Transparency and Integrity of Employees of Higher Education Institutions (Gold Standard) (UA0107)

At present, the activities of educational institutions are not fully transparent due to the high level of bureaucracy and formalism, the use of outdated methods of managing the relevant institutions, the spread of corrupt practices, and the lack of response to corruption risks in various areas of the life of educational institutions. The reasons for this situation are complex. They can be roughly divided into objective (insufficient funding, including low salaries in educational institutions, a limited number of places for graduates to study in specialties that are in demand on the labor market, primarily on a state-funded basis; the imperfect legal and regulatory corruption preventing and combating mechanisms, insufficient openness and transparency) and subjective (high tolerance of corruption among participants in the educational process, low awareness of the responsibility for corruption and dishonesty, lack of awareness of the inevitability of punishment, the established tradition of corrupt practices at various levels, law awareness and organization of educational process participants). The problem of corruption in higher education institutions is a challenge for both education and science, as well as for economic development and national security. Consequently, it negatively affects a wide range of citizens of Ukraine, particularly students, employees of higher education institutions, employers, and, in general, everyone who uses the services of graduates of domestic institutions of higher learning. In order to solve this problem, the National Agency on Corruption Prevention implements several projects. In particular, it develops formal and informal educational programs on anti-corruption and integrity for school children and students. However, to find a comprehensive and sustainable solution to the problem of tolerance of corruption and dishonesty in higher education, it is necessary to promote the transformation of educational institutions based on integrity and transparency. The issue of anti-corruption and integrity in higher education institutions is the subject of some different projects and studies. For example, the National Agency on Corruption Prevention has developed an online course called YOUniversity, which aims to raise students' awareness of integrity and anti-corruption and to provide students with opportunities to participate in developing a virtuous learning environment. Following the State Anti-Corruption Program for 2023-2025 approved by Resolution No. 220 of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, dated March 04, 2023 (Ofitsiinyi Visnyk Ukrainy [The Official Bulletin of Ukraine], 2023, No. 31, art. 1685), educational and methodological anti-corruption materials for first-year students are also being developed. In 2021, the Association of Legal Clinics of Ukraine and the National Agency on Corruption Prevention developed a catalog of the most typical corruption risks in higher education. In addition, experts of the OsvitAnalityka analytical center of Borys Hrinchenko Kyiv University and ACREC Anti-Corruption Research and Education Center, with the assistance of the USAID New Justice Program, conducted a study on corruption risks in higher legal education in Ukraine, identifying corruption risks in the activities of legal educational institutions and proposed further steps to mitigate them. At the same time, there are no comprehensive solutions and practical recommendations for eliminating corruption risks that can be applied and used by all higher education institutions. Taking into account the above and the results of previous studies of corruption in higher education institutions, there are plans to work out recommendations on transparency and integrity of employees of higher education institutions (Gold Standard) (hereinafter referred to as the Gold Standard recommendations) that can be implemented in higher education institutions to increase the level of transparency and integrity. These Gold Standard Recommendations will cover various areas of higher education institutions' activities, in particular, the educational process, administration of the higher education institution, partnership and interaction with external stakeholders, and student engagement. Thus, increasing the level of transparency in higher education institutions will make it possible to effectively prevent corruption in higher education and will significantly influence the perception of educational institutions by all participants in the educational process. As a result of implementing the Gold Standard recommendations, all higher education institutions will receive recommendations on how to organize the institution and reformat various areas of its life on the basis of transparency and integrity. In the short term, this will help to reduce corruption in the activities of higher education institutions; in the medium term, it will make it possible to reduce corruption in higher education in general; and in the long run, it will allow Ukrainian educational institutions to improve their image and raise the quality of higher education.

Steps | Responsible agency | Completion time/period | Delivery indication

1. Development of the structure of Gold Standard recommendations National Agency on Corruption Prevention | Ministry of Education and Sciences | November 2023 | The structure of the Gold Standard recommendations has been prepared

2. Preparation of the Gold Standard recommendations with the participation of stakeholders | —”— | —”— | The Gold Standard recommendations have been drafted

3. Consultations with the public regarding the Gold Standard recommendations | —”— | —”— | The Gold Standard recommendations have been revised, taking into account the results of public consultations

4. Pilot implementation of the Gold Standard recommendations | National Agency on Corruption Prevention Ministry of Education and Sciences | November — December 2023 | A piloting report has been prepared, and the Gold Standard recommendations have been finalized

5. Provision of recommendations on the application of the Gold Standard recommendations by institutions of higher learning | National Agency on Corruption Prevention Ministry of Education and Science National Agency for Higher Education Quality Assurance Other interested central executive authorities | January — December 2024 | The Gold Standard recommendations have been sent to institutions of higher learning

6. Monitoring the implementation of the Gold Standard recommendations in higher education institutions | —”— | —”— | A report on the implementation of the Gold Standard recommendations in higher education institutions has been prepared