had the third highest number of students caught cheating in the UK, according to new research.

The 799 incidents of academic misconduct uncovered in 2009-10 included 67 during exams and 732 in coursework.

According to the research, 37 people were caught taking unauthorised materials, including notes, into exam halls, while 14 had mobile phones ring during their examinations.

The university was only ranked behind Greenwich which had 838 incidents and Sheffield Hallam with 801.

Chris Dingle, vice president of the students’ union, said: "Plagiarism awareness is drummed into students at Kingston from their first year onwards and the university is very strict in the application of its policies and procedures.

“Strict liability is applied at Kingston, and ‘I didn’t know’ or ‘I got it wrong’ is not a defence.

"We will continue to support the work of the university in combating academic misconduct.”

The research also showed the majority of the students, 524, were caught using plagiarised material in their work, with poor referencing found in 150 cases and 70 instances of collusion.

One person falsified mitigating circumstances paperwork.

Under the university’s academic regulations, penalties include a zero mark for the module, final qualifications being reduced by one level and expulsion.

A university spokesman said: "Kingston University has a rigorous, zero-tolerance policy on cheating, whatever forms it takes.

"We are determined the actions of the few will not undermine the genuine hard work and dedication of the majority of Kingston University students.

"Our academic misconduct policy is strictly enforced, and we have comprehensive guidelines on what constitutes cheating, which includes poor referencing, mobile phones ringing in exams (regardless of whether they are answered) and resubmitting sections of work which have already been handed in.

"The number of students caught cheating during 2009-10, however, still represents only a very small percentage of the university’s 25,000 students – 3.2 per cent."

Nationally, the number of students caught cheating rose 50 per cent in four years, with three cases of impersonation in Derby.

Keele students had concealed notes in toilets and on tissues, while numerous universities found essays which had been bought on the internet.