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Corruption in Higher Education

“Corruption in Higher Education: Global Challenges and Responses” by the U4 Anti-Corruption Resource Centre. The report was published in 2020 and is based on a study of corruption in higher education in 15 countries.

The report found that corruption in higher education is a global problem that can take many forms, including:

  • Bribery: Paying money to gain admission to a university, receive a grade, or get a job.
  • Nepotism: Hiring or promoting family members or friends, regardless of their qualifications.
  • Favoritism: Giving preferential treatment to certain students or faculty members, such as awarding them research grants or giving them lighter teaching loads.
  • Misappropriation of funds: Using university funds for personal expenses, such as travel or entertainment.
  • Academic dishonesty: Cheating on exams, plagiarizing research, or fabricating data.

The report found that corruption in higher education can have a number of negative consequences, including:

  • Undermining the quality of education: When grades and research grants are awarded based on personal relationships rather than merit, the quality of education suffers.
  • Damage to the reputation of the university: When corruption is widespread, it can damage the reputation of the university and make it less attractive to students and faculty.
  • Loss of public trust: When the public loses trust in higher education, it can make it more difficult for universities to get funding and support from the government and the private sector.

The report makes a number of recommendations for addressing corruption in higher education, including:

  • Strengthening anti-corruption laws and regulations: Governments should strengthen anti-corruption laws and regulations to make it more difficult for people to engage in corrupt practices.
  • Improving transparency and accountability: Universities should improve transparency and accountability by making more information about their finances and operations available to the public.
  • Creating a culture of integrity: Universities should create a culture of integrity by promoting ethical behavior among students, faculty, and staff.

The report concludes that corruption in higher education is a serious problem that can have a number of negative consequences. However, it also notes that there are a number of things that can be done to address this problem.

If you have knowledge or proof of corruption at your University,
please contact us.

https://etico.iiep.unesco.org/en/corruption-higher-education-global-challenges-and-responses

Corruption in higher education: global challenges and responses

Author(s) : Denisova-Schmidt, Elena

Imprint : Brill, Sense, 2020

Collation : xiv-183 p.

Series : Global perspectives on higher education, 46

Full text (pay per view)

The lack of academic integrity combined with the prevalence of fraud and other forms of unethical behavior are problems that higher education faces in both developing and developed countries, at mass and elite universities, and at public and private institutions.

While academic misconduct is not new, massification, internationalization, privatization, digitalization, and commercialization have placed ethical challenges higher on the agenda for many universities. Corruption in academia is particularly unfortunate, not only because the high social regard that universities have traditionally enjoyed, but also because students—young people in critical formative years—spend a significant amount of time in universities. How they experience corruption while enrolled might influence their later personal and professional behavior, the future of their country, and much more.

Further, the corruption of the research enterprise is especially serious for the future of science. The contributors to Corruption in Higher Education: Global Challenges and Responses bring a range of perspectives to this critical topic.

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